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awsumawstun
05-12-2014, 14:39
Where did you start the trail and where did you finish? How long were you on the trail? Where did you resupply at? I am mainly interested in the Alabama section, as I am planning a thru-hike for later this summer.

forrest!
05-12-2014, 15:11
I did it as two section hikes, one south of I-20 and one north of I-20. Ended at I-20 both times, at that parking lot near the ranger office and the railroad tracks west of Heflin. No need to resupply, but you could just resupply in Heflin if you did it all at once. Did one in the fall, one in the Spring. Water was scarce in the fall.

Summer will be hot, hazy, humid. I'm not envying you doing it in the summer...

awsumawstun
05-12-2014, 15:31
Gotta do it when I have the chance. School holds me back from doing much of anything outside of summer. Thanks for your comment.

Ricky&Jack
05-12-2014, 15:35
im so glad that people are still talking in the Pinhoti thread.

I actually live in Dalton, Ga near the end of it, and I had NO IDEA that this trail existed, even tho I live right on it.

I heard about it for the first time about 4 days ago. I think this would be a very good hike if I attempted it, since it ends very close to my house.

I went to the website with all the info on the trail and it is packed with info, that I find myself constantly lost on it. But hopefully I'll navigtate the site enough to actually get the confidence to try the trail..

1 quick question: On a site about the trail, they showed wreckage from a plane and mentioned that most of it is gone now because of collectors/scavengers. But I can not find any any of what plane wreck it was etc. Anybody know anything about it?

awsumawstun
05-12-2014, 15:45
im so glad that people are still talking in the Pinhoti thread.

I actually live in Dalton, Ga near the end of it, and I had NO IDEA that this trail existed, even tho I live right on it.

I heard about it for the first time about 4 days ago. I think this would be a very good hike if I attempted it, since it ends very close to my house.

I went to the website with all the info on the trail and it is packed with info, that I find myself constantly lost on it. But hopefully I'll navigtate the site enough to actually get the confidence to try the trail..

1 quick question: On a site about the trail, they showed wreckage from a plane and mentioned that most of it is gone now because of collectors/scavengers. But I can not find any any of what plane wreck it was etc. Anybody know anything about it?

It is right off the trail close to Mcdill Point, not far from Cheaha State Park. I would definitely recommend checking it out, as Mcdill Point is one of the best views on the trail.

flemdawg1
05-12-2014, 16:38
Where did you start the trail and where did you finish? How long were you on the trail? Where did you resupply at? I am mainly interested in the Alabama section, as I am planning a thru-hike for later this summer.

The 2 most convenient resupply points are Cheaha Campstore and Heflin. I just came back for a weekend section and suggest you GO NOW! the water sources are flowing well and its not oppressively hot yet. And take DEET or permethrin treated pants and shoes. The ticks are fierce, got a dozen in 3 days.

OwenM
05-12-2014, 16:59
1 quick question: On a site about the trail, they showed wreckage from a plane and mentioned that most of it is gone now because of collectors/scavengers. But I can not find any any of what plane wreck it was etc. Anybody know anything about it?
Info at the bottom:
http://indianabuckandbabydoe.blogspot.com/2011/03/cheaha-wilderness-adventure-airplane.html

Ricky&Jack
05-12-2014, 18:25
oh wow. crashed in 1972.... suprising theres actually any wreckage left.

thanks for the link. I heard people wanting to see it. So I wasnt sure if there was any celebrity significance to the occupants or not.

speaker
05-12-2014, 21:38
You can check out my trailjournal from a few years ago. I did the whole trail, not just the AL side, so I don't remember specific durations. If you are used to thru hiking you can easily do the AL side in one shot. If this is your first trail, I would strongly recommend a resupply at some point depending on your direction of travel. If you are only doing the AL side, I would skip the road walk to Flagg Mtn at the south end, its nothing spectacular. Definitely do the Rebecca Mtn section, (s of Bull Gap) but be aware of complete lack of water at the south end. Other than that, enjoy the trip.

ciphoto
05-16-2014, 04:41
I had planned on doing it all a couple years ago started at Flagg but came off the trail at FS 500 because I needed some more tape for my feet. I should have just hitched to town and got back on the trail. It has taken me two years to find the time to finish. But I just did the final sections to Ga.


If you go later in the year it will be hot. The sections up to Cheaha will be dry, I'd drop water, and stash supplies at the trail heads.

ratherbclimbin
05-20-2014, 12:44
We just finsihed a Thru hike of the Pinhoti Trail from Flagg Mountain, AL all the way to the northern terminus at the Benton Mackaye Trail. We have a youtube channel with great videos on the Pinhoti trail starting at update 1. the Youtube channel link is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHnFX9jMfpgI69NVS2rIasQ If anyone has any questions they can contact us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/ATConquered/266167216892819

SonrisaJo
05-20-2014, 22:48
We resupplied in Heflin and got some snacks at Cheaha. The owner of Becwayne's in Heflin is hiker-friendly and you may be able to yogi a shuttle back to the trail. Even if not, it's only a few miles. Take your time in that heat.
Pictures and stuff: http://www.gethiking.net/search/label/al%20pinhoti

Dogwood
05-21-2014, 18:47
Started at Trammel Speedway(Rebecca MT) where the single track starts at the newest TH. I talked to the USFS. They said that's where they considered the PT Southern Terminus to be. Some debate this and say it's atop Flagg MT which entails a long 20 something mile FS graveled roadwalk. That wasn't how I wanted to start an almost 380 mile hike(I added the BMT to Springer MT onto the PT Northern Terminus). Supplied at the start in Sylacauga(large grocery store, someone living here shuttled me to my southern starting pt anyhow), in Oxford(I was at the Cheaha Country Store and I happened upon a lady going into Oxford to the large grocery store/Walmart there and coming back out to the Cheaha Country Store so I supplemented in Oxford), Cheaha SP, Cave Spring(med grocery store, hotel there is hiker friendly and has cheap hiker rates!, right next to grocery store), and Dalton. I also went into Rome Ga(WalMart). My main resupplies were in Sylacauga, Cheaha SP(mail to store but have a decent inexpensive sit down on the outside deck w/ a great overlook during sunset and/or do a B-fast w/ the sunrise), and in Dalton(mailed a box there but 90% of hikers wouldn't need nor want to)

ratherbclimbin
07-07-2014, 15:36
Where did you start the trail and where did you finish? How long were you on the trail? Where did you resupply at? I am mainly interested in the Alabama section, as I am planning a thru-hike for later this summer.

Thru hiked the pinhoti this year. Currently on the Appalachian Trail. We started at Flagg MT. Alabama. We carried 5 days of food from Flagg Mt. to get to Cheaha State Park. Kim who is the superintendent there will gladly take packages for your and hold them. We did a 7 day stretch from Cheaha to Cave Springs, GA which I realize is a long stretch but you could easily break this up with a trip into Heflin. Be careful as hitching in Alabama is illegal and residents sometimes don't know what in the world we are doing ;). The Georgia section is a completely different ball game and if you are interested just ask and I can get you some good information on that as well. Also check us out on YouTube search ATConquered and the update 1 and 2 are a video journal of our AL pinhoti hike.

awsumawstun
07-10-2014, 13:06
We just finsihed a Thru hike of the Pinhoti Trail from Flagg Mountain, AL all the way to the northern terminus at the Benton Mackaye Trail. We have a youtube channel with great videos on the Pinhoti trail starting at update 1. the Youtube channel link is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHnFX9jMfpgI69NVS2rIasQ If anyone has any questions they can contact us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/ATConquered/266167216892819

Really cool to hear from you, as I've been following your adventures for a while, although I am a little behind on the videos. Thanks for the recommendations. Have fun on the rest of your journey!

Thru hiked the pinhoti this year. Currently on the Appalachian Trail. We started at Flagg MT. Alabama. We carried 5 days of food from Flagg Mt. to get to Cheaha State Park. Kim who is the superintendent there will gladly take packages for your and hold them. We did a 7 day stretch from Cheaha to Cave Springs, GA which I realize is a long stretch but you could easily break this up with a trip into Heflin. Be careful as hitching in Alabama is illegal and residents sometimes don't know what in the world we are doing ;). The Georgia section is a completely different ball game and if you are interested just ask and I can get you some good information on that as well. Also check us out on YouTube search ATConquered and the update 1 and 2 are a video journal of our AL pinhoti hike.

swisscross
07-10-2014, 14:28
Many moons ago I thru hiked it solo. Prior to the GA section or the Cheaha to Flagg sections were complete. If they were there I did not know about them. The only maps available were from Piedmont to Cheaha. Good times. Would like to do Flagg to Cheaha but have no interest in the GA section. Too many road walks.

TrippLite
07-10-2014, 19:47
If you do decide to hike the GA side of the Pinhoti Trail, note that the roadway sections of the trail have small shoulders to walk on. Prepare for big gust of winds from 18 wheelers passing by, potential risk for getting sandblasted. I must have looked like hiker trash, I got tagged in the back of the calf by a beer bottle from some mischievous hooting and a hollering drunks in the back of a pickup truck passing by. It was a long neck Budweiser, so I've been told it was done in good taste.

Dalton offers some nice views and easy access for resupply. Like DW mentioned, Cave Springs is a very small hiker friendly town known for its cave (admission $1), spring water (free) and the School for the Deaf is located there. I forget the name of the diner on the corner at the traffic light but they do serve some tasty food. Rome has the Lock and Dam Trading Post, a RV site that offers primitive camping. IIRC, $12 a night with access to grills, laundry, restroom and shower facilities. If you do stop in Rome and have time, you have to try a Samburger from Schroders. If baseball is your thing, you can watch the Atlanta Braves minor league team, the Rome Braves play ball.

OP mainly requested Alabama info, looks like others have covered it pretty well.... not to influence anyone either way, but like others have mentioned, the Alabama side of the trail is better... I hate walking roadways