Week 13: End of the Appalachian Mountains

Three Magnolias > Flagg Mountain (Pinhoti southern terminus)

Days 85-91

Week 13 miles: 107.7

Total EAT miles: 1458.4

The southern half of my extended Appalachian Trail thru-hike is complete! I’ll have about a week to rest up before starting the Pacific Crest Trail.

Since the Pinhoti Trail is much less widely known than the AT, I’ve had a number of people ask me whether I’d recommend hiking it. Having now hiked the whole thing, here’s my verdict:

The portions of the Pinhoti that actually exist as trail are beautiful and well worth hiking. You’ll be amazed by the forests and landscapes of northern Georgia and Alabama. The road walks, however, mostly range between unpleasant and dangerous.

If you have a larger goal in mind, such as ‘Bama to Baxter or the Eastern Continental Trail, and are committed to a continuous footpath, you’ll likely find it worth enduring the road walks.

For everyone else, I would recommend section hiking the trail portions and skipping the road walks. There are lots of great shuttle drivers and trail angels who can give you a ride.

Day 85: Three Magnolias > Blue Mountain Shelter Junction

March 26

17.5 Pinhoti miles (3094 ft up, 2169 ft down)

Today may have been my laziest morning on trail so far. Because of the rain, I didn’t start packing up until around 9:30am, and with several snack breaks, didn’t start hiking until 11:30am. The rain stopped not too long after that, making me wish I’d packed up even later.

The day remained overcast and misty until late afternoon, but the weather only added to the beauty of the small, winding stream valleys the trail followed through this section.

Late in the day, the trail climbed back up to the ridges. I ended up camping in a small burn area. Fortunately, the dirt tent site, having been clear of plant material, was therefore also clear of soot. I’m sleeping just north of Cheaha State Park (pronounced CHEE-huh) and should be able to visit their bathrooms and general store first thing tomorrow.

Day 86: Blue Mountain Shelter Junction > Weathers Ridge

March 27

24 Pinhoti miles (3481 ft up, 4167 ft down)

The Cheaha State Park general store didn’t disappoint. In addition to a lovely indoor bathroom, they had giant cups of coffee, ice cream, and all sorts of snacks. I hung out on the porch for about an hour, charging my electronics and eating some treats.

Today was clear and sunny. This was great weather timing because, instead of narrow creek valleys like yesterday, the trail followed a high ridge line with expansive views.

I passed lots of backpackers today, way more than on any other day on the Pinhoti. Several popular loops pass through the state park, and families and groups of teenagers were taking advantage of spring break to hit the trails.

This section of trail was also very rocky. Toward the end of the day I decided to bypass a particularly bad section of rocks by detouring onto a parallel dirt track on the other side of the ridge. The descriptions made it sound like, walking the official trail, I’d either be moving extremely slowly or asking for a sprained ankle.

As has been the pattern, the Pinhoti soon redeemed itself. The last mile to my campsite was on a soft bed of pine needles.

Day 87: Weathers Ridge > Porter’s Gap

March 28

5.3 Pinhoti miles (801 ft up, 1020 ft down)

I was happy to discover that despite camping beside a stream my tent was dry this morning. I took my time packing up but was still quicker than usual since I was waiting to eat in Talladega. I’d given myself plenty of time to hike the nero to Porter’s Gap just in case the trail was as rocky as yesterday.

Most of the trail continued as it had ended yesterday, a soft carpet of pine needles — my very favorite trail surface. Once I realized I’d arrive at the gap ahead of schedule, I slowed down and used the time to text with my parents about the package they’ll be mailing to San Diego with my PCT gear.

Grunt picked me up at the trailhead and took me back to Next Step Hostel, a wonderful volunteer hostel she and her husband run in the heart of Talladega. Three other Pinhoti thru-hikers were also staying the night, and I had a great time hanging out with them. The two who had hiked the PCT shared some helpful tips and got me even more excited for my next trail.

I also got some wonderful kitty snuggles from Hiker the cat, who lay on my lap while I made tea and slept the entire night curled up against my belly.

Day 88: Porter’s Gap > Rebecca Mountain

March 29

25.2 Pinhoti miles (3842 ft up, 3333 ft down)

When the three other hikers at the hostel invited me to join them for breakfast at 5:30am, I thought they were joking, but the walk to the diner through dark, quiet downtown Talladega was fun. We had a nice time chatting with the local early morning crew and filled our bellies with big southern breakfasts.

I was the only one heading south, so I set off on my own from Porter’s Gap. I forded the stream below a waterfall and collected enough water for the long ridge walk ahead. Since the trail paralleled a dirt road on the other side of the ridge for most of the day, I alternated between the two for variety.

As I walked toward my intended campsite at dusk, I was surprised to find it already occupied. Fortunately we were on a fairly level part of the ridge, so I just backtracked a couple of hundred yards and set up my tent in the woods.

Day 89: Rebecca Mountain > Meadow Branch

March 30

22.4 Pinhoti miles (2156 ft up, 2897 ft down)

A strange aspect of thru-hiking is that it mixes together recreation and mundane daily life more closely than would normally be the case. This morning, while I waited for the freeze dried meal tucked inside my fleece to rehydrate, I sat in my tent on the shoulder of Rebecca Mountain and called the automated line to pay next month’s health insurance premium.

Today was the last long road walk of the Pinhoti. There were a few concerning dogs but no incidents. There were also two very sweet old dogs who were perfectly timed as my last dogs on the Pinhoti. They barked once as I approached, but as soon as I asked if they were nice dogs, they started wagging their tails and ambled over for some pets. They then accompanied me down the road until we were back to their house.

I noticed this afternoon that I’ve been super lucky with the many level crossings on the road walks and haven’t had to wait once for a train to pass. Today a train came right after I’d crossed the tracks — it would have been a loooong wait given its length and speed.

The last bit of road was the worst I encountered in terms of traffic. US 231 is narrow with a lot of traffic, zero shoulder, and a very steep verge. It looked even worse for those hiking northbound on the other side. I was very happy to get back in the woods and found a peaceful campsite at the top of a small pine covered hill.

Day 90: Meadow Branch > Flagg Mountain (Southern Terminus)

March 31

13.3 Pinhoti miles (1932 ft up, 1890 ft down)

Last day on the Pinhoti!

I hadn’t carried much water up the hill last night, so I hiked a couple of miles before stopping to cook myself Easter brunch next to a small stream.

There was only a short, quiet road walk today, which took me past a closed country store with an old soda vending machine on the porch. I don’t normally like soda, but I had a dollar in coins in my wallet and couldn’t pass up the opportunity. As I walked down the road enjoying my cold beverage, an elderly woman hollered from her porch and we had a nice little chat.

The last stretch of the Pinhoti followed the edge of a beautiful gorge with lots of spring colors and sunshine. I dropped my pack at the CCC cabin where I’d be spending the night on Flagg Mountain and continued hiking up to the recently restored tower at the summit. I was delighted to find the tower open so I could finish my thru-hike not just at the tower but atop the tower.

Technically the Pinhoti southern terminus is 0.8 miles farther south at a little pavilion beside a dirt road. As I had plenty of time before sunset, I walked to the official terminus for the sake of thoroughness. It was hilariously anticlimactic — I’ll definitely continue thinking of the Flagg Mountain summit as my Pinhoti and ‘Bama to Baxter southern terminus.

Day 91: Zero at the Pinhoti Outdoor Center

April 1

The Pinhoti Outdoor Center picked me up at Flagg Mountain this morning for a zero day before heading to Birmingham tomorrow. When we stopped at the store so I could get groceries, the woman who had talked to me from her porch yesterday happened to be there, so it was fun to tell her that I had indeed finished the trail. We also stopped in Sylacauga for me to pick up my belated Pinhoti Trail hang tag and to pick up two hikers who were starting the trail today.

Back at the POC, I also received my ‘Bama to Baxter hang tag, bringing the total up to three colorful tags hanging from my pack (AT 2024 – yellow, Pinhoti – orange, and ‘Bama to Baxter – green). Once I get the PCT tag in Campo my collection with be complete.

I had a lovely lazy day showering, eating, doing laundry, and chatting with fellow hikers. The highlight was that, when I was the first to go to bed, another hiker’s dog decided that I had the right idea and asked very politely to join me.