CaliLizard
08-07-2011, 08:19
Me and my fiance are wanting to thru-hike the pinhoti trail and im curious as to how many miles there are inbetween resupply points, Im curious as to how much food I should pack for the first half.
Also, Im trying to decide between a trianga alcohol burning stove and a Jetboil Flash stove, I know to each his own but any input would be appreciated :)
This brings up the question of whether you are planning to hike the entire trail or just the Alabama portion. Are you planning to hike the three 20+ mile road walks as well.
I section hiked the Pinhoti Trail in 2009-2010, but I bicycled or drove the various road walks. Since I was section-hiking, I simply carried all the food I needed for each 4-6 day section.
But you could easily slackpack (just carry a little daypack) for the first road walk from Flagg Mountain and stay the first couple nights in Sylacauga. You could break up that first 30 miles of road walk into two days. Or you could simply begin at Bull Gap, where the trail actually begins as a trail instead of road. You'll need to walk 14 miles that first day to reach the next water source, or carry plenty of water to get you through to the next day, or (if you have 4WD support) stage a water cache along the forest service road that the PT parallels.
For resupply, I will give mileages from Bull Gap. You could resupply short term 18 miles in from a gas station 2.3 miles east of the PT. Or you could push on to 44.8 miles and try the convenience store at Cheaha State Park, just .2 miles off the trail. There is also a restaurant there with an incredible view. At mile 57.2, you can hitch west 7 miles to Oxford, AL. At 62.4 you can walk .6 miles east to another gas station. At mile 71.7 you can walk or hitch 3 miles west to Heflin, AL. At mile 126.8 you can head west 7.5 miles to Piedmont, AL.
At mile 136.8 you enter GA. At mile 141.2 you can head 4 miles to Cave Spring and avoid some of the Cave Spring road walk (the official road walk goes on FS roads and country roads, while this direct route is a nerve wracking walk with 70 MPH logging trucks, but you might safely hitch from this area). If you take the official road walk, you will walk into the town center of Cave Springs at mile 148.2. From there it is another 20.7 miles of road walk to the beginning of the rail trail at Simms Mountain Trailhead at mile 169.9.
At mile 181.1, you can hitch west 7 miles to Summerville, GA. At mile 191.2 you can also head to Summerville, now just 3.5 miles west.at mile 202.4 you can head east 2 miles to a gas station. At mile 223.9 you can head 4 miles east to Villanow, GA, but a gas station is the only resupply. At mile 239.7 you will reach Dug Gap Battle Road and begin the 25-mile Dalton road walk. At mile 241.7 you hit the I-75 crossing with hotels, restaurants, and grocery stores for the 17 miles. The side walk is the trail. Your last resupply point is a country store around mile 256.7. This is your last resupply point on the Pinhoti Trail.
At 257.2 you will head up a forest service road for 4.3 miles, then rejoin trail for the final 30.7 miles to the trails end. You will then need to walk north 2 miles on the Benton MacKaye Trail to the FS road at Watson Gap, then head east a couple miles to a country store where you could call for a ride out. Or you could hike south on the BMT 21 miles to US 76 then hitch 4 miles to Blue Ridge, GA.
I would consider carrying dinners to get me to Heflin with resupply of snacks and breakfast lunches at Cheaha State Park and the next gas station. Then either resupply in Piedmont, AL or push on to Cave Springs in Georgia. Then it's a strong push to Dalton, but this stretch is easy and fast, gently graded for mountain bikes. I did this 74 miles to Dalton in 6 mellow days. Then finish strong from Dalton to the end of the trail.
You can also find much of this information in the Pinhoti Trail Pocket Guide (http://www.pinhotitrailalliance.org/pocketguideorder.html). It is extremely helpful.