William B. Bankhead National Forest Forest Road 245 Mulberry Fork River Bottom Circuit

Forest Road 245 drops into the Mulberry Fork river bottom where Alabama’s prehistoric river carved deep channels through limestone bluffs. This sandy track follows old logging roads from the 1920s, passing crumbling stone chimneys of pioneer homesteads swallowed by decades of forest regrowth. The route threads between massive cypress trees and seasonal wetlands, with the highlight being the abandoned Corley Mill ruins at mile 3.1—stone foundations and rusted machinery tell the story of Alabama’s timber boom.

Easy to moderate difficulty suitable for stock high-clearance vehicles, though spring floods can make sections impassable. The sand gets deep in summer, and you’ll want aired-down tires and momentum for the soft spots. Best tackled in fall through spring when water levels are manageable. Dispersed camping is allowed, and the isolation here is genuine—you’re deep in Alabama’s last big wilderness. Bring extra water and expect zero cell coverage.