PTA Site Map / etrail or snailtrail
The Pinhoti Trail
A Southeast Region Appalachian Trail Connector
Northbound etrail / Section 6
Northern Terminus / Finish Hike
79.1 ~ Cheaha Trailhead
67.8 ~ Adams Gap Trailhead
Southern Terminus / Start Hike
Reference Points ~ Cheaha Wilderness, Oxford, AL
Hike Distance ~ 11.3 Miles
Hiking Time vs Distance ~ 30 Minutes = 1 Mile
Trail Blazes ~ Light Blue Vertical Rectangles
Trail Description ~ Difficult ~ Dry Rocky Ridges, Long Climbs, Rock Gardens
Driving Directions
For a weekend section hike, you may want to bring two vehicles to the trail so that you can shuttle
yourselves from one end of your chosen section to the other. First, you will need to park your
“finish hike vehicle” at your section’s northern terminus and then drive your “start hike vehicle” down
to your section’s southern terminus.
Northern Terminus / Park Finish Hike Vehicle First
79.1 ~ CHEAHA TRAILHEAD
Exit I-20 at US 431, east of Oxford, AL.
Go south 3.4 miles to the second right turn past the overhead bridge at the top of the ridge,
turn right (there is a brown Cheaha State Park sign here).
Go 0.4 miles to the stop sign at AL 281. Turn left.
Go 11.5 miles to the Cheaha Trailhead parking area, on the left.
Southern Terminus / Park Start Hike Vehicle
67.8 ~ ADAMS GAP TRAILHEAD
From the Cheaha Trailhead parking area, turn left on AL 281.
Go 6.4 miles to the end of the pavement.
This is the Adams Gap Trailhead parking area.
Hiking Directions
Southern Terminus / Start Hike
67.8 ~ ADAMS GAP TRAILHEAD / AL 281 ~ 1457'
(Talladega Mountain) The north trail goes straight across AL 281 to the small downhill paved
road and then goes back in the woods on the left.
67.9 ~ SOUTH CHEAHA WILDERNESS BOUNDARY
69.0 ~ 70.3 ~ 6 SPRING CROSSINGS ~ 1360'
70.9 ~ CAMPSITE ~ 1380'
71.0 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ 1360'
71.3 ~ SIGN BOARD ~ 1460'
71.5 ~ SIGN BOARD ~ 1575'
Go left. Look for this sign 10 feet off trail up on the left.
72.2 ~ HEAVEN / ROCKY TOP 4 ~ 2135'
72.6 ~ 73.2 ~ 3 CAMPSITES ~ 2100'
73.3 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ 2140'
73.6 ~ CAMPSITE ~ 2120'
73.7 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ 2120'
73.8 ~ LITTLE CANEY HEAD ~ 2100'
The Pinhoti goes straight through this intersection.
Large Camp, Seasonal Water
75.4 ~ CAVE CREEK TRAIL CONNECTOR ~ 2200'
The Pinhoti goes straight through this intersection.
76.9 ~ McDILL OVERLOOK TRAIL ~ 1940'
The Pinhoti goes straight through this intersection.
Small Camp, Large Camp ~ Go left 0.25 miles to the overlook.
77.4 ~ CAMPSITE ~ 2060'
77.8 ~ NORTH CHEAHA WILDERNESS BOUNDARY
78.0 ~ HERNANDEZ PEAK ~ 2344'
78.5 ~ CAMPSITE ~ 2140’
79.1 ~ CHEAHA TRAILHEAD ~ AL 281 ~ 1940’
Turn right on the side trail and go 0.1 miles to the info board. Turn left and go 50 yards to the
parking area.
Northern Terminus / Finish Hike

