section 8 / snailtrail
northbound.

​​I-20 / heflin.

hike info.

TRAILHEADS
S ~ 0.0 ~ US 431 TRAILHEAD
N ~ 9.5 ~ SOUTH FS 500 TRAILHEAD
GUTHOOK
S ~ 102.1 ~ US 431 TRAILHEAD
N ~ 111.4 ~ SOUTH FS 500 TRAILHEAD
ELEVATION ~ L 885’ ~ H 1200’
WOODS TRAIL ~ 0.0 ~ 9.5
ROAD WALK ~ 0.0
LANDMARK ~ GAS~OIL PIPELINE CORRIDOR
LOCAL TOWN ~ HEFLIN

hike services.
CS ~ CONVEINENCE STORE ~ 0.0, 9.3
TT ~ TRAIL TOWN ~ 9.3
PO ~ 9.3
SC ~ SMALL CAMP ~ 2.3, 3.8, 7.7
LC ~ LARGE CAMP ~ 5.4, 5.6, 9.5
TS ~ TRAIL SHELTER ~ PROPOSED ~ 5.4
SW ~ SEASONAL WATER ~ 0.0, 0.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.7, 3.2, 3.8, 4.2,

7.0, 8.3
RW ~ RELIABLE WATER ~ 0.0, 5.3, 5.6. 9.4, 9.5

driving directions.
USE ODOMETER OR TRIP METER
(NO REALLY!)
NORTHERN TERMINUS / FINISH HIKE
PARK FINISH HIKE VEHICLE FIRST
9.5 ~ SOUTH FS 500 TRAILHEAD
Exit I-20 at US 431, east of Oxford, AL.
Go north on US 431 for 0.3 miles to the stop sign at US 78. Turn
right.
Go 5.3 miles to a paved road on the left, just before the overhead
bridge at the top of the ridge. Turn left.
Go 0.1 miles to the stop sign at AL 281. Go straight across onto the
dirt road, FS 500.
Go 0.1 miles to the South FS 500 Trailhead parking area, on the
right.

SOUTHERN TERMINUS / START HIKE
PARK START HIKE VEHICLE
0.0 ~ US 431 TRAILHEAD
From the South FS 500 Trailhead parking area, go left 0.1 miles
back out to AL 281. Turn left.
Go 6.7 miles to the first paved road on the left past the US 431
bridge. Turn Left.
Go 0.4 miles to the stop sign at US 431. Turn left.
Go 0.6 miles to FS 585 ~ This is just past a green house on the left.
Turn left.
Go 0.1 miles to the Trailhead Parking Area, on the left.

trail town.
HEFLIN
9.3 ~ US 78 BRIDGE
When the trail comes out on AL 281, turn left and go across the
US 78 bridge.
TT ~ Turn left on the paved road that is 50 yards past the bridge
and loop around to the stop sign at US 78. Go left at the stop sign
for 2.8 miles to Heflin.
CS ~ Go right at the stop sign for 1.3 and 1.5 miles to small stores.
The 1.5 store, at the intersection of US 78 and AL 9 N., has a short
order kitchen.

trail guide.
SOUTHERN TERMINUS ~ START HIKE
0.0 ~ US 431 TRAILHEAD ~ CS, SW, RW ~ 885'
The north trail begins from the parking area by going downhill on
the gravel road for 0.1 miles to US 431. Cross over the highway
and go about 30 yards to the right. The trail enters the woods on
the left.
ROADKILL WARNING ~ You'll probably want to scurry right on
across this busy highway!!
CS, RW ~ Go right on US 431 for 0.6 miles to the Cheaha Country Store.

3412 HWY 431, Heflin, AL 36264 - or call at 256-253-2895
You can go left 2.8 miles to I-20, but there are no businesses there.
SW ~ After you cross over the highway and start up the trail,
there is a spring on the right.
RW ~ Before you cross over US 431, there is a difficult creek
access on the right.
NEXT RW ~ 5.3 miles
0.2 ~ SPRING ~ BOG CROSSING ~ SW
0.8 ~ BEAVER POND
There is an old beaver dam here but I have never seen the Beaver.
Dr. Lee, author of the Hiking Alabama website, saw him a few
times though. (Mr/Ms Beaver went on a thru hike and never came
back :0)
1.8 ~ FS 518 CROSSING ~ 1080'
The trail goes diagonally across the road to the right. You will
start hearing the hum of I ~ 20 traffic around here and it will
continue for the next 4 miles or so, camp at your own risk. 8~{
NEXT RW ~ 3.8 miles
2.0 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING
2.3 ~ CAMPSITE ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SC, SW
2.4 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW
2.7 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW
2.9 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING
3.2 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW
3.8 ~ CAMPSITE ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SC, SW
4.2 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW
4.3 ~ I - 20 CROSSING ~ (no services) ~ 1074'
When the trail comes out on AL 281, turn left and go across the
bridge. Then turn right on the gravel road that is 100 yards past
the bridge. Go 10 yards to where the trail goes back in the woods
on the left. There are no entrance / exit ramps or businesses here.
4.5 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING
4.6 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING
4.9 ~ COLONIAL PIPELINE ~ 1010'
Follow the lower side of the hump straight across the clearing.
There is a blue blaze at the tree line. There is also a false trail that
goes across the top of the hump.
HISTORY ~ This pipeline runs between Texas and the lower New
England states.
5.3 ~ CREEK CROSSING ~ RW
NEXT RW ~ 0.3 miles
5.4 ~ GREENSTONE SHELTER
PROPOSED AHTS SHELTER
5.6 ~ RIO GRANDE CROSSING ~ LC, RW
LC, RW ~ You will find some flat spots near the creek.
NEXT RW ~ 11.6 miles
5.7 ~ PLANTATION PIPELINE ~ 990'
The trail goes straight across the clearing.
WILDFLOWER ~ Beggar Lice ~ Purple ~ September
HISTORY ~ This pipeline runs between Louisiana and Virginia.
It ran through my backyard in N. E. Atlanta, where I grew up.
5.8 ~ EL LOCO SPLIT
When the trail comes to the old road bed, you will see blue paint
everywhere and 2 parallel roads going straight ahead with an
island of trees in the middle. Follow the road on the right side of
the island. Go 100 yards to the end of the island and turn left back
into the woods. This left turn is not marked (spring 2003).
WILDFLOWER ~ Blazing Star ~ Purple ~ September
6.3 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING
6.6 ~ AL 281 CROSSING ~ 990'
The trail goes straight across AL 281.
6.8 ~ HIDEOUT GORGE
7.0 ~ INDIAN CAVE ~ SW
There is a shallow cave (home?) down near the spring. Look for a
small grinding bowl made into the rock just outside the door, to

the right.

FLOWERING SHRUB ~ Mountain Laurel ~ White / May
7.6 ~ SOUTHERN NATURAL GAS PIPELINE ~ SISTER RIDGE
VIEW
The trail goes straight across the clearing.
HISTORY ~ This pipeline runs all through the southeast.
SISTER RIDGE ~ There is a good view on the left of our Sister
Ridge, the Choccolocco Mountains, as she follows the backside of
Ft. McClellan. This ridge runs west of the Pinhoti for 61.1 miles.
She starts in Coldwater and passes through Anniston, Ft.
McClellan, Jacksonville and ends in Piedmont. You will have
views of her off and on all the way up to Dugger Mountain. The
Pinhoti and our Sister Ridge are home to 26 of the 100 highest
named summits in Alabama.
WILDFLOWER ~ Blackberry ~ White ~ May

CHOCCOLOCCO (Cha-Ka-La-Ka) MOUNTAINS (Mountuns)
SHORT LIST OF PEAKS
NORTHERN TERMINUS

PIEDMONT

Last Lonely Peak ~ 1160'
JACKSONVILLE
Hurricane Mountain ~ 1876'
Chimney Peak ~ 1720’
Ben White Point ~ 1592'
White’s Gap ~ 1256'
Foster Mountain ~ 1420’
FT. McCLELLAN
Big Oak Mountain ~ 2050'
Mokeley Hill ~ 1840'
Moorman Hill ~ 2030'
Bain’s Gap ~ 1420' 
Marchets Hill ~ 2104'
Morton Hill ~ 2063'
Stanley Hill ~ 1900'
King Hill ~ 1945'
ANNISTON
Blue Mountain ~ 1516'
Twin Mountains ~ 1170' & 1225'
Mount Royal ~ 1519'
OXFORD ~ COLDWATER
Oak Mountain ~ 1705'
Coldwater Peak ~ 1709’
Coldwater Spring ~ 584'
SOUTHERN TERMINUS
7.7 ~ CAMPSITE ~ SC
99.9 % of all the campsites that are listed in this trail guide are the
ones with existing fire rings. The number of existing fire rings
(66 in 2003) averages out to like one every two miles….
8.0 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING
8.2 ~ ROAD BED
The trail goes to the right 45 yards on the road and then goes back
in the woods on the left.
8.3 ~ SPRING CROSSING ~ SW
8.4 ~ ROAD BED CROSSING
8.9 ~ BEACON ~ TRANSPONDER POWER LINE CROSSING
~ 1200'
9.1 ~ POWER LINE CROSSING ~ 1100'
9.3 ~ US 78 BRIDGE ~ HEFLIN ~ CS, TT, HS ~ 965'
When the trail comes out on AL 281, turn left and go across the
US 78 bridge.
CS ~ Go right at the stop sign for 1.3 and 1.5 miles to small stores.
The 1.5 store, at the intersection of US 78 and AL 9 N., has a short
order kitchen.
WILDFLOWER ~ Black-eyed Susan ~ Yellow ~ May
9.5 ~ SOUTH FS 500 TRAILHEAD / TRAIN MUSEUM

~ LC, SW, RW ~ 936'
~ After you cross the bridge, go straight for 50 yards and turn right
on the gravel road (FS 500). Then go 0.1 miles to the trailhead
parking area, which is on the right, just past the RR tracks.

~ After you cross the bridge, continue straight past FS 500 and
Smokey (wave!!) and circle around to the Shoal Creek Ranger

Station parking area.

RW ~ Hikers are welcome to use the facilities during business

hours. There is also a water spigot on the right front of the

building and 2 on the back of the building that you may use.
NORTHERN TERMINUS / FINISH HIKE

^ climb up.