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Pinhoti Trail
History Waterfall Chart

Introduction
This page is intended to give a brief summary of the work performed each year, along with a line graph showing the work done and open status for each section. A shaded segment generally means that the trail was complete enough to walk; a segment is marked when it was 99% done regardless of when the ceremony was held. Road walks are considered not finished; completion is a woods trail. The segment widths are roughly proportional to their trail length if the page is displayed wide enough. Dwelling a cursor over a tag yields a general description. Only exceptional maintenance tasks are shown.

Coosa Trail 11½ miles
Coosa - Pinhoti Road Walk 11½ miles
1 Flagg Mt 6 miles
1 Weogufka Road Walk 4½ miles
1 Terrapin Hill 7 miles
1-2 Stewartville Road Walk 11 miles
3 Rebecca Mountain 12 miles
4 Horn Mt, Bull - Porter 18 miles
5 Talladega Mt, Porter- Adams, 15½ miles
6 Cheaha Wilderness 11½ miles
7 Blue - Hillabee, 281-24, 12 ½ miles
7-8 Horseblock Mt 24-I20, 9½ miles
8 Mothers Day I20-FR500S, 5¼ miles
9 Lower Shoal, 500S - Pine Glen , 13½ miles
10 Pine Glen - Coleman, 7 miles
10 Coleman - Pinky Burns, 9 miles
11 Dugger Wilderness 9 miles
12 Oakey Mountain FR500N-CR94, 8½ miles
12 Wilson - Augusta, 94-278, 8 miles
13 Davis Mountain, 278-Salem, 5 miles
C R F W T S R H T C B H M L P C D O A D I S H S C R S W H M N P S D C R C H B
13 Indian Mt, Salem-Georgia, 5 miles
14 Spring Creek, Alabama - Jackson, 3 miles
14 Hematite Jackson-100, 2 miles
14 Santa Claus, 100-Road Walk, 3 miles
14-15 Cave Springs 13½ miles
16-17 Rome 9 miles
18 Simms Rail Trail Rome - 100 4 miles
19 Simms Rail Trail 100 - Highpoint 8¼ miles
20 Highpoint - Mack White 9 miles
21 Mack White - Narrows 11¼ miles
22-23 Narrows - Pincher Pond 15 miles
24 Pilcher Pond - Snake Creek Gap, 6 miles
25 Snake Creek Gap 136 - Dug Gap, 16 miles
26 Dalton 12 miles
27 Chatsworth 12 miles
28 Ramhurst - Cohutta Overlook 18¼ miles
29 Cohutta Overlook - Holly Creek Gap 9½ miles
30 Holly Creek Gap - Buddy Cove Gap 11 miles
31 Buddy Cove Gap to Benton MacKaye Trail 3 miles
1971: Before the Pinhoti
F: The CCC built the Flagg Mountain Tower and Cabins in the 1930s.
H: The CCC built the Horn Mountain Tower and Shelter in the 1930s.
C: The Odum Scout Trail was built in 1961.
C: The CCC built Cheaha State Park and Oxford-Cheaha Road in the 1930s.
P: Pine Glen Campground, Sweetwater Lake, Coleman Lake Campgrounds were present.
D: Dugger Mountain: Pinky Burns, Logging Trails and Fire Tower.
A: August Ridge Mining.
D: Davis Mountain Mining
H: Hawkins Hollow Mining.
C: Cave Springs, Trail of Tears
S: Simms Mountain Rail Trail Historic Railroad
F: Sloppy Floyd Georgia State Park
  F H C C P D A D H C S S F
1972
The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) builds the Pinhoti Trail from Coleman Lake to Pine Glen in 1972, about 7 miles. 1973 YCC crews also work from Coleman Lake to Pine Glen, perhaps improving the existing pathway.
Source: Solo's history page.
Y
1976
The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) builds the Lower Shoal Shelter.
The YCC maintains trail near Cheaha Mountain.
Source: Solo's history page.
This implies the Pinhoti Trail was in place there then, perhaps through the 500 south railroad trailhead??
Trail near Cheaha: Pinhoti? Odum?
Y Y
1977 / 1978
A 21.5 mile Pinhoti section is complete near Shoal Creek / Coleman Lake.
An 11.3 mile section is completed in the (future / 1983) Cheaha Wilderness by the USFS.
Source: Solo's history page.
In 1977, the 28 miles of existing Pinhoti Trail were designated a National Recreation Trail. The rest is not the Pinhoti NRT...
U
1981
The 1981 USFS Talladega NF Pinhoti Topographic Map shows the Pinhoti complete between Clairmont Gap and Coleman Lake FR500-4.
The 1981 USFS Talladega NF Map also shows the Pinhoti complete between Clairmont Gap and Coleman Lake FR500-4
 
1985
Blue Mountain Shelter is built.
B
1986
The USFS buys 6000 acres of land for 3 million dollars between Dugger Mountain and Highpoint Trailhead US278 from the Nature Conservancy: Oakey Mountain, Wilson Ridge, Maxwell Gap and Augusta Mine Ridge.
Source: Solo's history page.
U U
1990
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Willis grant an easement for the Pinhoti across 5 miles of their property, which includes Davis and Indian Mountains.
Source: Solo's history page.
W W
1997
The 1997 USFS Talladega NF 5 part paper Pinhoti topo map set shows the Pinhoti complete from Porter Gap to US278 Highpoint Trailhead.
 
1998
In his book Ten Million Steps, Nimblewill Nomad documents his 1998 thru hike of the Eastern Continental Trail, including the full length of the Pinhoti in Georgia and Alabama.:
The Pinhoti was complete from Porter Gap to 278 Highpoint Trailhead.
On Davis Mountain he found only a half mile of tread.
There was trail ascending Indian Mountain and beyond to the Georgia Line.
In Georgia, there was a fine new Taylor Ridge Trailhead, and good new tread to Mack White Gap.
The Keown Falls Loop Trail was in good shape, with white blazing.
There was new tread Horn Mountain to Mill Creek Mountain 2⁄5
Pinhoti tread was built on Middle and Hurricane Mountains thru Dug Gap ½
Otherwise, the Georgia Pinhoti had yet to be built.
  K 2⁄5 ½
1999
9220 acres of Dugger Mountain are designated wilderness.
Source: Solo's history page.
W
2000
The Pinhoti is designated a Millennium Legacy Trail at a White House ceremony. There were only 50.
2002
The Alabama Trails Association builds the Pinhoti to the Georgia state line.
Source: Solo's history page.
A
2004
The Davis Mountain Shelter was built.
Source: Solo's history page.
D
2005
18 miles of trail is built from Porter Gap to a new southern terminus at Bull Gap.
The Hawkins Hollow Tent Platform was built.
Pinhoti Trail Construction begins east of the Alabama Georgia State Line.
Source: Solo's history page.

In 2005 & 6, I hiked all extant sections of the Alabama and Georgia Pinhoti Trail. In that time, I occasionally helped build the section east of the state line. Hematite and Santa Claus did not yet exist. Those sections in Georgia from Highpoint Trailhead to Dug Gap, and climbing east to Cohutta Overlook and on to the BMT had existed and were worn in (though the climb east from Ramhurst has been rerouted).
Dan Bedore's recollections, photos, and web journals.
B H G
2006
The Alabama Hiking Trail Society began building the (non - Pinhoti) side trails on Flagg Mountain, starting at the northwest kiosk / trailhead. The Coosa County Cooperators still controlled the top of Flagg, which was not usually open to the public.
Source: AHTS newsletter, March April 2006, John Calhoun paper files.

Choccolocco Creek, North Dugger, and Oakey Mountain Shelters built by the USFS and contractors.
Source: Solo's history page.
T S S
2007
Trail construction begins on Rebecca Mountain.
The Spring Creek Shelter is built by the Alabama Trails Association.
The Pinhoti Trail between the State Line and Jackson Chapel Road is open and nearly complete, with a little digging left.
The section between Highpoint 278 and Salem Church Road was logged: The trail was closed and eventually rebuilt.
Source: Solo's history page.
The 6 mile Skyway Loop Trail was so overgrown that it took me over 4 hours to walk it. John Calhoun & I cleared over many weekends.
Source: John Calhoun paper files and personal recollections. The
R L S
2008
Trail construction complete on Rebecca Mountain.
Bull Gap Parking built.
Porter's Gap parking lot built.
Mother's Day Tornado closes section.
Pinky Burns Trailhead built.
Source: Solo's history page.
R B P M P
2009
Conservation fund buys Evergreen inholdings atop Rebecca Mountain with NASCAR funding, sells to Talladega NF.
Arson of Pinky Burns Cabin.
Source: Solo's history page.
R P
2010
Brown USFS purchased signs placed from US431 to US278 Highpoint Trailhead.
Appalachian Trail Club of Alabama donated similar signs from Highpoint to Jackson Chapel Road.
Chief Ladiga Trail Campground opened.
Georgia Pinhoti Trail Association grades rail trail west of Georgia 100.
Roadwalk between Dalton and Ramhurst changed.
Source: Solo's history page.
Additional source for rail trail Georgia Pinhoti website.
C G R R
2011
In a second Arson 4 March, the Barn at Pinky Burns Trailhead is destroyed.
For the 2009 arson of the late 1800s cabin, 3 locals were sentenced to 36 months of probation and 300 hours of community service on the U.S. Forest Service's Shoal Creek District in Heflin, Alabama, and they were ordered to pay approximately $4,800.
Source: USFS Press Release 31 March 2011, via Solo's website

A grand opening was held for the Dry Creek Trail System 25 June 2011
Source: Georgia Pinhoti Trail Association Site: http://pinhoti.info/joomla/

The Coosa Trail was under construction.
John Calhoun Status reports.
C A D
2012
Pinhoti Trail atop Rebecca Mountain complete.
Source: Solo's history page.
R
2013
Hawkins Hollow Shelter built by the Alabama Trails Association with with an ADECCA Grant.
Source: Solo's history page.
H
2014
The 2014 USFS Talladega NF Pinhoti plastic topo map shows the Pinhoti complete between Trammel Trailhead FR603 and Highpoint Trailhead US278. Trammel is the southbound end of USFS owned property, but not the National Forest Boundary.
Coosa Trail Map r_2014_Coosa_Tract_Trail_Map_22x34.pdf is dated 2014
h_HancockVIIIHematiteMap.jpg shows the Pinhoti relocated north of Old Jackson Chapel Road and the lake in Hematite Branch.
R
2015
Flagg Mountain Picnic Shelter Terminus built. 5.3 miles of in woods Pinhoti Trail built at Flagg. Weogufka Creek Shelter built.
Source: Solo's history page.
F
2016
Terrapin Hills Section Built.
Source: Terrapin Hill and Camp Edwin Log Books.
 
2017
Van Phillips and Howard Gilham build crosstie steps on the north side of FS500 at Pine Glen
Source: Solo's history page.
S
2018
The Heflin Spur, from the FR500S Railroad Trailhead into Heflin, is built.
Source: John Calhoun's documents: Pinhoti NRT Heflin Spur.docx
H
2019
Spur Trail from Pinhoti into Cheaha State Park near Highway 281 blazed.
Source: Solo's history page.
S

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