Pondering the Pinhoti

Its name means “wild turkey,” and the Pinhoti Trail can live up to that description. The trail winds and dips for some 140 miles across northeast Alabama, and every year, hiking enthusiasts add more sections to each end.

Their dream: Link the Pinhoti to the Appalachian Trail that stretches all the way to Maine.

For six weeks, hikers of varying abilities shared their stories of the Pinhoti. Their trips through the late winter and early spring revealed Alabama’s natural treasures.

The Pinhoti offers a chance to explore Alabama history, its folkways and its future. Our self-taught experts share their insights on getting started on a hike — or the best way to hike with the whole family. A city-born novice gives a glimpse of a hiker’s brush with nature, while her hiking companion reflects on the rewards of the trail. A hiker who’d trekked through the Southwest and other rugged parts of the United States shows what you do if you lose your bearings and get lost on the mountain trails. A birding enthusiast takes a look at efforts to reclaim and restore the natural habitat of one of Alabama’s native birds. We hike the northernmost section of Alabama’s portion of the trail, through the clear-cut landscape to the Georgia border.

Hike with us. The journey awaits.