US, GA or AL, Searching for a Site

[GrizzlyHackle]

FLRider,

I think the biggest problem with your request is the 2,000' elevation change. 4 hours from Gainesville will not even get you to Atlanta. You are going to have to get north of there to find anything that tall I think.

[GrizzlyHackle]

I was just thinking. Check out the Pine Mountain, GA area near Columbus, GA. FDR State Park. There are some great trails I that area and Calloway Gardens to boot.

[Steve D]

I was just thinking. Check out the Pine Mountain, GA area near Columbus, GA. FDR State Park. There are some great trails I that area and Calloway Gardens to boot.

Pine Mountain Trail is probably the trail Grizz is referring to. Its a bit over 21 miles in length but has numerous side trails that put the overall total in the mid 40s.

Google Pine Mountain Trail Alliance for info. IIRC there is a check-in process and its good to call in advance (all the info is on the website). There are also parking fees since most of the trail is actually within FDR State Park.

[angrysparrow]

Thanks for the suggestion, angrysparrow! I'll check that out and keep it in mind as a possible. I recall reading about it in a couple of the Eastern Continental Trail journals I've been keeping an eye on this year, but I haven't actually done much research on it.

I'm only aware of two ECT attempts this year, one being 'Lake'. Amusingly, I met him on the Pinhoti in March.

[Mongo18]

Yeah to reach those requirements you looken at 8-9 hour drive ad thats if you time ur andventure around Atlanta properly,

[BillyBob58]

I was just thinking. Check out the Pine Mountain, GA area near Columbus, GA. FDR State Park. There are some great trails I that area and Calloway Gardens to boot.

Yeah, as I was reading this thread I was thinking of that one. I have never hiked that area. But I was back home in Columbus once and had my altimiter with me. And, if memory serves I was at about 400 feet at my sister's house in Columbus, but was more like about 1400 ft up on Pine Mountain. I was very surprised at the altitude gain.

So you can get some elevation change there, but I don't know if this is much close to you than the Pinhoti.

Pine Mountain Trail is probably the trail Grizz is referring to. Its a bit over 21 miles in length but has numerous side trails that put the overall total in the mid 40s.

Google Pine Mountain Trail Alliance for info. IIRC there is a check-in process and its good to call in advance (all the info is on the website). There are also parking fees since most of the trail is actually within FDR State Park.

Is the Pine Mountain Trail the same as Pine Mountain near Calloway Gardens/Columbus?

Edit: I Googled and it is. But seems like once I was looking at a Pine Mountain Trail in GA and it turned out to be different than the one near Calloway gardens.

[Steve D]

Is the Pine Mountain Trail the same as Pine Mountain near Calloway Gardens/Columbus?

Edit: I Googled and it is. But seems like once I was looking at a Pine Mountain Trail in GA and it turned out to be different than the one near Calloway gardens.

Yeah, there's another short trail just north-northwest of Atlanta that's also called the Pine Mountain Trail...

[FLRider]

BTW, I realize that's a bit of a drive for a single overnighter loop. I just mentioned it in case you might want to consider it as a project to tackle in weekend sections as time allows. The trail is just about perfect for that sort of thing.

I'm only aware of two ECT attempts this year, one being 'Lake'. Amusingly, I met him on the Pinhoti in March.

'Preciate it.

And, yes, Lake is one of the two I've been keeping an eye on over on TrailJournals; the other is Sterling Coleman. Both seem like nice young fellows, and walking that trail is...impressive. Glad you got a chance to meet one of 'em.

A friend and I attempted a trip into the Cohutta Wilderness Area years ago. At the time you were supposed to be able to hike most of the Jack's River Trail and then hit a cross trail to return down another one to turn this into a loop something like this:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=285844

I'm not having much lucking finding more info but there seems to be several cross trails so you can turn this into an out-n-back or use various cross trails to make loops. Oops, I just noticed the drive time from Gainesville is a bit out of your radius.

If you want to stay away from the AT, BM, etc I think this may be your best bet in Georgia. Come prepared for water crossing though, there's something like 40 stream crossings in less that a mile on one of the legs.

Thanks for the suggestion, zukiguy. It's a bit further than I'd prefer to drive, but I'll keep it in mind. And lots of water crossings are not a bad thing in my estimation; that usually means lots of water available to drink! One of the reasons I like hiking in sandals.

http://www.ouachitamaps.com/Eagle%20Rock.html

I appreciate the suggestion, Inertia. However, that's about four times the distance I want to drive.

Thanks anyway!

Check out Cumberland Island. It has 50 miles of trail system. There's cool wildlife, ruins and deserted beaches. You need to reserve in advance and its buggy this time of year, but it's an amazing place. I plan to hit it in Jan.

Cumby has definitely been recommended to me, especially by a couple of folks I work with. It's definitely on my list of "places to see", but I'm looking for a more strenuous hike. I want to test myself against the elevation change more than the sand; I have sand I can walk in right here .

I appreciate the suggestion, though; if you'd like a fellow hanger along come January, feel free to PM me.

FLRider,

I think the biggest problem with your request is the 2,000' elevation change. 4 hours from Gainesville will not even get you to Atlanta. You are going to have to get north of there to find anything that tall I think.

Yeah, I figured. I'd be willing to settle for as little as 500', though. I figured that if anyone did know of somewhere in that drive, they'd probably be here.

I was just thinking. Check out the Pine Mountain, GA area near Columbus, GA. FDR State Park. There are some great trails I that area and Calloway Gardens to boot.

Good suggestion! It's looking like that's at about five hours, which is on the outside edge of what I'd be willing to drive. And, looking at the map, it gets up into the 1,200 ft. range. I'll check it out!

Pine Mountain Trail is probably the trail Grizz is referring to. Its a bit over 21 miles in length but has numerous side trails that put the overall total in the mid 40s.

Google Pine Mountain Trail Alliance for info. IIRC there is a check-in process and its good to call in advance (all the info is on the website). There are also parking fees since most of the trail is actually within FDR State Park.

It looks like that's the one. It's claiming 23 miles for the main trail, with 20 miles of side trails. The cost of getting a backcountry permit plus parking is a little disappointing, but I suppose I'll be paying for convenience. It looks good! I'll order the map and go from there on this one.

Yeah to reach those requirements you looken at 8-9 hour drive ad thats if you time ur andventure around Atlanta properly,

I figured, but I also thought it worth asking.

Yeah, as I was reading this thread I was thinking of that one. I have never hiked that area. But I was back home in Columbus once and had my altimiter with me. And, if memory serves I was at about 400 feet at my sister's house in Columbus, but was more like about 1400 ft up on Pine Mountain. I was very surprised at the altitude gain.

So you can get some elevation change there, but I don't know if this is much close to you than the Pinhoti.


Is the Pine Mountain Trail the same as Pine Mountain near Calloway Gardens/Columbus?

Edit: I Googled and it is. But seems like once I was looking at a Pine Mountain Trail in GA and it turned out to be different than the one near Calloway gardens.

The Pine Mountain Trail I was looking at was in Georgia, at FDR State Park; its highest point is supposedly 1,395 feet on top of Pine Mountain. Looking at Google Maps, there might not be more than a couple hundred feet of elevation change along the trail proper, though. I'll need to look at the topo they're selling in the PMT Association webstore to be sure.

It's closer than the Pinhoti, by about two hours.

Yeah, there's another short trail just north-northwest of Atlanta that's also called the Pine Mountain Trail...

The only first-page hit I get that isn't the one in Georgia is one in Kentucky. Is this the one that you're talking about?


Anyway, thank you to everyone for you kindness and resourcefulness in helping me with this! I definitely appreciate your efforts to help me find what I'm looking for! Keep 'em coming!

[Steve D]

The only first-page hit I get that isn't the one in Georgia is one in Kentucky. Is this the one that you're talking about?

Nope... The one I'm talking about is a short trail in the Pine Mountain Recreation Area just north of Atlanta. Doubt it would even show up on a search.

I think GH is right on the money - a 4 hour drive (unless you drive pretty fast) barely gets you out of the Coastal Plain and into the Piedmont and definitely no where near the Blue Ridge and Valley and Ridge. Not much elevation change down there. If you can expand your drive to 6 or 7 (or even 8) hours and your options for longer trails and greater elevation changes increase significantly.

[Doodad]

Farther than you want to drive maybe, but one for another day is Standing Indian Campground, west of Franklin, NC. Several loop options with elevation changes and creekside walking part of the way. ALso, a good loop in GA is the Coosa Backcountry Trail (Vogel State Park) which you can lengthen to connect with the AT and Duncan Ridge trails.