Pinhoti National Recreational Trail

The Pinhoti National Recreational Trail (Pinhoti Trail; PNRT) is a long-distance footpath that runs through Alabama and Georgia. It follows the Southern Appalachian Mountains spine and is designated as a National Recreation Trail (1977).

Total length is about 335–350 miles (most commonly given as ~335 miles / ~351 miles depending on the measurement), with the trail split between Georgia (~164 miles) and Alabama (~171 miles).

Trail markers are Turkey tracks, using a turkey-foot blaze style. The overall route is built around foot travel (bicycle and horse access are not designated along the trail).

The southern end starts on Flagg Mountain near Weogufka, Alabama. The trail works its way north through Talladega National Forest, including Cheaha Wilderness and other forest tracts.

As you reach northern Georgia, the route continues toward the Blue Ridge Mountains and ends by connecting with the Benton MacKaye Trail, which provides access into the Appalachian Trail system.

The trail is part of the Eastern Continental Trail and the Great Eastern Trail networks, putting it in the same long-distance multi-state hiking ecosystem as other “through-hike” routes.

For thru-hike planning, expect that the Pinhoti’s longer segments mix ridgeline walking with hardwood-forest and mountain terrain, along with some road-walk sections that have been a focus for moving off-road in ongoing improvements.

More information: Wikipedia, Pinhoti Trail – Woodlands and Waters - WordPress.com, the professor sings sweet home alabama: hiking the pinhoti trail in ...