Kinlock Falls offers unique and scenic getaway

ARLEY- The sound of rushing water draws the weary hiker to the micro creek far below the sandstone cliffs. Descending the sandy bank, the scenic waterfall finally reveals itself, hidden from view by large Hemlock trees.

Kinlock Falls is one of the most unique and scenic places in Alabama but few people have visited this natural beauty hidden deep inside the western end of the Sipsey Wilderness Area of Bankhead National Park.

No highway runs past it. There is no overlook, no parking area and throngs of tourists are nowhere in sight. You don’t need a tour guide to get there, but it sure helps.

Tommy Lee, a professional tour guide based in Gadsden was in Madison recently and led a group on a hiking, kayaking, and camping outing in Bankhead National Forest.

Tommy Lee

Lee leads groups on the Appalachian Trail, providing camping, food, and safety/security expertise.

Tropical Storm Cindy provided ample rainfall for all the creeks in Bankhead to come to life for a few days this week.

“Normally this creek is at summer pool and it would not be running good this time of year, it is rare to get that much rain in June,” Lee said while standing upstream of Kinlock Falls. “Kinlock is easily one of Alabama’s top cascading waterfalls, on par with what you would expect in the mountains of Tennessee. It has a remote location and is untouched by commercialization. It pours into a cold, clear swimming hole that people used to cool off before air-conditioning.”

The water from Kinlock helps form the headwaters for the Sipsey River. Nearby, at the Sipsey Picnic and Recreation Area kayakers drive across a wooden bridge to put in their boats.

For veteran paddlers the sandy bottom of the Sipsey River is a welcome relief from rock strewn rivers such as Locust Fork, Mulberry, and Little River Canyon. The 12-mile stretch from the picnic area to the bridge at Highway 33 is the most commonly paddled section.

The clear water moves along with mild shoals and a few easy rapids. The cliffs, carved out by water, soar hundreds of feet up. There are no houses, no sign of civilization.

Lee said that the sandy ground of the Sipsey is great for camping and all the feeder creeks offer a clean water source with minimal additives and filtration.

Using freeze dried packaging and a jet-boil backpacking stove Lee had hot meals whipped up in no time. Tents are optional, he sleeps in a double hammock with a mosquito net.

The William B. Bankhead National Forest is one of Alabama’s four National Forests, covering 181,230 acres. It is home to Alabama’s only National Wild and Scenic River, the Sipsey Fork. The Sipsey drains the western watershed of Bankhead while her twin Brushy Creek drains the eastern side. The clear cool water flows south and fills Smith Lake.

Among the most popular trails for hiking are The Sipsey Big Tree trail and Caney Creek Falls trail.

Only a one hour drive from Madison, Bankhead offers an outdoor adventure with something for the whole family.