William B. Bankhead National Forest
Encyclopedia
The William B. Bankhead National Forest is Alabama
's largest National Forest
, with 181230 acres (733 km²), and is home of Alabama's only National Wild and Scenic River
, the Sipsey Fork
. It is located in northwestern Alabama, around the town of Double Springs; it is named in honor of William B. Bankhead
, a longtime U.S. Representative
from Alabama.
Known as the "land of a thousand waterfalls", this vast monument to nature and man is popular for hiking, horseback riding, hunting, boating, fishing, swimming, canoeing and more. Within the forest lies the Sipsey Wilderness
, with a host of wildlife and an abundance of swift streams, limestone bluffs, and waterfalls. Native American
relics abound in Bankhead, one of the Southern United States
's premier sites for petroglyph
s, prehistoric drawings, and rock carvings, at sites such as the Kinlock Shelter
.
The forest is headquartered in Montgomery
, as are all four of Alabama's National Forests. The other National Forests in the state are Conecuh
, Talladega
, and Tuskegee
. There are local ranger district offices located in Double Springs
.
The forest was established as Alabama National Forest on January 15, 1918 with 66008 acres (267.1 km²). On June 19, 1936 it was renamed Black Warrior National Forest, which in turn was renamed William B. Bankhead National Forest on June 17, 1942.
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
's largest National Forest
United States National Forest
National Forest is a classification of federal lands in the United States.National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas...
, with 181230 acres (733 km²), and is home of Alabama's only National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
, the Sipsey Fork
Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River
The Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River is a river located in Alabama, USA, and is formed by the junction of Thompson and Hubbard creeks in the Sipsey Wilderness of Bankhead National Forest. The Sipsey Fork discharges into the Mulberry Fork. The Sipsey Fork below Smith Lake is one of the few...
. It is located in northwestern Alabama, around the town of Double Springs; it is named in honor of William B. Bankhead
William B. Bankhead
William Brockman Bankhead was an American politician from Alabama who served as U.S. Representative and Speaker of the House. He was a Democrat. Bankhead was a prominent supporter of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal of pro-labor union legislation, thus clashing with most other southern...
, a longtime U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Alabama.
Known as the "land of a thousand waterfalls", this vast monument to nature and man is popular for hiking, horseback riding, hunting, boating, fishing, swimming, canoeing and more. Within the forest lies the Sipsey Wilderness
Sipsey Wilderness
The Sipsey Wilderness lies within Bankhead National Forest around the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River in northwestern Alabama, USA. The Sipsey Wilderness is the third largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. Designated in 1975 and expanded in 1988, the Sipsey is the largest...
, with a host of wildlife and an abundance of swift streams, limestone bluffs, and waterfalls. Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
relics abound in Bankhead, one of the Southern United States
South
South is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.South is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to east and west.By convention, the bottom side of a map is south....
's premier sites for petroglyph
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
s, prehistoric drawings, and rock carvings, at sites such as the Kinlock Shelter
Kinlock Shelter
The Kinlock Shelter is a Rock shelter and Native American cultural site located just outside Sipsey Wilderness in Bankhead National Forest, near Double Springs, Alabama. The shelter is located not far from Hubbard Creek, near a former Civilian Conservation Corps work camp off Kinlock Road. The name...
.
The forest is headquartered in Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, as are all four of Alabama's National Forests. The other National Forests in the state are Conecuh
Conecuh National Forest
The Conecuh National Forest in southern Alabama covers 83,000 acres , along the Alabama - Florida line in Covington and Escambia counties. Topography is level to moderately sloping, broad ridges with stream terraces and broad floodplains....
, Talladega
Talladega National Forest
The Talladega National Forest is located in the U.S. state of Alabama and covers 392,567 acres at the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountains....
, and Tuskegee
Tuskegee National Forest
The Tuskegee National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Macon County, Alabama, just north of Tuskegee and west of Auburn. The topography is level to moderately sloping, with broad ridges with stream terraces and broad floodplains....
. There are local ranger district offices located in Double Springs
Double Springs, Alabama
Double Springs is a town in Winston County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,003. The city is the county seat of Winston County.- Geography :Double Springs is located at .According to the U.S...
.
The forest was established as Alabama National Forest on January 15, 1918 with 66008 acres (267.1 km²). On June 19, 1936 it was renamed Black Warrior National Forest, which in turn was renamed William B. Bankhead National Forest on June 17, 1942.