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mdjeeper
01-09-2004, 16:17
Just curious if there is a trail or set of trails that would connect the Florida Trail to the A.T. Thinking about extending my thru-hike (A.T. in 2006) to run from Key West (will yellow blaze from the keys to the start of the F.T.) to Katadyn then on to the IAT.

Peaks
01-09-2004, 16:51
The Alabama Trail Association has been working on the connection. Long road walks now I believe.

MOWGLI
01-09-2004, 17:08
The Alabama Trail Association has been working on the connection. Long road walks now I believe.

I spent the morning with a Rep from the Alabama Trails Association in DeSoto State Park in Alabama.

Here's the Readers Digest answer to your question. There is essentially no trail between the Florida National Scenic Trail in the Florida Panhandle and the Southern end of the Alabama Pinhoti Trail. Between the Florida NST and the AL Pinhoti Trail, you primarily have road walks. The Alabama Hiking Trail Society (AHTS) is responsible for building the bridge between the Florida & Pinhoti Trail. Here's the AHTS website;

http://www.alabamatrail.org/hikingAL/

Currently, the AL Pinhoti Trail, which is maintained primarily by the Alabama Trails Association (ATA) does not connect to the Georgia Pinhoti Trail at the state line, as there is a 2 mile gap (or so). Hopefully that'll be rectified very soon. For more info about the Alabama Pinhoti Trail, consult the ATA website;

http://www.alabamatrailsasso.org/

The Georgia Pinhoti Trail takes you from near the Alabama-Georgia State line to the Benton MacKaye Trail at the South Fork of the Jacks River. There is currently a 20-25 mile road walk that is required on this trail. That is in the Oostanaula River Valley between Dalton, GA and Chattsworth, GA. The Georgia Pinhoti Trail Association (GPTA) is responsible for maintaing this trail. Checkout the brand new GPTA website at the following link;

http://www.georgiapinhoti.org/index.shtml

The Benton Mackaye Trail takes you approx 70 miles south to the AT, .2 miles from the summit of Springer Mountain. The Benton Mackaye Trail Association (BMTA) is responsible for maintaining this trail. Checkout the BMTA website at the following link;

http://www.bmta.org/

All of these groups are dependant on volunteers, and could use a helping hand and/or new members.

chief
01-09-2004, 22:33
you won't end the road walks when you get to the (so called) florida trail. after entering alabama, you'll have a bit of trail before it's back to roads all the way to the pinhoti. i'm sure you'll be thrilled with the views of trailer parks in my state.

hungryhowie
01-10-2004, 01:30
Just curious if there is a trail or set of trails that would connect the Florida Trail to the A.T. Thinking about extending my thru-hike (A.T. in 2006) to run from Key West (will yellow blaze from the keys to the start of the F.T.) to Katadyn then on to the IAT.

The Alabama Hiking Trails Society (AHTS) is undoubtedly the one-stop shop for everything you need to know about getting from the Florida Trail to Springer Mountain, GA. There is much road walking (and there probably always will be, I'm afraid) through southern and central Alabama. Personally, if I wanted to "extend" my hike (and I've done much of this section before) I'd start on the south face (ha!) of Flag Mountain, AL - the southernmost 1,000 ft peak in the Appalachian Mountain Range - located near Weogufka, AL. You can hike up a dirt road and bushwhack down the other side, walk ~30 miles on roads (many of them dirt cut-thrus), and then begin the AL Pinhoti Trail. I've never done the GA Pinhoti, but last time I contemplated it, it was a "flagged only" situation - meaning that 90% of it was no trail at all, only surveyed and flagged on trees where the trail would someday be. Then there is a long roadwalk to get over to the Chatahoochee National forest and then another roadwalk to get over to the Benton Mackaye Trail - and that connects straight to the AT.

More info if you want it.

-Howie

Freeze
01-10-2004, 03:31
Check out the ECT/AMT section at nimblewill nomad's web page.
http://www.nimblewillnomad.com
Hope this helps.

Peaks
01-10-2004, 10:10
Not to change the subject, but if you wanted to extend your thru-hike, there is the IAT that keeps going after Katahdin.

MOWGLI
01-10-2004, 19:12
I've never done the GA Pinhoti, but last time I contemplated it, it was a "flagged only" situation - meaning that 90% of it was no trail at all, only surveyed and flagged on trees where the trail would someday be. Then there is a long roadwalk to get over to the Chatahoochee National forest and then another roadwalk to get over to the Benton Mackaye Trail - and that connects straight to the AT.

-Howie

Hey Howie, Little Bear here. Actually, there is over 60 miles of trail on the ground for the GA Pinhoti Trail. They have a couple of 20-mile roadwalks to overcome.

Howie, if you want to come on up to Chattanooga and stay with Trail Widow and I, we can spend a couple of days building the Cumberland Trail. It would be great to see you, and you could give my daughter Martha a few pointers on the violin.

Drop me a note at [email protected].

Take care.

JojoSmiley
01-18-2004, 12:02
Just curious if there is a trail or set of trails that would connect the Florida Trail to the A.T. Thinking about extending my thru-hike (A.T. in 2006) to run from Key West (will yellow blaze from the keys to the start of the F.T.) to Katadyn then on to the IAT.

If you would like to read a couple journals of hikes thru these areas, myself and Beth Lawson have journals on trailjournals.com about it. We hiked it in 2002. Nimblewell was our mentor and supporter during the hike. There are pictures too.
Jojo :cool:
Savor the Moments! :clap