A 106 acre sportsman’s dream property boasting a half mile of frontage along the Tallapoosa River and surrounded by thousands of contiguous forest acres in Randolph County, Alabama.
River Bend Tract is located in the rolling hills of the upper piedmont region of mid-east Alabama and lays close to the lower reaches of Appalachia. The area is characterized by ridges and valleys. This tract has just over a half-mile of frontage on the Tallapoosa River and the remaining area is surrounded by other forested properties. “As the crow flies” Lake Wedowee is about 3 miles away to the north. A boating access is located about 10 miles away by road located on AL Hwy 48. The town of Wedowee, Alabama is about 25 minutes to the northeast. It provides grocery and quick dining options as well as a small medical facility. This tract is accessible through adjoining timberlands by what was formally a county road. The closest publicly-maintained road is County Road 1 (or locally known as Dam Road) which is about 2.5 miles away. These accesses are suitable for logging traffic as the timber industry is very active in the area, but could also require 4x4 during extended wet periods. The tract resides just about 20 miles off of AL Hwy 48. US Hwy 431 is just about 25 minutes away within the town of Wedowee. Interstate 20 is just about 50 miles north of the property. The city of Roanoke, Alabama is located approximately 45 minutes to the southeast on US 431. Roanoke provides dining, retail, and lodging options. Birmingham-Shuttlesworh International Airport is about 2 hours from the property. The Atlanta International Airport is about 2.5 hours away.
River Bend Tract has one access point on what is now a decommissioned county road that exist through adjoining timbered properties. The tract does not have any public road frontage. There is one “driveway” cut to the decommissioned county road. Internal access is provided by about a half mile’s worth of woods/logging roads. These are currently traversable by 2x4 vehicles with good ground clearance, but may require 4x4 during wet periods. If desired, a path could be constructed to provide vehicular access to the river.
Currently, there are two areas on the tract where timber management could be profitable if desired. First, there are approximately 65 acres of well laying operable ground conducive to timber production. These areas were harvested in 2019 and offer a clean slate for a new owner to make it their own. We find that loblolly plantations bring the best returns in this market region. If costs are a concern, some landowners have been successful acquiring cost-share through the Farm Service Agency to assist with reforestation cost, though these programs often favor longleaf pine. If replanting is chosen, the process usually follows three steps: 1) A chemical application is applied in the summer months to control competing woody and vegetative competition. 2) A burn is usually conducted in the fall following the chemical treatment to aid in controlling competition and to prepare the site to aid planting. 3) Planting occurs in the winter months while the seedlings are dormant. Total planting costs typically run between $180 and $300 per acre depending on the options and genetics chosen. Once planted, typical plantation management in the areas roughly follows this timeline: it should be ready for a first thinning around age 14 or 15. Depending on growth and market conditions, a second thinning could occur around age 21. Financial maturity is normally reached between ages 25 and 34 in this region. Each thinning and cutting produces income for the owner. Second, there are approximately 40 acres of hardwood dominated sloped and bottomland areas. Portions of these could be harvested and the value captured by a specialized crew if desired; however, these also exist along the river and creeks where some timber must be left to protect water quality. These areas add wildlife value as there are hard mast-producing trees (oaks producing acorns) and they also act as wildlife travel corridors.
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