Sipsey and Dismal canyons

[babybigfoot13]

I've read all the reviews on the Sipsey canyon hang and it sounds like a great place, being as how wife, kids, and I like to hike to waterfalls. Made mention to the wife about how is like for us to go there but don't know if she could sleep in a hammock. So she kinda just looked it up (probably just to act like she was interested) and come to find out that it is very close to Dismal caverns. Her ears perked up like a dog hearing sirens. This is a place that she's been wanting to go to for a couple years now. She likes camping in a cabin but she will stay in a tent and that has held her back thus far. She likes big prepared meals with the Coleman stove and heavy lanterns to light up the night. But I think this is the trip to change her into a hammock hanger, dehydrated food eater with a headlamp on kinda girl.
My question is though: Are these two places connected and are there any specific trails that are a must see in either one of the places?

[Dead Man]

Not connected but both worth seeing. Dismal is very small by comparison to Sipsey. You could attempt to hike all the trails in Sipsey and it would take innumerable trips. You can see most if not all of Dismal in a couple days. Dismal is privately owned but has support from the forest service as a protected lands designation. Sipsey in adjacent to the Bankhead national forest. I honestly don't know if it's national or state land.

I have hung at both and both are amazing. Go to Dismal when the dismalites are at the peak. The guided night tour to see them is worth the trip alone.

Guys like jnunniv, squidbilly and halfastronimical can give you the most details on these places that I know. They introduced me to these areas and I am forevermore grateful.

[RATyson]

I just checked out the web site for Dismal Canyons.. That place looks beautiful! May have to check that out!

[Dead Man]

The images on the site are great but they do not do it justice. Worth the time to go there.

[MississipVol]

I've been wanting to go to Dismal Canyons but didn't know if they allowed hammocks so it's great to know some of you have already been and set up there!

[krazykev111]

Sipey is a great place. Trail 200 is the most popular (2.7 Miles one way), there are about 10 waterfalls to see. There are lots of spots to hang close to the waterfalls in sight of the trails or you can always hike up to and over the ridge. I have not done Dismal Canyons, but its on the list!

[NWAlabamaHiker]

I've hiked the Sipsey and I grew up just a couple of miles from the Dismals (in fact the land that my family owns where I grew up shares some of the same features - small cave, small waterfalls, etc - albeit on a much smaller scale than the Dismals). Both are beautiful and worth seeing. Growing up so close to the Dismals, I spent a lot of time there as a kid. My dad knew the people who owned it then and we got to go a lot. I live a little further away now but not real far, but I haven't been in years. They've added a lot of stuff in the way of amenities (cabins, camping areas, etc) since the last time I went. It was just a basic trail through the woods with a few small bridges over water when we used to go as kids. I've been wanting to go back but haven't got around to it, but I know it is a beautiful place to see.

[DSaucier]

I was thinking of going to Dimal Canyon to do a 2 night hammock camping trip, but just read on the website that overnight camping is not permitted til after Memorial Day (the following weekend)... Does Sipsey have any rules or regulations like this? I'm not finding it on their website. Do they have caves also? (really wanted to see the glow worms)

[Bad Biscuit]

You can camp anywhere in Sipsey/Bankhead year-round. Caves are off-limits and a large fine can be "won" if you are caught going in one due to the White Nosed Bat Syndrome (if I remember correctly).