The trail flows through the heart of Prattsville, AL, giving access to restaurants, sandwich shops, grocery, and boutique shopping. (photo by Dave Johnson)
simple when two or more drivers plan to paddle together. Equipment is is left to keep an eye on it (a Lasso Lock-All or bike lock also can provide peace of mind), and all drivers pro- ceed to Canoe Trail Park (CTP) at 1134 Reuben Road. There, as many cars and trucks as possible are parked and the drivers ride back to the launch in one vehicle. Or, for about $10 Sayer Cab Service in Prattville (334-365-6225) will bring you back from CTP to City Hall. Restrooms are available at CTP. Shuttling takes about 15 minutes, and having your own vehicle waiting for you at the take out is most conve- nient— but be sure to keep your keys secure and possibly dry. Protecting your keys and phone in a dry box clipped to your kayak is also recom- mended. Make sure that your keys do not fall into the creek! If you wear glasses, use a retention strap. There is no charge to use the water trail. Most paddlers spend about two and a half hours on Jennifer’s four-mile route. Volunteers with the Autauga Creek Improvement Com- mittee will clear a path through any fallen trees as quickly as conditions are safe for them to do so. Water levels
16 SPRING 2016
AmericanTrails.org
are posted hourly at http.waterdata.
usgs.gov/nwis, and a corresponding color chart on
www.autaugacreek.org shows what those numbers mean for kayakers. Trail conditions are often discussed on the Facebook group, “Autauga Creek Canoe Trail.” This creek is not considered whitewater; it is rated a 1 on the International Scale dramatically increase the water level and uproot trees which can be ex- tremely hazardous, so it is important for paddlers to verify trail conditions
before going. Seven more miles of lesser-traveled canoe trail wind through the woods of Autauga County, upstream of the Prattville mill pond. 4-H RiverKids introduce the sport of kayaking to interested youth on the mill pond and the slow-moving cypress swamp accessible from Allenville Road. This is an excellent launch site for those interested in an easy out-and-back paddle trip with no shuttle required.
A trailside gazebo and picnic area (photo by Dave Johnson)
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