Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Alabama's First Long
Path: The Pinhoti Trail
The ultimate backpacking excursion in the state of
Alabama is the Pinhoti Trail, located within the confines
of Talladega National Forest and Cheaha State Park.
Pinhoti
is a Native American word, loosely trans-
lated meaning “turkey home.” Since the first section
was built by the USDA Forest Service and volunteers
with the Youth Conservation Corps in 1976, the trail
has grown in size to over 130 miles in length, was
named a National Millennium Legacy Trail in 1999, and
in 2010 was connected to the Appalachian Trail, so
now it is possible to walk the entire Appalachian moun-
tain range from Alabama to Maine and beyond.
Along the route you'll find some nice Appalachian-
style trail shelters, breathtaking panoramas, and beau-
tiful waterfalls. If you're looking for something a bit
shorter—say, a weekend backpacking trip—combine
the Pinhoti with one of the many intersecting trails to
create several different loops of varying lengths. Maps
of the Pinhoti Trail (seven in all) are available from the
Forest Service at the Talladega ranger station or at the
Cheaha State Park camp store. Also visit the Pinhoti
Trail Alliance website at
www.pinhotitrailalliance.org
.
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