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View Full Version : Best Pinhoti campsites



flemdawg1
07-23-2013, 16:48
I've just starting sectioning the PT, and am curious where the best campsites are.

Here's the good one's I've found so far.

Section 4: Horn Mtn Fire Tower (we cached water jugs near the FS road).
Section 5: 56.4 Campsite (Streamside spot before Nobo climb up Rocky Top2),
Section 6: 70.9 ~ CAMPSITE ~ 1380' ~ LC

atmilkman
07-23-2013, 17:26
If you can time it right the Coleman Lake Campground (Section 10 @ 127.0) is well worth the ½ mile walk for the hot shower and the picnic table. Might even get a coke or two from some campers after telling them what you're doing and offering to buy it of course.

Dogwood
07-23-2013, 17:47
Mr Parkay has established campsite designations on his PT maps. I mixed it up a bit by preparing for camping(water) and finding largely unestablished camping spots on ridges w/overlooks and at the at least two large lakes, you'll pass by, Coleman being one of them, and at established sites along creeks and waterways. If you're expecting consistent established campsites along the entire PT like you find on the AT I would say that will not be the case. It's my guess you'll have to mix it up a bit on camping areas between established and impromptu sites.

Dogwood
07-23-2013, 17:49
Mr parkay also lists the PT shelters available when he did his maps. There are one or two not on his maps though unless he very recently updated them.

Drybones
07-23-2013, 18:53
If you can time it right the Coleman Lake Campground (Section 10 @ 127.0) is well worth the ½ mile walk for the hot shower and the picnic table. Might even get a coke or two from some campers after telling them what you're doing and offering to buy it of course.

There's an overflow area (primitive camping) I use when I'm in the area, tent site, fire rings and table. When I'm there the campground is normally closed.

Drybones
07-23-2013, 18:57
My favorite spots are off the beaten path, not established camp sites.

atmilkman
07-23-2013, 19:52
There's an overflow area (primitive camping) I use when I'm in the area, tent site, fire rings and table. When I'm there the campground is normally closed.

Where is this area at from coming across the bridge? When you say closed does that mean the showers are shut down. I've only ever been there March thru November and it has been open every time.

Mountain Dog
07-23-2013, 20:30
Coleman closes in the winter. I used the unimproved camping area a long time ago. If I remember correctly, when driving into or towards Coleman from the main road, the "overflow" camping will be a side road off to your right before you get to the main Coleman camping sites. It was pretty obvious to me where to turn.

atmilkman
07-23-2013, 20:42
Coleman closes in the winter. I used the unimproved camping area a long time ago. If I remember correctly, when driving into or towards Coleman from the main road, the "overflow" camping will be a side road off to your right before you get to the main Coleman camping sites. It was pretty obvious to me where to turn.

The bridge I'm talking about is the one coming off the trail. Is there a trail from that leading to this primitive area or do you have to go through the main campground out to the road and then to the road to the primitive area? I've been to the main campground via the trail more than I have the road and guess I've just missed the road to the primitive.

blisterbob
07-23-2013, 22:03
The times I have been to Coleman during the closed season the road into the campground is gated at FS 500 and there is no access to any part of the campground.
As far as the foot bridge from the Pinhoti, I have never used it so I cannot advise.

Dogwood
07-23-2013, 22:27
It's bugging me that I 'm not recalling it. What's the name of that other large lake/reservoir you go by in AL? It looked like there could have been some shweet off the beaten path impromptu camping around it. It looked to be almost entirely forested along the shoreline.

Dogwood
07-23-2013, 22:28
Showers open or not Coleman has a nice beach.

Mountain Dog
07-23-2013, 22:33
Yes, you can hike to the overflow campground but I am not familiar with any separate trail. If needed, hike to the improved campsites, not very far from the trail, then hike north and cut back on the road that will be on your left before exiting the camp ground. For reference, the trail is on the west side of the lake/campground and the overflow parking is a little north and west of the improved camping area. All of this is south of fs500.

atmilkman
07-23-2013, 22:47
It's bugging me that I 'm not recalling it. What's the name of that other large lake/reservoir you go by in AL? It looked like there could have been some shweet off the beaten path impromptu camping around it. It looked to be almost entirely forested along the shoreline.
Could it be the Choccolocco watershed. Nice open camping on top of the dam. Tree lined on the sides. We swim in it. 2293522936

atmilkman
07-23-2013, 22:52
Yes, you can hike to the overflow campground but I am not familiar with any separate trail. If needed, hike to the improved campsites, not very far from the trail, then hike north and cut back on the road that will be on your left before exiting the camp ground. For reference, the trail is on the west side of the lake/campground and the overflow parking is a little north and west of the improved camping area. All of this is south of fs500.

This is the way I figured you had to do it. One of the days I'll just go to the campground and car camp for a couple of days and whack around and see what's what instead of hiking thru.

Dogwood
07-24-2013, 01:12
That's one of them Atmilkman but there's another. Besides the Choccolocco Shelter is nice. I wish I had fishing gear to drop a line in the tailrace near the shelter. Got to be fish in there! Choccolocco sounds like a hallucinogenic plant.

blisterbob
07-24-2013, 04:17
Terrapin watershed lake is another remote one that the trail crosses the dam with open areas that are kept mowed during the summer.
You can camp near the waters edge or on the dam. It is in section 12 south of US 278.

Matt65
07-24-2013, 06:44
Could it be the Choccolocco watershed. Nice open camping on top of the dam. Tree lined on the sides. We swim in it. 2293522936

Here are a few pictures near the Shelter before you get to Pink E Burns, taken 10.22.10 We camped down near the water, and watched the deer play the next morning.

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atmilkman
07-24-2013, 09:33
Terrapin watershed lake is another remote one that the trail crosses the dam with open areas that are kept mowed during the summer.
You can camp near the waters edge or on the dam. It is in section 12 south of US 278.

I thought of this one too but didn't mention it since Dogwood didn't mention the banks being rock lined. 2294122942Then I thought about Sweetwater back towards Pine Glen since it's the biggest with boat ramp and all.

Drybones
07-24-2013, 13:10
Where is this area at from coming across the bridge? When you say closed does that mean the showers are shut down. I've only ever been there March thru November and it has been open every time.

If you stay on the trail that goes around the lake you'll pass by it, but I always short cut thru the woods. I've never seen anyone camp there but us, up on a hill with a view of the lake and the small stream nearby has the best tasting water I've had on trail. The gravel road going to this area has always been gated when I've been there. There's one chemical toilet. Not sure but I believe the main camp area closes at the end of October, and I did make a wrong statement, the camp area has been open at times when I camped there but not most of the time.

Drybones
07-24-2013, 13:13
It's bugging me that I 'm not recalling it. What's the name of that other large lake/reservoir you go by in AL? It looked like there could have been some shweet off the beaten path impromptu camping around it. It looked to be almost entirely forested along the shoreline.

Sweetwater Lake perhaps, on the trail about 6 miles or so south of Coleman.

Drybones
07-24-2013, 13:44
The bridge I'm talking about is the one coming off the trail. Is there a trail from that leading to this primitive area or do you have to go through the main campground out to the road and then to the road to the primitive area? I've been to the main campground via the trail more than I have the road and guess I've just missed the road to the primitive.

2294522946
You can see this bridge from the trail looking down on the lake, leave the Pinhoti and get on the Lake Trail that crosses this bridge and follow it around until you see the camp sites, this trail fallows the lake and zigs and zags, you can save time cutting across the woods next time once you know where the sites are.

ednotmilkman
07-24-2013, 13:59
The lakes on the northern Pinhoti from north to south are :
Terrapin Creek
Choccolocco
Coleman
Sweetwater
Highrock

Terrapin Creek lake is nice if you like solitude because there is no current FS road access to it. I don't remember anything about Highrock because you would have to bushwhack down off the trail to get to any tent camping spot.
South of Cheaha State park the only lake is Scott's Lake. There are a few other little lakes mentioned in the "pocket trail guide" but they are just swimming holes along the creeks. I did a sobo hike last summer where I camped at the lakes and streams every night except when when I stealth camped in the yard of the Shoal Creek ranger HQ and behind the store at Cheaha State Park. So I had water faucet and a "solar shower" after dark even at these two camps!

The Solemates
07-24-2013, 14:23
My favorite place is where the trail crosses the two creeks about 3-5 miles south of choccolocco if going southbound. Most people dont consider camping here and there is no established spot, but you can tell where a few here and there have made it a home for the night. The creeks flowing past put me to sleep while i was outside the tent cooking before retiring for the night last time I was there.

Drybones
07-24-2013, 14:35
My favorite place is where the trail crosses the two creeks about 3-5 miles south of choccolocco if going southbound. Most people dont consider camping here and there is no established spot, but you can tell where a few here and there have made it a home for the night. The creeks flowing past put me to sleep while i was outside the tent cooking before retiring for the night last time I was there.

I like that spot also, have camped there often.

Matt65
07-24-2013, 14:52
Sweetwater


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Drybones
07-24-2013, 19:03
Sweetwater


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Nice truck........

atmilkman
07-24-2013, 20:10
Nice truck........

Yep, and I like that place. We we're hiking by one day and we could hear every word the campers were saying on the other side of the lake. They didn't even know we were there.

Dogwood
07-24-2013, 20:26
Thank you everyone for helping me sleep soundly tonight. You mailed it.

Matt65
07-24-2013, 22:12
Nice truck........

Thanks guys, 1985 M1008.

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