Beauty abounds along Bartram Canoe Trail
By DAVID RAINER
It may not be quite the pristine wilderness that famed naturalist William Bartram documented during his travels in the 18th century, but the Mobile-Tensaw Delta remains an awe-inspiring site, especially for those who get to experience it on the Bartram Canoe Trail.
With 13 trails that criss-cross the vast upper Delta, kayakers and canoers can become engulfed in the area’s natural beauty, yet enjoy some of the amenities that make the trail accessible to expert and beginning paddlers alike.
 The trail is a work in progress with the northern section starting at Holley Creek and Boat Yard landings and ending just south of Stockton on the Tensaw River.
The terminus on the southern end is the brand new 5 Rivers, Alabama’s Delta Resource Center, on the Causeway at the head of Mobile Bay. Eventually, those two sections will join to become of the premier kayak/canoe trails in the nation.
“I think it’s got a shot at being one of the longest canoe trails in the country,” said Hank Burch, manager at 5 Rivers. “I know the Everglades has a system, as well as Okefenokee. The opportunity already exists to spend 10-12-15 days in the Delta and have places to stay, and that’s only going to grow.”
The State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources became involved in the trail when Forever Wild purchased 47,000 acres in the Delta.
“After Forever Wild bought the property we were looking at the resources, looking at opportunities for recreational use,” said State Lands’ Greg Lein. “The canoe trail was one of those opportunities. Actually, there was an existing Bartram canoe trail. About all it was, though, was a map on the wall at the Stagecoach restaurant in Stockton. There was a push several years ago by the Bartram Trail Conference to highlight Bartram’s route. Davida Hastie designated the trail, but there were no signs or anything. After I saw that map, we decided we would adopt the trail, put up signs, and improve overnight camping options with the floating platforms.
“The first phase was day routes. Then we developed the overnight routes. We wanted to see if it was popular. If so, we would extend it all the way. We want the public to have better access to that resource so they can birdwatch, fish or just view nature. We’re working on a design to take it from I-65 all the way to Causeway with some of the work scheduled to begin in 2008.”
For Harriet Ingraham, president of the Mobile Bay Canoe and Kayak Club, the Bartram Canoe Trail is a paddler’s paradise.
“From a personal perspective, it’s just a wonderland of beauty,” Ingraham said. “You can paddle around Jessamine Bayou, Larry Island and you can see the shell mounds on the banks, dating back to the Taensa Indians.
 “The beauty is truly unparalleled. The area has not been ruined. You can see the alligators, the blue herons, kingfishers, and egrets. There is evidence of wildlife all around. It’s just a beautiful place to be.”
Ingraham said one of her favorite roles as club president is to introduce new paddlers, who have no idea what is available at the their doorsteps, to the wonderful resources in the Delta.
“The designated trails are nicely marked with the trail diamonds,” Ingraham said. “You have paddlers-only platforms, where you can get out and stretch your legs and eat lunch. You can even reserve them and spend the night, which is wonderful. You are far away from civilization at that point.
“And it’s just not a spring, summer, fall destination. It’s wonderful during the winter.”
The addition of 5 Rivers gives paddlers even more options.
“Having 5 Rivers as a destination is really, really going to be a wonderful plus,” Ingraham said. “At this time, putting in at 5 Rivers, you can paddle into Justin’s Bay and there is plenty of wildlife there. You can pop across the Blakeley and get into Bay Minette Basin. When they expand south of I-65 it’s going to really open up the area to paddlers. You will be able to put in at I-65 and allow us to paddle to 5 Rivers. If you can make it in one continuous paddle, you’ll start in cypress trees and end up in the marshes. It’s very interesting to see how the Delta can change in that 25-30-mile stretch.
“To have that resource at our fingertips and being able to teach people about our wonderful resource is priceless. I can’t wait for it to be in full swing.”
Richard Grove, a kayak enthusiast from Georgia, completed a monumental paddle last fall that started in Dahlonega, Ga., and ended at the 5 Rivers complex, where he was met by family and friends. He did go ahead and paddle to Dauphin Island the next day, but considered 5 Rivers the conclusion to the quest. Grove said his time spent on the Bartram Canoe Trail was special.
“It was like icing on a cake,” Grove said. “The canoe trail for me was the greatest way to end my trip. How could I paddle for 48 days and find a trail that fit exactly what my ultimate goal was for the trip – awareness of our rivers. Alabama has done exactly that.
 “I had been camping along the way wherever I could. It was a rough, tough trip. When I got to the trail, with the platforms and everything, I was really happy. I sat for hours on the platform just enjoying it, and hoping that more people will be able to enjoy it. The trail really complements the beauty of the area around there. There was no place to safely camp before the platforms. That just gives you everything you could ever want. That’s why I called it icing on the cake.”
Grove said he looks at the photos he snapped on the Bartram and remembers the journey.
“One of the most beautiful pictures I took was on the trail,” he said. “It was in the slough going up into Jug Lake. There was a canopy of trees and the sun was coming through and shining on the water. That was an emotional ending. That was the best way in the world to end the trip.”
PHOTOS: Richard Grove pulls up to one of the floating platforms on the Bartram Canoe Trail to get a good night's sleep before completing his 800-mile journey at 5 Rivers in the bottom photo.
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