Dugger Mountain Tract, Alabama Pinhoti National Recreation Trail

The forecast was for lows approaching single digits, but we were good for it so five of us set off to the land of yonder.  Besides, we were actually headed to better weather.  For me it would mean finishing most of the 140-some odd miles of the Alabama Pinhoti...well sort of.  This trip would put us 5 miles short of the AL/GA line, so I would have to come back for that.  And it turns out that the trail is now 170+ miles long.  They have added a few road walks and a woods trail leg down South since I first started section hiking this trail some years ago.  I don't plan to be walking any roads, but would like to tackle the 11 mile woods trail section.  So it looks like I will have an additional 2 trips to truly finish it off...2 trips for a total of 16 miles.  Might have to do some out-and-backs.

We got there late Friday night and set up in the dark, as usual.  It reached a low of 17 that night inside my tent...which means it was in the low teens outside.  That wouldn't be our coldest night.

It seemed odd that the buttercups were popping up, but it was a true testament to the South's finicky weather.  It was in the 20s getting started, but apparently a previous warm snap had brought them forth.

 The trail was well marked and easy to follow.

Pinhoti is the Creek Indian term for 'turkey home', and the trail is marked with a turkey trot.

I was really impressed with this section of the Pinhoti.  It was one of the most scenic, and it started to feel more like Appalachia.  A brief look to the East while climbing Dugger Mountain shows why.

 The Terrapin Creek Watershed was a great place for an afternoon rest.

This grassy dam was really inviting.

So I sat down to soak in the sun.  We had great weather - cold, but clear as a bell.

After a 9-degree slumber without the windchill the night before, this Davis Mountain shelter provided a nice place to build a fire for the rather balmy 20 degree night to come.

 And it was a room with a view!

After hiking back out to the trailhead on woods trail the next morning, we had a half mile hump on hardpack back to the truck.  And so ended another great hike.

 This country church took care of looking after our truck, which was thankfully found in one piece.

The drive back home was a little hairy, but we made it.