Five people, including a toddler, who went missing after a tubing excursion on a creek in Walker County Saturday morning were found alive and well Sunday afternoon.

The case prompted a nearly 24-hour manhunt involving state, county and local authorities.

The group, which included two male adults, a teenage girl, a young boy and a 2-year-old boy, set out for a day of inner tubing in Blackwater Creek off Curry Highway near Jasper around 10:30 a.m. Saturday. They intended to float down the creek until they reached a landmark overpass known as Walston Bridge--a distance of about 10 to 12 miles, according to Alabama Marine Police Sgt. Tommy Cagle.

'"They didn't realize how far it was," Cagle said.

Chris Grayson, one of the adults in the group, says all five became disoriented and unable to find their way to Walston Bridge. They also underestimated how shallow the water in the creek was, and, at times, were forced to travel the length of the creek on foot.

"The water was lower than we thought," Grayson said.

Several hours passed as the group trekked through the woods, hoping to find their way home. They were unable to call anyone because the only cell phone they had with them had been damaged by water. By nightfall, they were left with no choice but to give up.

"When it got dark on, we just said, 'Ok, it's best to stay here in stead of trying to get somebody hurt,'" said Grayson. "We just built a little fire and slept on a rock."

In the morning, the group started out yet again, traveling through the woods on foot until, by 11 a.m., they stumbled upon a local Boy Scouts campgrounds. It was there that search and rescue personnel--who were spread out for several miles along the banks of the Blackwater Creek--discovered them.

"When we come walking out of the woods, everyone's like, 'Hey, are you who we've been looking for?'" Grayson said, adding that he and the others were shocked at the size and scope of the response, which included the Walker County Sheriff's Office, Boldo Fire Department, Curry Fire Department, AL Dept. of Public Safety, AL Marine Police, LifeSaver search and rescue helicopter, and civilians.

"It was really nice to see the response that came out there for us. I never realized there was this kind of response for someone who's called in missing."

Back on Walston Bridge, where the group's families had been anxiously awaiting information on their whereabouts, family members began crying and expresing gratitude to the emergency responders when the call came in that the five had been found alive and well. 

Apparently, the group had a few bottles of water with them, so they were all able to stay hydrated through the night. In fact, with the exception of a little sunburn and a few scratches, no one was hurt. The group declined a voluntary medical check-up, Cagle said.

Fire and rescue personnel on the scene say this scenario is not uncommon along Blackwater Creek.

"At this time of year, the water is low...and often people don't realize that and have to carry their rafts or boats with them," said Michael Knowles, a volunteer firefighter with the Boldo Fire Department. "And it really throws their time off of how long it takes to travel."

It's a lesson Chris Grayson and his friends learned the hard way.

"We...figured we'd walk out. We left at daylight this morning figuring we'd walk out and be home."