Oakmulgee, Alabama
This is your Oakmulgee Division – Talladega National Forest TDUB CLUB Ride Report brought to you by GCRad1.
LETS GO RIDE!
Got a message from David here on YouTube, we linked up and made a plan to go explore the Eastern sector of the Oakmulgee Division of the Talladega National Forest here in Alabama. He lives on the Moundville side and has ridden most of the western sector of the Oakmulgee Division. I have ridden “ZERO” of the Oakmulgee! I am about an hour and a half north next to the South Western tip of the Talladega National Forest. I know it’ confusing as I was when first started looking this Oakmulgee area up as it is a separate forest area, but it is listed as being about of the Talladega National Forest.- Oakmulgee Division.
Trees of Oakmulgee
History and discussion about the Talladega National Forest – Oakmulgee Division – by Dr. Phillips on Discovering Alabama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGt4L-2cOHU
Dr. Phillips sets out from his farm in Tuscaloosa County and takes viewers on an interpretative walk across the Oakmulgee to Payne Lake. Along the way, he examines a variety of plants and animals that live in the area and discusses the importance of maintaining Alabama’s natural areas.
What’s In A Name?
The name Oakmulgee is derived from the Hitchiti word ockmulgee, which means “bubbling water,” with oki meaning “water” and mulgi meaning “boiling”.[2] A post office operated under the name Ocmulgee from 1850 to 1853, under the name Oakmulga from 1857 to 1866, and under the name Oakmulgee from 1876 to 1913.[3] At one point, Oakmulgee was home to at least three gins, three sawmills and three gristmills.
Dirt Road Heaven!
The Oakmulgee is criss-crossed with roads. Perfect place for a night time navigational rally! In fact, there are so many roads and so many curvy roads that a map of the Oakmulgee Division of the Talladega National Forest looks like an aerial view of a plate of spaghetti. Some are well-maintained, paved roads, such as County Roads 1, 16, and 49. Others are dirt roads maintained by the Forest Service. These roads vary from well-tended, all-season, all-weather roads, to roads that are seldom-traveled and less well-maintained…as in 4-wheel drive and high-ground-clearance advised. Other FS roads may be gated and closed at various times and seasons for sundry reasons. Be prepared for a variety of road surfaces and be open to taking circuitous routes through the forest to ensure easy travel if you are in a typical passenger vehicle.
