Pinhoti Trail: Coleman Lake to Sweetwater Lake is a 8.8 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Fruithurst, Alabama that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
backpacking
birding
camping
fishing
hiking
nature trips
trail running
walking
forest
lake
views
wild flowers
wildlife
bugs
The trailhead starts (0.75mi) north of Coleman Lake and winds southward through managed pine and hardwood stands past Shoal Creek Missionary Baptist Church & Cemetery (1.6mi), County Road 67(2.1mi), Laurel Shelter (3.4mi) and ends at the Sweetwater Lake boat landing (4.8mi). This is a Wildlife Management Area so be aware of hunting seasons.
Great place for a short backpacking trips. We were able to carry one liter of water each without running low due to the stream that the trail follows.
We camped at Sweetwater Lake which has no showers, toilets or other fancy things and we loved it! We parked our cars right by the lake and set our tents right by the lake. We hiked the trail there and back which was pretty tough just because of the overall distance but there are no challenging areas though. My dog loved it!
Great hike. Lots to see along this trail. The church & cemetery were a fantastic surprise. Saw baby rabbit, many lizards, butterflies, one small snake, many birds. Ticks were really bad at Laurel Shelter. Don't get the lyme. Not all waterways were bridged but our feet managed to stay 90% dry. Use of prescribed fire for wildlife management in this area is frequent and makes for a diverse experience. This is a Wildlife Management Area so be aware of hunting seasons.