The Alabama Trail / AHTS Click for Full Size |
PTA Site Map / www.pinhotitrailalliance.org
The Pinhoti Trail
A Southeast Region Appalachian Trail Connector
Eastern Continental Trail
Alabama Hiking Trail Society
American Long Trails
PCT ~ On the west coast there is the Pacific Crest Trail which travels
2627 miles from the Mexican border in southern California to the Canadian border in
Washington.
CDT ~ The central US has the Continental Divide Trail extending from southern New
Mexico to northern Montana for a total of 2650 miles.
AT ~ Of course on the east coast we have the 2165 mile Appalachian Trail and 8 million
people hike at least part of it between Georgia and Maine each year.
ECT ~ In recent years there has been a big push to create a new trail called the Eastern
Continental Trail, which will have a total of 4400 miles. This trail will begin in Key West,
Florida and follow the Appalachians on 6 existing trails up to the northern end of Canada,
at Cape Gaspe, Quebec.
About 75% of the ECT is finished and has been thru hiked several times in its present
condition. Of these hikers, Nimblewill Nomad is probably the most outspoken proponent.
More information can be found through an Internet search on the Eastern Continental
Trail.
Alabama Hiking Trail Society
The reason I have included this information about the ECT is because this trail travels
through Alabama. The Alabama Section of the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail makes up
Section 4 of this great trail.
In 2002 a new trail club was formed called the Alabama Hiking Trail Society and part of
their mission is to build 200 miles of new trail from the Florida State Line up to the
southern end of the Talladega National Forest. When the AHTS finishes their 200 mile
section, Section 3 of the ECT will be complete also.
This new section of the ECT will be called the Alabama Trail and will not only be a
connecting trail between Florida and the Pinhoti Trail, the Alabama Trail will one day be a
state wide trail system connecting all parts of Alabama with a path for foot travel only.
Regardless of where one lives in Alabama there will be a trail nearby to lead hikers to
other places in Alabama and beyond.
Alabamian's are proud to be part of an international hiking trail system and the AHTS is
committed to building and maintaining the Alabama Trail.
I would ask you to seriously consider becoming part of this project. Sure, money is nice
and so is spreading the word about the Alabama Trail but it's your blood, sweat and tears
that is going to put this trail system on the Alabama landscape. That is always the bottom
line for any dream.
Weather you show up one time or a hundred times your presence will be felt for
generations to come. As for me, I don't know who built the Pinhoti Trail but 75 years
later it is still a living gift from people I will never meet or forget. I do know for a fact
that they were people just like me who willingly accept the responsibility of forest
stewardship.
ECT Sections
Northern Terminus
SECTION 8 / IAT. ~ 3725 ~ 4400 / International Appalachian Trail
SECTION 7 / AT.. ~ 1575 ~ 3725 / Appalachian Trail
SECTION 6 / BMT ~ 1510 ~ 1575 / Benton MacKaye Trail
SECTION 4, 5 / PT ~ 1247 ~ 1510 / Pinhoti Trail
SECTION 3 / FAR. ~ 1000 ~ 1247 / Florida / Alabama Road Walk
SECTION 2 / FT.... ~ 175. ~ 1000 / Florida Trail
SECTION 1 / KER. ~ 0..... ~ 175 / Key West / Everglades Road Walk
Southern Terminus
PTA Site Map / Top of Page ^-^
The Pinhoti Trail
A Southeast Region Appalachian Trail Connector
Eastern Continental Trail
Alabama Hiking Trail Society
American Long Trails
PCT ~ On the west coast there is the Pacific Crest Trail which travels
2627 miles from the Mexican border in southern California to the Canadian border in
Washington.
CDT ~ The central US has the Continental Divide Trail extending from southern New
Mexico to northern Montana for a total of 2650 miles.
AT ~ Of course on the east coast we have the 2165 mile Appalachian Trail and 8 million
people hike at least part of it between Georgia and Maine each year.
ECT ~ In recent years there has been a big push to create a new trail called the Eastern
Continental Trail, which will have a total of 4400 miles. This trail will begin in Key West,
Florida and follow the Appalachians on 6 existing trails up to the northern end of Canada,
at Cape Gaspe, Quebec.
About 75% of the ECT is finished and has been thru hiked several times in its present
condition. Of these hikers, Nimblewill Nomad is probably the most outspoken proponent.
More information can be found through an Internet search on the Eastern Continental
Trail.
Alabama Hiking Trail Society
The reason I have included this information about the ECT is because this trail travels
through Alabama. The Alabama Section of the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail makes up
Section 4 of this great trail.
In 2002 a new trail club was formed called the Alabama Hiking Trail Society and part of
their mission is to build 200 miles of new trail from the Florida State Line up to the
southern end of the Talladega National Forest. When the AHTS finishes their 200 mile
section, Section 3 of the ECT will be complete also.
This new section of the ECT will be called the Alabama Trail and will not only be a
connecting trail between Florida and the Pinhoti Trail, the Alabama Trail will one day be a
state wide trail system connecting all parts of Alabama with a path for foot travel only.
Regardless of where one lives in Alabama there will be a trail nearby to lead hikers to
other places in Alabama and beyond.
Alabamian's are proud to be part of an international hiking trail system and the AHTS is
committed to building and maintaining the Alabama Trail.
I would ask you to seriously consider becoming part of this project. Sure, money is nice
and so is spreading the word about the Alabama Trail but it's your blood, sweat and tears
that is going to put this trail system on the Alabama landscape. That is always the bottom
line for any dream.
Weather you show up one time or a hundred times your presence will be felt for
generations to come. As for me, I don't know who built the Pinhoti Trail but 75 years
later it is still a living gift from people I will never meet or forget. I do know for a fact
that they were people just like me who willingly accept the responsibility of forest
stewardship.
ECT Sections
Northern Terminus
SECTION 8 / IAT. ~ 3725 ~ 4400 / International Appalachian Trail
SECTION 7 / AT.. ~ 1575 ~ 3725 / Appalachian Trail
SECTION 6 / BMT ~ 1510 ~ 1575 / Benton MacKaye Trail
SECTION 4, 5 / PT ~ 1247 ~ 1510 / Pinhoti Trail
SECTION 3 / FAR. ~ 1000 ~ 1247 / Florida / Alabama Road Walk
SECTION 2 / FT.... ~ 175. ~ 1000 / Florida Trail
SECTION 1 / KER. ~ 0..... ~ 175 / Key West / Everglades Road Walk
Southern Terminus
PTA Site Map / Top of Page ^-^
| Millennium Legacy Trail |
The Eastern Continental Trail Map courtesy of Stolte Studio |
