Category: St. Clair Outdoors

From hunting to climbing to cycling:
Not one single reason to stay inside

Story by Loyd McIntosh
Submitted Photos
Discover Archive Photos

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
— Margaret Atwood

The promise of another spring is just around the corner. Time to shake off the fog of winter, as well as the handful of pounds many gained waiting for the wet, cold and gray misery of winter to finally come to an end. Spring is a time to put the remote control down, shut off the cell phone, get outdoors, learn a new skill, and, most importantly, have some fun!

St. Clair County is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, and there are a ton of local experts ready to help you take advantage of the many outdoor activities available just outside the front door. Regardless of your physical fitness level or knowledge of a new interest, the only limit is your imagination and willingness to try to something new. The following is just a sample of some of the activities you can do throughout the county.

Kayaking Big
Canoe Creek

More and more people are learning about the great kayaking and canoeing along Big Canoe Creek, a 50-plus-mile-long waterway snaking through St. Clair County and part of the Big Canoe Creek Watershed. 

One of the most ecologically diverse in the state, Big Canoe Creek is home to more than 50 species of fish and one of the healthiest populations of mussels in the country. The creek is also stunningly beautiful, and one of the best ways to experience it is in a kayak.

“Our creek has lots of wildlife on it,” says Randall Van, owner and operator of Yak Tha Creek, a small business providing kayaking experiences based in Ashville. Among the species of fish are alligator gar, crappie, brim and red eye bass.

Van says many of his customers are anglers who want to fish the creek from kayaks. “I have a lot of fishers that come to me and want to fish the day out there, fishing on the edges, and find them a little hole where there’s a deep spot to fish because our water goes from ankle-deep to 12 to 15 feet deep.”

Even if fishing isn’t your thing, kayaking Big Canoe Creek is a spectacular way to appreciate the natural wonder of St. Clair County.

The section of the creek Van runs his business on and uses for personal kayaking is very secluded, keeping the modern distractions from the natural habitats to a minimum. Even an expert like Van is surprised from time to time at what he encounters when on the water. “I’ve been down it many times with my wife and all of a sudden a deer will cross the creek in front of you,” he says. “We had a bald eagle visit the creek several times last year to go fishing itself. Lots of neat stuff like that can be happened upon while you’re out there.

“This is part of the thrill and why I enjoy it so much,” he adds. “You just never know what you’re going to kayak up to.”

Bird Watching

If you’re interested in something a little less strenuous or just want a more relaxed experience in the outdoors, bird watching might be just the thing for you. Thanks to the county’s diverse natural resources and location along the flight path for many interesting species, St. Clair County offers ample opportunities to see an array of birds on their way to and from locations as far-flung as the Arctic Circle to South America.

 “During the spring you’ll definitely get a lot of spring migrants,” says Joe Watts, president of Birmingham Audubon and the author of Alabama Birding Trails (alabamabirdingtrails.com). “There are several hundred birds that migrate through Alabama each spring and fall, and some actually stop in Alabama and spend the summer here.”

According to Watts, many birds that make their way to our neck of the woods launch from the Dauphin Island-Gulf Shores area when the wind is ideal, allowing them to make the trip several hundred miles north.

“Sometimes they’ll fly all the way to St. Clair and Jefferson counties to the first line of the Appalachian Mountains, and then they’ll settle,” explains Watts. “They’re going as far as they can until they’re worn completely out.” Among the birds you’re likely to see during the spring include the rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo buntings and hawks, which are plentiful during the spring and fall along the ridges of Horse Pens 40.

On Logan Martin Dam, wading birds are common sights, such as the black-crowned night heron and other similar species that feed on the fish along the rocky shoreline of the lake. The majestic bald eagle, with its wingspan of up to 7.5 feet, can also be viewed throughout the area.

Other areas around the county that are great for bird watching include Ten Islands Historic Park, where visitors can see blue-winged warblers, along with prairie warblers and white-eyed vireos beginning in March, and Neely Henry Dam, where a variety of gulls, such as Ring-billed, Bonaparte’s and Herrings, as well as cliff and barn swallows, are visible throughout the spring. To get started, all you need is a willingness to get outdoors and patience. A nice pair of binoculars is the perfect complement.

Bouldering at Horse Pens 40

One of the most physically challenging activities around the county has to be bouldering at Horse Pens 40. However, if you’re up to the challenge, your hard work will be rewarded. Increasingly, the nature park situated on Chandler Mountain is gaining a reputation for some of the best bouldering in the nation – if not the world.

Made up of rare combinations of sandstone with bands of iron throughout, the rock formations at Horse Pens 40 are tightly condensed and due to the uniqueness of the formation, provide a more challenging climbing experience. “A lot of places that people go to boulder you have to walk a quarter of a mile to get to the next climb, but here it’s all laid out back-to-back like it would be in a gym,” says Ashley Ensign, assistant manager at Horse Pens 40.

The rock formations at Horse Pens 40 pushed up from underground with evidence to suggest the formations were under water for millions of years. This process led to the tops of the rocks being rounder and smoother than most rocks, forming what is known as “slopers” in the bouldering world.

Slopers are more of a challenge to climb than flat top rocks, making Horse Pens 40 an attractive location for bouldering enthusiasts around the world. “We’re known as the sloper top out capital of the world,” says Ensign. “It’s like you’re trying to grip a ball to pull up on the top. It is a lot more challenging because you have to squeeze. That’s what I hear people say every day. You have to grip the sides and hug it.”

On a typical weekend, up to 200 people can be found bouldering on the 40 acres of rock formations at Horse Pens 40, many of them coming from locations thousands of miles away. They have heard about the great climbing and the park and made the trek to Steele, Alabama, to check it out. “Recently we’ve had people from Colorado, Canada and even from Japan. It’s just that well-known within the climbing world.”

For more on St. Clair Outdoors, check out the full special section in this month’s Discover St. Clair. 

Big Canoe Creek Preserve
in Springville is now
a part of Forever Wild

Story by Carol Pappas
Photos by Susan Wall
and Emily Y. Horton

He was no doubt inspired by the groundwork they meticulously laid in making a compelling case for saving this property for the future, others entered the picture to eventually move this project over what had been an elusive finish line.

Prominent Springville businessman Dean Goforth, helped them navigate the political process. So did Candice Hill and Don Smith of the St. Clair Economic Development Council. Vickey Wheeler, a local artist and head of Nature Planning for Friends was among those helping push it to fruition.

Wendy Jackson, former executive director of Alabama Freshwater Land Trust and now executive VP of the Land Trust Alliance in Washington, D.C., was instrumental as was Barnett Lawley, former commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and now a board member of the St. Clair EDC.

“The Big Canoe Creek Preserve is perseverance at its finest,” Jackson said. “So many people committed to making the preserve a reality and never quit. Doug Morrison and all of the Friends of Big Canoe Creek, the City of Springville, St. Clair County Commission and Freshwater Land Trust were early champions and stayed the course, even when success seemed far from certain.

“Kudos to their forward thinking and leadership that created a remarkable legacy for my beloved home county. I grew up playing in Canoe Creek and look forward to visiting this new beautiful, preserve that brought so many people together. For me, it will always stand as a symbol to great character of the people in St. Clair County and why, no matter where my travels take me, I am so proud to call it home!”It is easy to use words like perseverance when describing the project’s history. At one point in the process, “They were at a place where they felt like it was dead,” said Goforth. “It wasn’t going anywhere.” He worked with State Rep. Jim Hill and State Sen. Jim McClendon as well as State Lands Manager Doug Deaton of ADCNR.

Referring to Morrison and the Friends of Big Canoe Creek, Goforth said they had done “an awesome job of nominating the property and helping people understand its importance.” Because of the relationships he and others had, they were able to combine forces and work together to take the effort to a whole new level.

“It was a team effort,” Morrison said. The city of Springville, St. Clair County Commission and various state officials and agencies invested all the support that was needed, and the preserve became official. “It will benefit people from now on,” Goforth added.

They predicted it will become one of the premier destinations in the state. It’s centrally located. It’s easy to access. And it has it has a number of diverse development possibilities over time, including horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, hiking, walking trails and possibly, mountain bike trails.

Look in any direction, and you cannot help but see an outdoor classroom surrounding you. The education component is limitless. Goforth called it a “huge opportunity from an education standpoint” with schools and colleges as natural partners along with other organizations who will use it as a teaching and research tool.

“The impact of this project will be felt across St. Clair County, both from a tourism perspective and a preservation presence,” said Retail Development Specialist Candice Hill of St. Clair EDC.

“Because Springville is already set up to receive tourism dollars in its retail districts, they will feel the spinoff immediately. The participation of both St. Clair County and the City of Springville in this projects says to all of us that they care about the quality of life and the preservation of green space, and we look forward to the future of this preserve,” she said. “Over 100,000 people visited the Forever Wild prerserve at Turkey Creek last year, and if we see similar results, this could really help local businesses.”

Preparing for the future

On an August morning of overcast skies, dozens of volunteers, environmentalists and conservationists combed the tracts of land that run along Big Canoe Creek looking for even more reasons – species – this watershed should be preserved.

Two graduate students from the University of Alabama, Frank Gigliotti and Thomas Franzem showed up for the Bio-Blitz “just for fun. They were there looking for species of birds and insects. They are working with the State now for a return visit for a more thorough exploration.

Kim Waites of Wild South, a leader in public lands protection in the Southeast, volunteered to map the distance of the entire border of the property and look for places to develop trails.

Henry Hughes, retired director of Education at Botanical Gardens, a forester by trade, was looking forward to his first Bio-Blitz as well. His task would be identifying the trees found on the expansive parcel.

Educator Lacy Kamber talked of the programs Turkey Creek, where she works, has put in place. Named a Forever Wild property in 2008, its 466-acre park in Pinson is a growing attraction. It has six miles of hiking and biking trails and a creek that is “incredibly clean” with a waterfall that visitors can tube down, a natural waterslide. With more protected species than any other preserve, Turkey Creek has earned a reputation for its richness in education, recreation and environmental resources.

It is known for three species of darters, one of which – vermillion – is on the critically endangered species list. It only exists in 10 square miles of Turkey Creek.

About Big Canoe Creek

Big Canoe Creek has plenty of its own precious resources. The main part of the creek is more than 50 miles long with four tributaries flowing into it – Gulf Creek, Muckleroy Creek and two “Little Canoe” creeks.

Along its shores, the preserve is home to a mix of oak-hickory and oak-pine forests. Thickets of mountain laurel and native azaleas populate its slopes.

Bordering the creek are Beech, Red and Sugar Maples, Hornbeams, Catalpa, Butternut and Big Leaf Magnolia trees. In limited supply, but nevertheless dwelling n the land, are fire suppressed stands of river cane.

The creek itself is home more than 50 species of fish, including a rarity, the Trispot Darter, discovered in 2008 in Little Canoe Creek – a species that used to occur in Alabama but had not been observed in nearly 50 years. It is a species of conservation concern in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia and is under review by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Because it had not been collected in Alabama since the mid-20th Century, it was considered locally extirpated. With the discovery of the Trispot Darter, it is now designated, “Highest Conservation Concern” by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Mussels – nature’s water filter – are in great supply in Big Canoe Creek, illustrating and ensuring the creek as an ecological treasure. The creek has retained a majority of its mussel species. They are the most endangered because of their dependency on exceptionally high water quality.

Big Canoe Creek watershed has eight federally listed freshwater mussel species associated with it. And an 18-mile stretch of its main stem was designated in 2004 as a “critical habitat” under the Endangered Species Act. A distinct new species, The Canoe Creek Clubshell, only found in Big Canoe Creek, has been discovered in one of its tributaries.

Conservation status is designated for 10 species of mussels in Big Canoe Creek. Two species have state conservation status while eight have designations under the Endangered Species Act. Three of the eight are known from historic records only. Of the remaining five extant species, three are listed as endangered, one as threatened, and another is proposed for listing.

Dr. Wayne Barger of Alabama Department of Conservation, State Lands Division, talked of the importance of adding to the collections and identifying the species, like those found in the Bio-Blitz. “We are still working to get all the data identified. It was a good day. It adds to our knowledge as we move forward.” Regarding its potential, Barger added, “It scored well as a nature preserve. This will protect its diversity” and allow people to observe nature, bird watch and hike – “enjoy nature as it should be.”

“For The Friends of Big Canoe Creek it has always been about protecting and educating ourselves and our community about Big Canoe Creek,” said Vickey Wheeler.

 “The Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve is our ‘living museum.’  We are planning ways everyone of all ages and abilities will have the opportunity to observe and learn about the natural world. A system of educational, gentle walking trails in combination with more strenuous hiking trails is what we are looking at first for public use.   Whichever direction our community chooses to support, we must put the health and protection of the creek at the forefront of all decisions we make in planning Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve.

Healthy creeks equal healthy communities.”

Future plans will include ways to connect with the city and bring support to local businesses. “We are continuing our talks with the city and county to bring more conservation areas into Alabama,” she said.

Evan Lawrence, a biologist in State Land Recreational Management, said his group is working closely with Springville to guide the process. “Plans call for a hiking trail system through there, mountain biking trails and possibly horseback trails.”

As the preserve nears opening in about six months, boundaries are being marked, a gate will be installed at the entrance to the property, the road is being improved and a kiosk in the parking area will be set up to offer information about the property.

Development of it will come in phases en route to a preserve destined to become a destination point, supporters say.

Success at last

Why so much preliminary work? Alabama’s biodiversity ranks Number 1 in so many categories, first in the U.S. in freshwater fishes, freshwater snails, freshwater mussels, crayfish and turtles. It is important to document the flora and fauna on this tract of land and the creatures in the creek. It gives historical data about the existing ecosystem and helps us better understand this Nature balance.  Are there existing conditions affecting the plants or wildlife? Invasive species are everywhere, how bad is it here? Where exactly are they on the property? Are there any rare species found? Where can new trails go that won’t affect any special plants found?

Nine years is a long time for a quest, but Morrison said all the work and the angst were worth it in the end. But he is quick to point out that it really isn’t the end, it’s a new beginning.

“At one time, there was talk of a development on this property, and we were concerned about the effects this would have on the creek as this property borders the creek. As we were looking for ways to preserve this property, Vickey Wheeler and I had a meeting with two members of Springville’s Planning and Zoning group, Stephen Graham and David Jones. Mr. Jones, now on the City Council, pointed out the Forever Wild program to us. We took the idea and ran with it.

“Alex Varner, now with The Nature Conservancy, a good friend and fellow Friends member, went with me to meet one of the landowners on the property and pitch the idea to him, to let The Friends of Big Canoe Creek nominate this property to Forever Wild. I’ll never forget the landowner asking how long it would take. I said then, “I have no idea, but what do you have to lose?”  Who knew it would take nine years? One of our board members, Sean Andrews, was very beneficial in drawing up the necessary documents, maps, etc. for the nomination package and the journey began.”

Help along the way

“We met Wendy Jackson with the Freshwater Land Trust, and she was very instrumental from the beginning. She helped pitch the idea of a different type of economy with green space to the City of Springville and St. Clair County.  We met with the Springville City Council and the St. Clair County Commission, and they jumped on board and assisted financially to make this happen,” Morrison said. “This would not have happened, period, without their backing.

“Libba Vaughn carried the torch after Wendy left FWLT and attended the Forever Wild Board meetings with us. There were many roadblocks along the way, a lot of heartaches, headaches and frustrations, but we never lost hope.” 

Morrison expressed gratitude to Friends members and board members, Mayor Isley for seeing the possibilities and believing in the project, the St. Clair Commission chairmen, Stan Batemon, originally, then Paul Manning, the Springville City Council, the St. Clair County Commission, Candice Hill, Don Smith and Dean Goforth for “helping get us to the goal line. Myself, I had many sleepless nights in those nine years – too many to count. The bottom line is, we got it going, the community paid attention, and the resources needed joined forces to make the Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve a reality.”

“I believe that part of the the impact of the Forever Wild nature park in Springville will be to provide an untouched, natural and beautiful  portion of God’s creation – Earth –  made available to our citizens, neighbors, families and friends,” said Springville Mayor William “Butch” Isley. “The users of this beautiful sanctuary full of wildlife, fish and foliage will be able to spend time there in wonder and bewilderment at the beauty of this preserved area.”

In addition, he said, “The city of Springville – its citizens, businesses, churches and community residents will be benefitted in many ways by hosting guests and visitors from all parts of St. Clair and surrounding counties as everyone hears about this beautiful nature park.”

A bright future

“I see the Forever Wild program as a unique way to preserve property in the State of Alabama, for the good of the State and its people. We hope this Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve will benefit folks in our communities, benefit our educational institutions for research, outdoor classrooms, etc., and help maintain a natural balance for generations to come,” he said.

With an unmistakable passion, he added, “Big Canoe Creek is a special tributary. I know this Preserve just adds a small bit of protection from over development along the creek, but perhaps it can serve as food for thought. It will be wonderful to see folks getting outdoors and just enjoying nature for what it is. Take a clean breath and enjoy a little bit of tranquility while observing nature. I think folks will come, especially when the weather is cool, to enjoy a hike, get some exercise and just unwind. It may be like Field of Dreams, in reverse.  If you don’t build it, they will come.”

County’s terrain, beauty draw cyclists

Story by Will Heath
Photos by Mike Callahan and Susan Wall

Something about St. Clair County keeps drawing cyclists from all around back to its roads. Perhaps it’s the winding paths that lead to unrivaled scenery, like Chandler Mountain, Washington Valley, Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes.

Maybe it’s the feel of the wind and the solitude as you pedal one more mile and then another to get a glimpse of one more breathtaking view.

Ask a cyclist, and they will readily tell you it’s the countryside – rolling pastures, meandering creeks, an old barn, a roadside waterfall – it all keeps them coming back for more.

“There are more and more people getting involved in it,” said Jay Hollis of Pell City. “Last year and particularly the year before, there were quite a few new cyclists in the area.

A rider himself, Hollis now estimates that “probably 35-40 people” in the area ride with about 15 to 20 on a regular basis. His own group, the Pell City Cycling Club, bikes two to three times per week.

“It’s a really well-known area,” he said. “A lot of the men and women we ride with, they will pass through here, and we meet up with them when we can. They come from Irondale, Chelsea and the Shelby County area. … I ride with a group from Vestavia sometimes on Sundays. They come over about once or twice a month for 40-50 miles around the area.”

St. Clair County offers them a central meeting point, with a friendly culture and picturesque scenery.

“I love St. Clair County,” said Sherry Wilson of the Urology Foundation, which for a decade chose St. Clair for its Tour de Blue to raise money and awareness about prostate cancer. “It’s just a beautiful countryside. The people are so nice and friendly.”

 “They pitched in and helped us with our ride,” Wilson said. “We just kept going back to the same area to put on this event because the people in Moody were just fantastic – from the mayor’s office to the police department to the volunteers to the school system. We started at the elementary school and meandered around the countryside. The (administration) was just great to work with, and we just really enjoyed it.”

Although Wilson and fellow organizer, Tom Moody, said they were discontinuing the ride for the time being, “I have nothing but good things to say about the people of Moody, and the terrain was lovely,” Moody said. “The positive parts were the generosity and support of the people, particularly the mayor’s office and the chief of police and the government. And the beautiful scenery we had the riders go through it.”

That ride included a century ride – 100 miles in all – that had cyclists from multiple states biking over Blount Mountain and passing McClendon Gap, circling around Chandler Mountain, and through historic Ashville. It was a remarkable showcase for the county’s scenery, one that earned no shortage of praise from riders in various forums around the web.

“This is a ‘must do’ ride in Alabama,” said Doug Tinkham of SwimBikeRunAlabama.com

“Put this ride on your calendar,” said Dan (“Dirtdog”) Watson, creator of Dirtdogs Birmingham Cycling Google Group

“Awesome route. One of the most scenic centuries I’ve ridden,” said John Halsey, another participant

Biking is an activity that draws in participants from all over. Tim Pemberton of Trussville’s Cahaba Cycles says he sees a “steady increase” of riders from around his area.

“I think it usually starts off like, ‘I want to do something to get in shape,’” he said. “You go from riding around the neighborhood to seeing how far you can go.

“There are lot of people who ride up to Springville by the prison (St. Clair Correctional Facility in historic St. Clair Springs) and come back on 411, make a big loop there. There’s also, up in Springville to the left, you can climb Pine Mountain up there. Lots of people are riding in Springville and make that kind of loop and come back (to Trussville).” The view from Pine Mountain’s ridge is incredible.

Pemberton sees riders of all ages, particularly since Hewitt-Trussville High School added a mountain biking team. “It’s all over the place,” he said. “They go from that (high school) age to as old as you want to be.”

For his part, Hollis says he and others ride from one end of the county to the other – “all the way to Ohatchee, to sometimes the tip of Talladega,” he said. “We’ll ride down to Vandiver or Sterrett or to locations near Leeds,” also a popular destination point for scenic routes on Highways 55 and 43 (Wolf Creek Rd). “Sundays, we’re out sometimes four to five hours at a time when everyone can get together.

Hollis enjoys the Northwest section of the county just as much – “probably more toward Springville and Odenville, there are amazing rides out there,” he said, adding that the Pell City Cycling Club would like to start adding some routes to the area. We will post routes on our site and we encourage anyone wanting to start cycling or veteran cyclists to look us up and join in.

 “We like getting out, just being outdoors. A little bit of exercise while enjoying the beautiful rolling hills in the area.” Sometimes while riding I cant wait for it to end only to find myself thinking about when the next ride begins. You cant help but enjoy the fresh air and the winding backroads.

Safety, equipment
critical to sport

It’s more than just the ability to pedal. Pemberton said he frequently field questions from first-time riders to veterans alike. He and others at Cahaba Cycles can offer tips on safety, as well as equipment.

“There’s a different bike for riding around the neighborhood, or if you’re going to be in a big group riding on the road,” he said. “I try to tell everybody to at least have some lights to keep on even during the daytime, and some high viz clothing or helmet or something, so at least you’ll be seen.”

And as cycling numbers have grown, so has the need for more awareness about vehicles and bicycles on the road together. Hollis noted that a member, Charlie Browning, worked tirelessly and helped encourage the county to erect “Share the Road” signs to help support riders.

As the county continues to grow, “Hopefully they (county government) will get more behind it and make it a bit more rider friendly in the next few years,” Hollis said. It is a beautiful destination for people to come and enjoy cycling or running.

For now, though, no one’s complaining. They just board their bikes, take in the scenery and enjoy the ride.