[at-l] Pinhoti Trail experience? (Trip Report)

[Frank Looper]

I followed a number of Pinhoti links from this post. Looks like another on
the to-do list.


On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 7:29 PM, Tim Rich <athiker89 at yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> As promised, I wanted to report back some current information on the
> Pinhoti.  I took an enjoyable 30 mile hike last week on a section just north
> of Interstate 20 from the Pinky Burns Trailhead south to the trail's
> intersection with USFS 500/State 281 at U.S. 78 near Heflin.  First, a sad
> piece of information regarding the Pinky Burns Trailhead.  The 1880's cabin
> (lifelong home of Pinky Burns) was burned to the ground last month.  The
> three idiots were caught and will face Federal arson charges.
>
> This section was well maintained with very few blowdowns.  I can see where
> several areas will get pretty thick with undergrowth, but it's very nice for
> now.  We did skirt through three areas covered by controlled burns over the
> past several months, and the USFS will be continuing this program across the
> district throughout 2009.  Much of this section is a woods walk with no
> distant views of significance, but there is plenty of close-up beauty.  The
> hollows and hills were beautiful, wildlife was plentiful, and the violets,
> buckeyes, dogwoods, iris and other wildflowers were magnificent.  We stayed
> at three shelters, hiking a mile in the dark from the trailhead to the
> Choccolocco Creek Shelter, an easy 10 miles to Laurel Shelter, and another
> easy 10 to Lower Shoal Shelter.  The three shelters were all in excellent
> shape, each having received a full update within the last five years.  They
> are typical AT-size 6-8 man shelters, but rooflines were atypical
>  (ridge down the middle) with excellent overhangs all around for great
> protection and nice cooking shelves on one end.  Laurel and Lower Shoal are
> situated beside cool, rocky streams that provide a wonderful, and
> convenient, backdrop.  This section also passes the Shoal Creek Church, a
> mid-1800's hand-hewn log church (one of a handful remaining in Alabama).  We
> also passed three or four watershed lakes (15 to 30 acres or so each) that
> provide fishing opportunities if you're interested in leisurely diversion.
>
> The Pinhoti is an underutilized gem.  The only people we saw were at the
> campgrounds near a couple of the lakes.  We met no hikers, which is hard to
> believe when it's just 90 minutes from Atlanta and an hour from Birmingham.
>  Trail registers showed light traffic.
>
> Take Care,
>
> Tim
>
>
>
>
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