Recommendation Needed! Looking for good trails between Atlanta GA and Birmingham AL

[WLMiller54]

Hey guys,
We are looking for a good hike somewhere between Atlanta, GA and Birmingham, AL.

This will be the start of "Outdoor Week" where a bunch of guys will be Hiking (TBD), Biking (Oak Mountain in Alabama), and Rafting. We would like to start off with a good 3 day hike, but don't know where to hike in Alabama. Can anyone recommend some good trail?

• Good trail between ATL and Birmingham, AL
• Between 20 - 30 miles total
• Loop tail if possible
• Looking for the best of Alabama

Thanks

[the2nddeal]

How about doing a section of the Pinhoti Trail?

[bloomgorge]

What about the trail network around cheeha mountain just south of Anniston?

[dmrichm]

Maybe a little south of where you want, but look up the Pine Mountain Trail at F.D. Roosevelt State Park in Georgia

http://www.pinemountaintrail.org

[Shnick]

+1 on the Pinhoti, Talladega Nat'l forest has hundreds of miles of quality dirt trails.

Shnick

[Bama Man]

As already mentioned Cheaha and Talladega both are good places. Google them for info. HH

[Cacheneer]

Oak Mountain has about 50 miles of trails, but non-campground camping is scarce.

[Dirty Wheels]

Definitely save Oak Mountain for the bike riding and do your hiking on the Pinhoti Trail (http://www.pinhotitrailalliance.org/). The trail runs almost 100 miles (in AL) from central AL to northeast GA and a bunch of it is in Talladega National Forest. Some of the better known sections are around Talladega and Anniston, which are both between B'ham and ATL. The Pinhoti runs through Cheaha State Park, which contains the highest point in AL. Cheaha has a number of other trails as well. I can't recommend a specific loop, but I bet if you focused on the Cheaha Mountain area you could make a loop out of the Pinhoti and some of the other area trails. If you want remote areas, look for sections of the trail that run through Cheaha and Dugger Mountain Wilderness areas.

This site is out of date but useful: http://www.alabamatrail.org/hikingAL/ . Also try www.hikealabama.org/, but it is down at the time of this post.

On the west side of Birmingham you have the Bankhead National Forest and Sipsey Wilderness Area that cover a lot of beautiful terrain. There's also Little River Canyon in northeast AL (http://www.nps.gov/liri/index.htm#). You can easily put together an overnight hike in Oak Mountain SP on trails that aren't open to bikes but you'll see much of the same area on your bike ride. I think between the Pinhoti, the Sipsey Wilderness, and the Little River Canyon area you'll find the best of AL.

[angrysparrow]

The trail runs almost 100 miles (in AL) from central AL to northeast GA

It's actually over 300, between both states.

I've thru-hiked the Pinhoti. If you have specific questions, just ask.

The only loop hikes you'll put together would be in the Cheaha area. But, I'd take two vehicles instead, and hike a Pinhoti section. Sections 6 and 7 might suit you. Link

I think some of the better trail is elsewhere, but won't have the views this time of year due to tree cover.

[Dirty Wheels]

It's actually over 300, between both states.

True. I meant 100 miles in AL, and that was just off the top of my head. There's definitely some good stuff in GA too.