Our Hiking and Camping Page

One thing that our family loves to do is spend time outdoors. We live on an 8-acre farm and 6 of those acres are in forest. Often times when the day becomes stressful or I can steal away, you will find me back in our "old woods" observing the animals and communing with my God and my King.

When we have some free time as a family, our main forms of entertainment, relaxation and exercise are camping, hiking and horseback riding. Jessie and I both camped as children and this engendered a true love in us for God's great outdoors. All of creation magnifies the Lord and we join in every chance we get. There is nothing more joyous for us, than to watch our children's faces as they observe wildlife or discover new things in the wilderness. I stand in awe of my God who allows me the privilege of witnessing their discovery of Him. Thank you Jesus!

As a parent and as an educator, I highly recommend spending time out of doors with your children. Seeing things through their eyes will awaken your senses to the world around you. Things that you have taken for granted and overlooked will suddenly become new and fresh and a topic for discovery and research. The awesome correlations between creation and the Creator will boggle your mind and quickly bring you to your knees to worship a God of such infinite details and humor. Nature studies is fascinating and I can think of no one better to share it with than your family.

When you venture out with your children don't feel as if you must breathe down their necks continually. Give them time to explore and draw conclusions of their own. There will come plenty of time for instruction when they begin to ask their questions. But not each discovery needs to become a new study. They will learn much more if you will casually share the names of things with them and let them lite upon their own delights. Once this happens, you can lead them into a whole new study on that one delight and build a notebook that will bring back pleasant memories for the rest of their life.

As you are traveling the trails, remember to record your journey with sketches and photographs. Don't ever trust these "Kodak moments" to your memory. We have seen more wildlife by taking the time to look up a find in a field guide or snap a picture. Just being still and considering the wondrous creation of God will yield vast discoveries. As you become still, the wildlife has a chance to become accustomed to your presence. Then, they will resume their daily business and you can observe the forest in action. The forest is never a quiet place when the animals are not frightened.

Some of our favorite campgrounds and hiking trails are listed below with a link to their page. We are always looking out for other great campgrounds and hiking trails, so if you have a suggestion, please contact us with that information!

The Appalachian Trail from Hughes Gap to Yellow Mountain Gap - Emily and I, along with Venturing Crew and some members of Boy Scout Troup 284, spent 3 days and 2 nights along this section of the A.T. The scenery was incredibly beautiful. Let me warn you about the section of the trail from Hughes Gap to Roan High Nob, it is arduous, strenuous and parts of it are nearly vertical. The views are incredible but it will definitely give you a cardiac workout. We spent our first night at Roan High Nob. We gained over 2000 foot elevation over 3.3 miles. We were exhausted!

Yep, that's rain gear we are wearing! It started raining on us around PM Friday afternoon and didn't completely stop until Sunday morning. Saturday we hike over several bald's after coming down off Roan Mountain.

Saturday night we spent at Overmountain Shelter at Yellow Mountain Gap. It was a welcome stop after a lot of downhill hiking in the rain. Again, the forest was incredibly beautiful, but we missed out on many scenic views because we were hiking in clouds and rain.

Our ride had not arrived, so we decided to hike farther down the road. You see, the rain had stopped and it was all down hill. Such an easy hike after what we had hiked the two previous days.

Joe Wheeler State Park - Joe Wheeler is located about 45 minutes from our home so this is our most common destination. Joe Wheeler is located on beautiful Wheeler Lake along the Tennessee River in Northwest Alabama. You will find full hook-ups for RV campers and also a primitive camping area. There is a full service lodge for the less adventurous and private cabins as well. Wheeler Lake is a wonderful place for bass fishing and it has been used as the location for the big time Bass Fishing tournaments. The lodge at Joe Wheeler includes a lakeside restaurant and there are also private cabins available. Being a full service resort, Joe Wheeler offers golf, picnicking and swimming as well.

David Crockett State Park - We LOVE camping at Davy Crockett! For Parker-Daniil's Gotcha Day, 2001 he chose a camping/hiking trip to this park. The only inconvenience at this park is that they don't have septic hook-ups at the campsites. This downfall is more than compensated for by the beautiful scenery, lake, creek complete with waterfall, covered bridge, gristmill, and miles and miles of hiking trails. This park is absolutely gorgeous in the fall and is located in Lawrenceburg, TN. The restaurant at Davy Crockett is a popular weekend destination for local residents. If you tire of all this, bicycling, tennis and basketball are also available. Sometimes a day trip is all that we can manage and there are wonderful picnic areas in this park.

Corinth Recreation Area - This is by far the NICEST campground we have ever stayed at. It is located in Double Springs, AL just south of the Bankhead National Forest and Black Warrior Recreation Area. In the Bankhead National Forest you will find the beautiful Sipsey Wilderness Area. Corinth Recreation Area has full hook-ups for RV's. It is a wonderfully clean park with pristine bathhouses and it is set on beautiful Smith Lake. Their camphosts are the friendliest we have found anywhere. They have paddleboat's for rent, great fishing areas, a swimming area, picnic grounds and hiking trails.

The Sipsey Wilderness Area - This piece of heaven on earth is located just south of Moulton, AL on Hwy. 33 south. It has been described as the Emerald of Alabama. It is loaded with waterfalls beyond compare, flora and fauna you will find no where else, petroglyphs from wandering Indian tribes BC, and the biggest tree in Alabama. On some of the smooth barked trees you will find inscriptions dating back to the 1800's. I have yet to explore all of the box canyons and trails that this area offers. If you love to hike and know how to use a compass and topo map, this is your area in North Alabama. Camping is available for hikers and backpackers trailside. We slip away to hike in this wilderness area whenever we can, even if we can't camp!

Chickasaw State Park - This park is located on Hwy 100 near Henderson, TN. This is our newest find of the year. Our main reason for visiting this park, in the first place, was because they offer horseback riding. Our middle daughter, Emily, chose this park for her birthday campout so she could go horseback riding. There is also fishing, paddleboating (no motor driven craft are allowed on this lake), hiking and swimming. There is a RV campground with electricity and water at the sites, a wrangler campground and a primitive campground. Chickasaw also has a restaurant. In the summer months there is a gospel singing at the campstore on Friday and Saturday nights. There are miles and miles of hiking trails inside of this park. Chickasaw also offers a group lodge, meeting hall and private cabins.

Lake Guntersville State Park - Located just outside of Guntersville, AL on the beautiful Tennessee River this park offers watersports, wildlife viewing and miles and miles of beautiful, wooded, mountainous hiking trails. Some of our favorite camping buddies introduced us to this park last year. In the evening, the deer come down out of the mountains right into the campground to feed on corn and scraps that campers place under the lights. There are also plenty of nice level places in the campground for bicycle riding. The RV sites offer full hookups and there is a wonderful camp store for your convenience. Fishing, swimming and tennis are also available at this campground.


	Crooked Pines Ministries \| home About Us - The Woodis Bunch \| Contact Us \| Our Products and Services \| Our Garden of Links - Categories \| Our Hiking and Camping Page \| The Northwest Alabama Christian Home Educators \| Thank You Veterans and Active Duty Military \| The Cotton Gin Field Trip \| Articles by Mary E. Woodis Our Hiking and Camping Page Our Camping and Hiking Page! *(Also see our "Science through a Nature Club" page to learn more about how our family does Nature Studies!) One thing that our family loves to do is spend time outdoors. We live on an 8-acre farm and 6 of those acres are in forest. Often times when the day becomes stressful or I can steal away, you will find me back in our "old woods" observing the animals and communing with my God and my King. When we have some free time as a family, our main forms of entertainment, relaxation and exercise are camping, hiking and horseback riding. Jessie and I both camped as children and this engendered a true love in us for God's great outdoors. All of creation magnifies the Lord and we join in every chance we get. There is nothing more joyous for us, than to watch our children's faces as they observe wildlife or discover new things in the wilderness. I stand in awe of my God who allows me the privilege of witnessing their discovery of Him. Thank you Jesus! As a parent and as an educator, I highly recommend spending time out of doors with your children. Seeing things through their eyes will awaken your senses to the world around you. Things that you have taken for granted and overlooked will suddenly become new and fresh and a topic for discovery and research. The awesome correlations between creation and the Creator will boggle your mind and quickly bring you to your knees to worship a God of such infinite details and humor. Nature studies is fascinating and I can think of no one better to share it with than your family. When you venture out with your children don't feel as if you must breathe down their necks continually. Give them time to explore and draw conclusions of their own. There will come plenty of time for instruction when they begin to ask their questions. But not each discovery needs to become a new study. They will learn much more if you will casually share the names of things with them and let them lite upon their own delights. Once this happens, you can lead them into a whole new study on that one delight and build a notebook that will bring back pleasant memories for the rest of their life. As you are traveling the trails, remember to record your journey with sketches and photographs. Don't ever trust these "Kodak moments" to your memory. We have seen more wildlife by taking the time to look up a find in a field guide or snap a picture. Just being still and considering the wondrous creation of God will yield vast discoveries. As you become still, the wildlife has a chance to become accustomed to your presence. Then, they will resume their daily business and you can observe the forest in action. The forest is never a quiet place when the animals are not frightened. Some of our favorite campgrounds and hiking trails are listed below with a link to their page. We are always looking out for other great campgrounds and hiking trails, so if you have a suggestion, please contact us with that information! The Appalachian Trail from Hughes Gap to Yellow Mountain Gap - Emily and I, along with Venturing Crew and some members of Boy Scout Troup 284, spent 3 days and 2 nights along this section of the A.T. The scenery was incredibly beautiful. Let me warn you about the section of the trail from Hughes Gap to Roan High Nob, it is arduous, strenuous and parts of it are nearly vertical. The views are incredible but it will definitely give you a cardiac workout. We spent our first night at Roan High Nob. We gained over 2000 foot elevation over 3.3 miles. We were exhausted! Yep, that's rain gear we are wearing! It started raining on us around PM Friday afternoon and didn't completely stop until Sunday morning. Saturday we hike over several bald's after coming down off Roan Mountain. Saturday night we spent at Overmountain Shelter at Yellow Mountain Gap. It was a welcome stop after a lot of downhill hiking in the rain. Again, the forest was incredibly beautiful, but we missed out on many scenic views because we were hiking in clouds and rain. Out the back door of the barn we found a pleasant surprise, a semi-privy. Let me show you what I mean... We were very glad it was not hot! We packed up Sunday morning and hiked 2 miles down to the road to catch our ride. Our ride had not arrived, so we decided to hike farther down the road. You see, the rain had stopped and it was all down hill. Such an easy hike after what we had hiked the two previous days. I would certainly do this hike again, just not the Hughes Gap to Roan High Nob portion. That was more hike than I wanted. Joe Wheeler State Park - Joe Wheeler is located about 45 minutes from our home so this is our most common destination. Joe Wheeler is located on beautiful Wheeler Lake along the Tennessee River in Northwest Alabama. You will find full hook-ups for RV campers and also a primitive camping area. There is a full service lodge for the less adventurous and private cabins as well. Wheeler Lake is a wonderful place for bass fishing and it has been used as the location for the big time Bass Fishing tournaments. The lodge at Joe Wheeler includes a lakeside restaurant and there are also private cabins available. Being a full service resort, Joe Wheeler offers golf, picnicking and swimming as well. David Crockett State Park - We LOVE camping at Davy Crockett! For Parker-Daniil's Gotcha Day, 2001 he chose a camping/hiking trip to this park. The only inconvenience at this park is that they don't have septic hook-ups at the campsites. This downfall is more than compensated for by the beautiful scenery, lake, creek complete with waterfall, covered bridge, gristmill, and miles and miles of hiking trails. This park is absolutely gorgeous in the fall and is located in Lawrenceburg, TN. The restaurant at Davy Crockett is a popular weekend destination for local residents. If you tire of all this, bicycling, tennis and basketball are also available. Sometimes a day trip is all that we can manage and there are wonderful picnic areas in this park. Camper and Truck at David Crockett Jessie and Emily relaxing at David Crockett Corinth Recreation Area - This is by far the NICEST campground we have ever stayed at. It is located in Double Springs, AL just south of the Bankhead National Forest and Black Warrior Recreation Area. In the Bankhead National Forest you will find the beautiful Sipsey Wilderness Area. Corinth Recreation Area has full hook-ups for RV's. It is a wonderfully clean park with pristine bathhouses and it is set on beautiful Smith Lake. Their camphosts are the friendliest we have found anywhere. They have paddleboat's for rent, great fishing areas, a swimming area, picnic grounds and hiking trails. Jessie and Parker-Daniil at Corinth Recreation Area, Double Springs, AL The Sipsey Wilderness Area - This piece of heaven on earth is located just south of Moulton, AL on Hwy. 33 south. It has been described as the Emerald of Alabama. It is loaded with waterfalls beyond compare, flora and fauna you will find no where else, petroglyphs from wandering Indian tribes BC, and the biggest tree in Alabama. On some of the smooth barked trees you will find inscriptions dating back to the 1800's. I have yet to explore all of the box canyons and trails that this area offers. If you love to hike and know how to use a compass and topo map, this is your area in North Alabama. Camping is available for hikers and backpackers trailside. We slip away to hike in this wilderness area whenever we can, even if we can't camp! Hiking in Sipsey Wilderness Area, Bankhead National Forest, AL Chickasaw State Park - This park is located on Hwy 100 near Henderson, TN. This is our newest find of the year. Our main reason for visiting this park, in the first place, was because they offer horseback riding. Our middle daughter, Emily, chose this park for her birthday campout so she could go horseback riding. There is also fishing, paddleboating (no motor driven craft are allowed on this lake), hiking and swimming. There is a RV campground with electricity and water at the sites, a wrangler campground and a primitive campground. Chickasaw also has a restaurant. In the summer months there is a gospel singing at the campstore on Friday and Saturday nights. There are miles and miles of hiking trails inside of this park. Chickasaw also offers a group lodge, meeting hall and private cabins. Camping at Chickasaw, September 2001 Horseback Riding at Chickasaw Paddle boating at Chickasaw Lake Guntersville State Park - Located just outside of Guntersville, AL on the beautiful Tennessee River this park offers watersports, wildlife viewing and miles and miles of beautiful, wooded, mountainous hiking trails. Some of our favorite camping buddies introduced us to this park last year. In the evening, the deer come down out of the mountains right into the campground to feed on corn and scraps that campers place under the lights. There are also plenty of nice level places in the campground for bicycle riding. The RV sites offer full hookups and there is a wonderful camp store for your convenience. Fishing, swimming and tennis are also available at this campground. jessiew@hiwaay.net Back to top Parker-Daniil riding his bike at David Crockett October 2002 This page last updated August 2006