$1.2 million grant will improve Bankhead trails

BANKHEAD NATIONAL FOREST - The Alabama Trails Foundation has secured a  $1.2 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to correct erosion that has deteriorated trails in the Rush-Brushy Watershed, including Winston and Lawrence counties.
The Alabama Trails Foundation has committed to raising a minimum of $300,000 in non-federal matching contributions for the project that is centered on trails and designed to improve visitor use, mitigate severe stream sedimentation and restore delicate natural habitats, according to a press release issued by Alabama Trails.
Also included in the grant costs will be comprehensive management of the project, from initial planning and environmental review to contracting out the project, as well as actual construction, the press release stated.
The primary areas in the Bankhead Forest to be improved thanks to the funding include the Owl Creek Non-Motorized Trail System and Sougahoagdee Waterfall and Brushy Creek trails.
The Owl Creek system is approximately 30 miles of trails and roads that have been designated for horseback riding, according to the press release.
“They have seen a decade of continuous traffic that has severely degraded key segments,” the press release pointed out. “The project will execute essential reroutes, upgrades and heavy maintenance to deliver a safer, more sustainable trail experience and reduce runoff into nearby streams.”
In the Sougahoagdee Waterfall and Brushy Creek project, erosion will also be addressed, as well as challenging trail conditions directly along the banks of Brushy Creek, which is not only a popular hiking path, but crucial habitat for several protected wildlife species, the press release continued.
The funding will also address parking conditions, where 30-50 vehicles routinely overcrowd steep gravel roads and bridge shoulders, the press release explained.
In order to carry out these enhancements, Alabama Trails will collaborate closely with the U.S. Forest Service, as well as work with local communities and trail organizations to make sure the projects make a lasting impact, according to Joe Watts of the Alabama Trails Foundation.
“There will be some planning in 2026, and the work will start in 2027,” Watts said.