PTA Site Map
Pinhoti Trail Alliance
Connecting Alabama and Georgia to the Appalachian Trail

Trail Guide - Section 8 (AL 5)

Trail Data
Trail Club ~ Appalachian Trail Club of Alabama
Hike Direction ~ Northbound
Hike Distance ~ 9.5 Miles
Southern Terminus ~ 62.4 ~ US 431 Trailhead
Northern Terminus ~ 71.9 ~ South USFS 500 Trailhead
ECT Mile Point ~ 1309.4 ~ 1317.6
Trail Description ~ Moderate ~ Foothills, Watersheds, Short Climbs

Abbreviations
CS ~ Convenience Store / Nice Mom and Pop stores.
    62.4, 71.7
TT ~ Trail Town / Large enough for McDonald's.
    71.7
SC ~ Small Campsite / At least one tent site.
    64.7, 66.2, 70.1
LC ~ Large Campsite / At least three tent sites.
    68.0, 71.9
TS ~ Trail Shelter / Three sided, open front.
    x
SW ~ Seasonal Water / Needs rain in the past week.
    62.4, 62.6, 64.7, 64.8, 65.1, 65.6, 66.2, 66.6, 69.4, 70.7, 71.9
RW ~ Reliable Water / Always available.
    62.4, 67.7, 68.2

Trail Marking
The new standard blazes for marking the Pinhoti are light blue vertical rectangles. The standard distance
between blazes is around 0.1 miles. Most of these are painted on trees at about eye level and are about
the size of a dollar bill. Until this new changeover is complete, you will also see some white blazes, silver
metal diamonds and white plastic diamonds with a turkey track on them and some white painted turkey
tracks. All of these will guide you in the right direction.

Time vs Distance
To help you judge the time needed to travel from point A to point B, consider that the average hiking
pace is 2 mph:

60 minutes = 2 miles
30 minutes = 1 mile
15 minutes = 1/2 mile

Driving Directions
Be aware that most of these trailheads and road crossings are in pretty isolated areas and also be aware
that you’ll find very few signs pointing the way. Your odometer is going to become your best friend.
Although various cars and trucks tend to measure distances a little differently, these mileages should be
fairly close.

62.4 ~ US 431 TRAILHEAD
    Exit I ~ 20 at US 431, east of Oxford.
    Go south 2.8 miles to a dirt road on the right.
    The north trail is here, on the left side of US 431.
    Turn right on the dirt road and go up the hill 0.1 miles to the US 431 Trailhead parking area.
    The south trail is at the back ~ right side of the parking area.

64.2 ~ USFS 518 CROSSING
    Follow the US 431 Trailhead directions to the dirt road.
    Go past the dirt road 0.6 miles to the second right turn past the overhead bridge, just before
    Parks Store. Turn right.
    Go 0.4 miles to the stop sign at AL 281. Turn right.
    Go 1.7 miles to USFS 518 on the left. There is no sign here, but there is a large paved apron
    where you turn left.
    Go 0.1 miles down the dirt road to the parking area, at the gate.
    The north trail is 25 yards past the gate on the right.
    The south trail is on the left.

66.7 ~ I - 20 CROSSING
    Follow the USFS 518 Crossing directions to the stop sign at AL 281. Turn right.
    Go 3.5 miles to the gravel road on the right, just past the I ~ 20 bridge. Turn right.
    Go 10 yards.
    The north trail is on the left.
    The south trail is just before the I ~ 20 bridge on the left.

69.0 ~ AL 281 CROSSING
    Follow the USFS 518 Crossing directions to the stop sign at AL 281. Turn right.
    Go 4.8 miles to the crossing.
    The north trail is on the left.
    The south trail is on the right.

71.7 ~ US 78 CROSSING
    Follow the USFS 518 Crossing directions to the stop sign at AL 281. Turn right.
    Go 6.7 miles to the US 78 bridge crossing.
    The north trail turns right 50 yards past the bridge on the gravel road, USFS 500.
    The south trail is just before the bridge on the left.

71.9 ~ SOUTH USFS 500 TRAILHEAD
    Follow the USFS 518 Crossing directions to the stop sign at AL 281. Turn right.
    Go 6.7 miles to the US 78 bridge crossing.
    Go past the bridge 50 yards to the gravel road on the right, USFS 500. Turn right.
    Go 0.1 miles to the trailhead parking area on the right, just past the RR tracks.
    The north trail goes in the woods behind the Info Board.
    The south trail is before the US 78 bridge, on the left.

Trail Guide
62.4 ~ US 431 TRAILHEAD ~ 860' ~ CS, SW, RW
    From the trailhead parking area, follow the downhill gravel road 0.1 miles to the highway. Cross
    over and go right 25 yards. The north trail goes back in the woods on the left.
    ROADKILL WARNING ~ You'll probably want to scurry right on across this highway!!
    CS ~ Go right on US 431 0.6 miles to Parks Store. You can go left 2.8 miles to I-20 but there are
    no businesses there.
    RW ~ Before you cross over US 431, there is a difficult creek access on the right.
    SW ~ After you cross over and start up the trail there is a spring on the right.
    NEXT RW ~ 5.6 miles.

62.6 ~ SPRING / BOG CROSSING ~ SW

63.2 ~ BEAVER POND
    There is an old Beaver Dam here but I have never seen the Beaver. Dr. Lee, at the Hiking Alabama
    website, saw him a few times though.

64.2 ~ USFS 518 CROSSING ~ 1080'
    The trail goes diagonally across the road to the right.
    You will start hearing the hum of I ~ 20 traffic around here and it will continue for the next 4
    miles or so. Camp at your own risk. 8~{
    NEXT RW ~ 3.8 miles.

64.4 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING

64.7 ~ CAMPSITE / SPRING CROSSING ~ SC, SW

64.8 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW

65.1 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW

65.3 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING

65.6 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW

66.2 ~ CAMPSITE / SPRING CROSSING ~ SC, SW

66.6 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW

66.7 ~ I - 20 CROSSING ~ 1000' (no services)
    When the trail comes out on AL 281, turn left and go across the bridge. Then turn right on the
    gravel road that is 100 yards past the bridge. Go 10 yards to where the trail goes back in the
    woods on the left.

66.9 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING

67.0 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING

67.3 ~ COLONIAL PIPELINE ~ 1010'
    Follow the lower side of the hump straight across the clearing. There is a blue blaze at the tree
    line. There is also a false trail that goes across the top of the hump.
    This pipeline runs between Texas and the lower New England states.

67.7 ~ CREEK CROSSING ~ RW

68.0 ~ * RIO GRANDE CROSSING ~ LC, RW
    You will find plenty of flat spots near the creek.
    NEXT RW ~ 11.7 miles.

68.2 ~ PLANTATION PIPELINE ~ 990'
    The trail goes straight across the clearing.
    This pipeline runs between Louisiana and Virginia. It ran through my backyard in N. E. Atlanta,
    where I grew up.

68.3 ~ * EL LOCO SPLIT
    When the trail comes to the old road bed, you will see blue paint everywhere and 2 parallel roads
    going straight ahead with an island of trees in the middle. Follow the road on the right side of the
    island. Go 100 yards to the end of the island and turn left back into the woods. This left turn is
    not marked (spring 2003).

68.7 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING

69.0 ~ AL 281 CROSSING ~ 990'
    The trail goes straight across AL 281.

69.2 ~ HIDEOUT GORGE

69.4 ~ INDIAN CAVE ~ SW

70.0 ~ SOUTHERN NATURAL GAS PIPELINE / SISTER RIDGE VIEW
    The trail goes straight across the clearing.
    This pipeline runs all through the southeast. There is a good view on the left of our Sister Ridge
    (Choccolocco Mountains) as she follows the backside of Ft. McClellan. This ridge runs west of the
    Pinhoti for 61.1 miles. She starts in Coldwater and passes through Anniston, Ft. McClellan,
    Jacksonville and ends in Piedmont. You will have views of her off and on all the way up to Dugger
    Mountain. The Pinhoti and our Sister Ridge are home to 26 of the 100 highest named summits in
    Alabama.

Sister Ridge (Choccolocco Mountains) 61.1miles

SOUTH to NORTH

COLDWATER
    Coldwater Spring ~ 584' / Coldwater Peak ~ 1709' / Oak Mountain ~ 1705'

ANNISTON
    Mount Royal ~ 1519' / Twin Mountains ~ 1170' ~ 1225' / Blue Mountain ~ 1516'

FT. McCLELLAN
    Reynolds Hill ~ 1378' / King Hill ~ 1945' / Stanley Hill ~ 1900' / Morton Hill ~ 2063' /
    Marchets Hill ~ 2104' / Wykoff Hill ~ 1800' / Bain Gap ~ 1420' / Frederick Hill ~ 1800' / Mount
    Tylo ~ 1360' / Caffey Hill ~ 1440' / Moorman Hill ~ 2030' / Mokeley Hill ~ 1840' / Noyes Hill ~
    1560' / Big Oak Mountain ~ 2050' / French Hill ~ 1140' / Truitt Hill ~ 1480'

JACKSONVILLE
    Foster Mountain ~ 1420' / Whites Gap ~ 1256' / Ben White Point ~ 1592' / Chimney Peak ~ 1720'
    / Chimney Mountain ~ 1272' / Hurricane Mountain ~ 1876'

PIEDMONT
    Last Lonely Mountain ~ 1160' / Piedmont ~ 701'

Trail Guide (cont.)
70.1 ~ CAMPSITE ~ SC
    99.9 % of all the campsites that are listed in this trail guide are the ones with existing fire
    rings. The number of existing fire rings (66 in 2003) averages out to like one every two miles.

70.4 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING

70.6 ~ ROAD BED
    The trail goes to the right 45 yards on the road and then goes back in the woods on the left.

70.7 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW

70.8 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING

71.3 ~ BEACON / TRANSPONDER POWER LINE CROSSING ~ 1200'

71.5 ~ POWER LINE CROSSING ~ 1100'

71.7 ~ US 78 CROSSING ~ HEFLIN ~ 976' ~ CS, TT
    When the trail comes out on AL 281, turn left and go across the US 78 bridge.
    TT ~ Turn left on the paved road that is 50 yards past the bridge and loop around to the stop
    sign at US 78. Go left at the stop sign 2.8 miles to Heflin. Map
    CS ~ Go right at the stop sign 1.3 and 1.5 miles to small stores. The 1.5 store, at the intersection
    of US 78 and AL 9 N., has a short order kitchen.

71.9 ~ SOUTH USFS 500 TRAILHEAD ~ 936' ~ LC, SW ~ (Photo)
    After you cross the US 78 bridge, turn right on the gravel road (USFS 500) that is 50 yards
    past the bridge. Then go 0.1 miles to the trailhead parking area, which is on the right just past
    the RR tracks. The north trail goes back in the woods behind the Info Board.
    LC, SW ~ The spring crossing is 100 yards north of the Info Board. Go about 30' past the spring
    crossing to a small trail on the right that takes you up to a couple of fire rings. The train
    whistles will keep you hopping all night, so if you have another camp option, you should take it.

PTA Site Map
Millennium
Legacy Trail
Section 8 ~ Trail Condition

Northern Terminus

0.0 ~ Trailhead
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ x
Brush 200? ~ Blowdowns 200? ~ Blazes 200?
0.0 ~ Trailhead

Southern Terminus