Geocaching at Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve
This is a Geocaching event at the beautiful Cane Creek Canyon
Nature Preserve. The event and all of the geocaches in the Preserve
are with permission from the owners.
Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve is a 700+ acre
privately-protected scenic natural area located in the Little
Mountains region of Colbert County, Alabama. It was founded to
provide a sanctuary for native plants and animals, as well as
outdoor educational and recreational opportunities for people of
the Shoals area. The preserve is open to the public year-round at
no charge, except on special program and activity days sponsored by
local environmental, civic, or natural history groups. There is no
charge for this event.
In the preserve, there are more than 15 miles of hiking
trails, a picnic area, several waterfalls, beautiful bluffs and a
multitude of flora ranging from common to rare. I have seen
turkeys, snakes (including rattlesnakes), deer, armadillos and
other wildlife in this beautiful preserve and there have been two
Mountain Lion sightings, as well.
CAUTION!! Enter
this area at your own risk!
Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve is
maintained as closely as possible to its natural state, and
visitors are advised that this commitment to “naturalness” offers
many potential hazards that must be considered in order to be safe
while on the preserve. Please use caution at all times. Always
monitor children carefully. Please be sure to take water and snacks
along with you. I don’t recommend drinking from the streams you
will encounter nor do I recommend drinking from the Big Spring
although it is probably safe. Please wear good hiking boots or
shoes since the footing is precarious in many places. Please
remember, other than the cache contents, “Leave only footprints and
take only memories and photos”.
Location:
Cane
Creek Canyon Nature
Preserve – see directions below.
Schedule:
9:00 AM – Brief presentation about
Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve.
9:30 (approximately) to 12:30 – Hiking and caching in the
Preserve
12:30 PM – Lunch at the Linden Meadows picnic area. We will have
barbeque from Rick's. Feel free to bring any additional food,
snacks or drinks, except alcohol. Bring enough to share. Water will
be available at Linden Meadows.
After lunch – Hiking and caching in the
Preserve.
Caches currently at Cane Creek
Canyon Nature Preserve:
Cane Creek Canyon Cache
(GCRCVW)
Linden Meadows (GCZGNR)
The Old Homestead (GC11KVA)
Karen's Falls (GCZGNG)
In addition to the caches above, Lady Gem and I have already
placed an eight cache series in the Preserve,
The CCCNP series. The series will be
published before the event. The series is a variation of
multi-caching in that one has to find the first cache to get the
coordinates for the second, find the second cache to get the
coordinates for the third and so on to the completion of the
series. The variation is that each cache in the series is a stand
alone cache and may be logged separately as a find. Also, we will
have at least two additional caches placed before the event.
Although the CCCNP series caches will be available before the
event, the additional caches will not. The additional caches will
have FTF prizes.
The round trip hiking distance to do just the CCCNP series is
approximately 6 miles with actual terrain ranging from 1.5 to 4.
The last two caches in the CCCNP series will be rated 4.5/4.5 and
5/5 due to the distance, time and effort that will be required to
complete the series. To do all 14 of the caches in the Preserve
would require a round trip hiking distance of 10 - 12 miles. For
those geocachers unable to hike these distances over terrains of
1.5 to 4, transportation via a motorized “mule” may be available at
least to Linden Meadows for lunch and possibly to the cache areas
as well so that the beautiful preserve may be enjoyed by all. If
you have special needs, please let me know in your “Will attend”
note or by email.
For some geocachers, it will be difficult to complete all of
the caches in one day. A limited number of primitive campsites are
available on the Preserve for those that wish to stay over until
Sunday. Arrangements must be made with the property owners at least
24 hours in advance. If you do want to camp at the preserve on
Saturday night, I recommend contacting the owners as soon as the
decision is made to attend the event. If you wait, all of the
campsites may be reserved. The owners, Jim and Faye
Lacefield, may be contacted by phone at
256-381-6301, or by email at lacefiel@hiwaay.net. Please see the
camping rules listed below.
Camping
rules:
1. Prior approval with at least 24 hours notice is
required.
2. Follow “Leave No Trace” Outdoor Ethics guidelines. Please leave
no signs of your visit (trash, etc.). Information about "Leave No
Trace" is available from the Lacefields
and on several online sites.
3. Camping is allowed for access to preserve only, therefore all
cautions for hiking visitors must be observed.
4. Camp in established campsites unless specific request made for
backcountry camping. All rock shelters are considered protected
archeological sites and no camping is permitted in these at any
time.
5. Campers must arrive a minimum of one
hour before sunset in order to safely set up camp before
dark.
6. Our driveway is closed at dark. No entering or leaving from dusk
until dawn (vehicles must be parked in yard by dusk and do not
leave until dawn)
7. No firearms or alcohol permitted.
8. As of June 1, 2009, campfires are no longer allowed. Exception:
Boy scouts and other organized groups in which campfire skills are
part of training activities.
Directions to Cane Creek Canyon
Nature Preserve:
From Hwy 72 in Tuscumbia, go south on Frankfort Rd. Please
note that Frankfort Rd. runs under Hwy 72. The ramp to Frankfort
Rd. (N34 42.711, W87 43.236) is immediately west of the Co-op. At
the end of the ramp, turn left onto Frankfort Rd at N34 42.676,
W087 43.378. Go 7.5 miles to Loop Rd. (N34 37.391, W87 46.974).
About 700 feet after turning west onto Loop Rd., the road forks
with the paved road curving to the right and a gravel road veering
off to the left. Take the gravel road. Follow the gravel road about
2500 feet to the entrance to Cane Creek Nature Preserve. Hold your
breath as you pass the chicken houses on the left if you want to
avoid the odor. Continue on into the Nature Preserve and park in
the designated area at N34 37.335, W87 47.662.