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INTRO:
The magnificent Pinhoti Trail (PT) is situated in the deep south of the United States, crossing viridescent tracts of forest and waterways through the states of Alabama and Georgia.
There are some lengthy road walk sections though and water can be a tad scarce at times.
You'll probably spy the Eastern Wild Turkey, rattlesnakes, woodpeckers, bluebirds, many, many deer and a smattering of day walkers around Cheaha State Park and Mullberry Gap.
The trail is maintained and cultivated by an enthusiastic battalion of local volunteers and trail angels.
I spent 3 glorious weeks in the Fall banging across ridgelines studded with longleaf pines, hickories and red maples, relishing well kept trails and enjoying the lack of fellow humans and the gentle kindness of those I infrequently did happen to bump into.
Start: 14 October 2025 - Finish 3 November; 21 days. No flips, no skips, no slackpacking.
NAVIGATION AND RESOURCES:
CAMPSITES AND SHELTERS:
WATER:
RESUPPLY:
THE GOOD BITS:
Birmingham, Alabama is the closest large city and airport to the northern terminus.
Atlanta, Georgia is the closest large city and airport to the southern terminus.
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| Map sourced from Google maps. |
GETTING TO THE TRAILHEAD:
I was scooped up from Birmingham airport by 'Doin It', a bouncy hiker trash team member from the Pinhoti Outdoor Centre.
The drive took around 90 minutes and we talked shit the whole time and stopped off at Jack's for breakfast sandwiches. Great ride!
I paid $130 USD plus tip for my driver.
I had pre-arranged the shuttle to the Southern trail terminus at Flagg Mountain weeks beforehand with Nathan at the Pinhoti Outdoor Centre via email. Link to website here.
After finishing up at the Northern terminus 3 weeks later, I wandered a mile or so up to Watson's Gap (very easy to navigate with Google maps or Farout) and jumped in with Dale from Bandit Shuttles.
Dale is a very cool guy, he works and hustles and keeps flat out busy shuttling hikers from the various trailheads of the Appalachian Trail and Pinhoti and Benton MacKaye. Legend.
I pre-paid him $235 USD months beforehand and reconfirmed the pickup during the last week of my hike.
Website here.
He got me to Sandy Springs, north of Atlanta where I hopped a train to another station within walking distance to my hotel adjacent to Atlanta airport.
There are plenty of other trailheads and access points to pop on and off the PT if you want to do sections or part of the footpath.
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| Map sourced from Farout. |
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| Starting the PT just below Flagg Mountain. |
I used the Farout app for mapping and up to date information.
The Pinhoti Trail Alliance facebook page was invaluable in soliciting advice and impromptu shuttles from locals in the area.
The Pinhoti Outdoor Centre near the southern terminus is a fantastic resource, Nathan and Kimm are incredible people. Website here.
There are around 9 shelters on the PT. Some are accessible via vehicle so your call whether to roll the dice and stay nearby.
Campsite suggestions are shown constantly on Farout and it isn't too tricky to hunt down a flat spot on a ridgeline for a dry camp or somewhere alongside a creek with water access.
Loads of flat spots with fire rings made of rocks just off the trail.
There are an amazing number of water caches in the Alabama section where the wet stuff is scarcer. Usually a stack of bottled water left in a pile at highway trailheads by thoughtful local trail angel.
There are a few trail registers in the first few hundred miles too that are good to read to scope out the next section and the water availability.
A couple of Dollar Generals on the trail were useful for liquid refreshment.
Otherwise, backcountry creeks and streams were encountered and I filtered with a Sawyer.
The PT is blessed with some great trail towns and places to grab a bite.
I utilised these localities/ hostels to scoop up sustenance and avoid starvation:
- Dollar General Stewartsville AL: mile 21.3 / kilometer 34.3; limited resupply, fresh produce.
- Talladega AL: off mile 60 kilometer 96.5 (ring hostel for shuttle to town); loads of fast food joints, easy resupply, Walmart, Next Step hostel smack bang on the main street.
- Cheaha State Park AL: mile 87 / kilometer 140; Beer, potato chips, water.
- Cheaha Country Store AL: mile 104 / kilometre 167; pizza, snacks, beer.
- 8 Acorns hostel, Heflin AL: off mile 104 / kilometre 167; full resupply and shuttle to Heflin. Gas cannisters.
- Cave Spring GA: mile 190 / kilometre 306; hotel, catfish dinner, Dollar General, full resupply.
- Sunoco gas station GA: off mile 195 / kilometer 314; pizza, coffee. Dollar General nearby.
- Coosa gas stations GA: mile 207 / kilometre 333; basic supplies, water, cheap cafeteria, beer.
- Summerville GA: mile 232 / kilometre 373.5; motel, full resupply, gas cannister at Walmart.
- Dalton GA: mile 284 / kilometre 457; motels, fast food, full resupply.
- Dollar General Chatsworth GA: mile 307 / kilometre 494; basic resupply, great Mexican restaurant next door.
- Toadshade Hall Cabins GA: off mile 308 / kilometre 496; self contained cabins. Water.
- Mulberry Gap Adventure Basecamp GA: off mile 329 / kilometre 530; basic resupply, beer, cabins and camping, I sent a package here from Birmingham and they were happy to keep it for me.
Landscapes: you're wandering along ridgelines with occasional views, tall timbers and for myself during the Fall; a riot of colour. Orange and red and yellow and the best leaf peeping ever.
Weather: Fall- I started out in shorts and tshirt in Alabama a bit sweaty and getting plenty of vitamin D and ended rugged up in multiple layers with my hands jammed in my pockets breathing fog in Georgia. Massive temperature change during my hike but I was prepared for it. Just.
I found no ticks on me the entire time.
Best to avoid this trail in the summer unless you like sweaty profusely and getting very very warm with a pack on your back.
Flora and Fauna: White tailed deer were absolutely everywhere. The usual squirrels and chipmunks and coyotes howling their heads off. Red tailed hawks and turkey vultures featured occasionally. I spotted turkey at Flagg Mountain and right at the end of my walk near Watsons Gap.
THE NOT SO GOOD BITS:
The not so mighty elephant in the room; the trump fanz.
A weird time to be in the US of A.
The PT is situated deep in maga country. People are people and political leanings are only a mindset, right? Unless it becomes an identity, but anyway.
For the utter most part I found the communities adjacent to the trail in Alabama and Georgia very kind and supportive but yeah... I wandered aghast up lovely country lanes past numerous flags and signs proclaiming undying mushy feelings and support for the orange fucktard. It's a sick mental disease.
Then again, a fair amount of Yanks offered unasked for apologies for their current federal administration and all the shitfuckery it has gleefully created.
Nuff said. I'm an American by birth so no fear writing these words but woe betide if you are from elsewhere.
Other not so good stuff:
*I encountered more poison ivy on this trail than any other I have walked in the States. Easy to avoid and I wore shorts for first 2 weeks but keep an eye out as it's everywhere. Not for wiping the bot bot.
*Litter; the usual plethora of bud light cans and Arby's wrappers on the portions of trail that permit vehicles and ATV's and low IQ rednecks onto the PT's route.
Leave no trace is optional for some recreators.
*Banana spiders string their steel like strong webs across the trail and if you are unlucky to cop one latching onto your eyeballs, well, your day will be given an exciting lift.
*A few aggressive dogs in the rural road walk sections kept things lively. I carried pepper spray (sourced from Target) but never had a serious issue.
*There are 2 gnarly longish road walks; one after Cave Spring and one through Dalton. Load up with water and hope you don't need to take a dump.
I kinda hated them and then also didn't really mind the pants browning physical activity, oscillating between the 2 extremes often while dodging giant American utes on non existent road verges.
Both roadwalks can be easily skipped over with an Uber or shuttle if you feel unsafe or don't want to die on a rural highway.
Or you can just join the thru hiker club. Your call.
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| Finished up and ready to hunt beers and burgers in Atlanta. |
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Random bit of trivia; there was a time change when I crossed the AL-GA border and meant the sun didn't pop until 8am and the days lengthened to around 9pm.
This trail was on my tick list for ages, I'm super pleased I got over and knocked it off.
The PT is gaining popularity year on year, I can't see it ever being one of the mainstream, must do hiking trails in the USA due to the fair chunk of road walking involved but some people have called for it to be integrated into the Appalachian Trail system as an eastern extension so the word is out that the PT is worthy of your time and effort in this peaceful little chunk of Appalachia.
Go get it!
