PDA

View Full Version : 3-4 day hikes on the pinhoti



t28w
08-20-2013, 17:16
im wanting to spend possibly an extended weekend on the pinhoti and wondered what those familiar with the trail would recommend for a 3-4 day hike. if i go solo, are there options for a shuttle, or is a loop or out and back the only option. any portions of the trail to stay away from safety wise. i would be coming from tuscaloosa area FWIW. thanks in advance. i had visited the pinhoti trail alliance website in past but can not longer get the page to load, has this site been closed?

White Oak CJ
08-20-2013, 17:36
I have been researching this as well. The site was working yesterday so I assume they are having technical difficulties. I am sure someone on here could answer your question regarding a section hike.

Tractor
08-20-2013, 17:49
It has been years but I got a shuttle out from a fellow at the store near the lodge. Even if he no longer works there, he/they will surely know of someone local who can take you either north or south of the lodge and simply walk back to your car and perhaps get a big breakfast when you get back there like I did.

t28w
08-21-2013, 17:39
what lodge are you talking about and where is it located?

Tractor
08-21-2013, 17:58
Cheaha. Sorta in the middle of the trail. I got a shuttle south and hiked back to the lodge, then got a ride north and hiked back to my car, which I had parked at the store.

Drybones
08-21-2013, 19:17
I did the 27 miles hike from the ranger station on hwy 78 to Cheaha and assumed I could hitch a ride back up hwy 281 to my truck, bad assumption, had to do another 20 miles of asphalt after the hike, in the winter and only saw about 6 cars.

schlanky
08-21-2013, 20:19
The trip that SouthMark suggested using Pinhoti, Cave Creek, Nubbin Creek, Odum, Chinnabee Silent, Skyway trails (not listed in walking order) on the "Hiking the Pinhoti" thread is a very good one with lots of variety.

You'll have some of the best scenery in the state as well as some tough (rocky, steep) walking. If you have trouble getting a shuttle, this would be a very good option--you could park at Cheaha TH and set out from there. With several road crossings and this trip basically being a couple of intersecting loops, you'd also have bailout options if you needed to shorten the hike.

Note that there are some wet stream crossings on the lower end Chinnabee Silent Trail. After a heavy rain, a couple of these can be impassible, but most of the time they're no big deal.

Here is info with mileage for a portion of the hike:

http://www.pinhotitrailalliance.org/loopscw.html

Drybones
08-21-2013, 21:21
The trip that SouthMark suggested using Pinhoti, Cave Creek, Nubbin Creek, Odum, Chinnabee Silent, Skyway trails (not listed in walking order) on the "Hiking the Pinhoti" thread is a very good one with lots of variety.

You'll have some of the best scenery in the state as well as some tough (rocky, steep) walking. If you have trouble getting a shuttle, this would be a very good option--you could park at Cheaha TH and set out from there. With several road crossings and this trip basically being a couple of intersecting loops, you'd also have bailout options if you needed to shorten the hike.

Note that there are some wet stream crossings on the lower end Chinnabee Silent Trail. After a heavy rain, a couple of these can be impassible, but most of the time they're no big deal.

Here is info with mileage for a portion of the hike:

http://www.pinhotitrailalliance.org/loopscw.html

This would be a nice hike for you. Dont know what kind of miles/day you're looking at, but what I do is start at the Cheaha trailhead, hike to Adams Gap and get on the Silent Trail and camp at Hubbard Creek, nice campsite. Then hike to the Silent Trail, there's a water crossing where the two trails join, and hike to Turnipseed Campground, or nearby, to camp. The last day you could either get back on the Pinhoti and loop back to your vehicle or take the Odum/Nubim/Cave Creek trails back to your start. I tried to scan a map for you showing the second option but the print is too small to read. The forestry service has a pretty nice map you could pick up if you come in from that direction.

Drybones
08-21-2013, 21:22
This would be a nice hike for you. Dont know what kind of miles/day you're looking at, but what I do is start at the Cheaha trailhead, hike to Adams Gap and get on the Silent Trail and camp at Hubbard Creek, nice campsite. Then hike to the Silent Trail, there's a water crossing where the two trails join, and hike to Turnipseed Campground, or nearby, to camp. The last day you could either get back on the Pinhoti and loop back to your vehicle or take the Odum/Nubim/Cave Creek trails back to your start. I tried to scan a map for you showing the second option but the print is too small to read. The forestry service has a pretty nice map you could pick up if you come in from that direction.

I made an error...at Adams Gap you would take the Skyway Trail, then the Silent Trail.

blisterbob
08-21-2013, 21:47
http://jahudson.wiki.hoover.k12.al.us/Cheaha+Trail+Maps

This shows the trails mentioned.

t28w
08-22-2013, 11:43
thanks for the feedback i like the idea of leaving vehicle at cheaha and returning there. also will be good with the side trails and can lengthen or shorten trip if needed. i do have the section 4 map ( i think that is right) of the pinhoti. is the cheaha trailhead in the state park?

atmilkman
08-22-2013, 12:02
thanks for the feedback i like the idea of leaving vehicle at cheaha and returning there. also will be good with the side trails and can lengthen or shorten trip if needed. i do have the section 4 map ( i think that is right) of the pinhoti. is the cheaha trailhead in the state park?

Yes, Cheaha Trailhead is within the boundaries of the park about ½ mile south of the store/lodge/restaurant. I've never heard of any problems parking at the trailhead itself but I would park at the store or lodge just because of heavier traffic.