Where is the Alabama Trail?

[Mountain Dog]

I was hiking the Florida Trail where it enters Alabama west of the Connecuh Forest.  I saw an AHTS sign indicating there was an Alabama Trail there.  If fact, it was suppoosed to have yellow blazes.  However, I could not find any such trail.  I did see a couple of probable blazes about 1/2 mile apart down a dirt road.  I saw in the tail journal the Florida Trails Association maintains at the state line that someone stopped by while surveying for a "woods" trail from there to Connecuh Forest.  Two questions.
1.  Does anyone know if there is an Alabama trail starting at the Florida line and just where does it go?
2.  Does anyone know about any plans to connect the Florida Trail to the Connecuh Forest trail and if so, are there any milestones established?

[Cuffs]

Alabama Trail is a work in progress.

For the most current and best info, send a message to jedbear.  (he's really busy with the conference next week, so it may take a bit to get an answer from him)

[Bahen]

Alabama Trail is a work in progress.

For the most current and best info, send a message to jedbear.  (he's really busy with the conference next week, so it may take a bit to get an answer from him)

The trail connecting the Florida Trail to the Conecuh Trail is going to be called the Trail of the Panther when it is finished.  As of this fall, Erik was still in the process of flagging a possible route and submitting it to the Forest Service for "studying".  I think it is supposed to be around 18 miles.

[Lane]

Currently, you have to go with the "Alabama Road Walk."  See link below:

http://www.nimblewillnoma...ntinental_trail_guide.htm

Everyone above nailed down the plans.

[jaybird]

Here's a better link, as Internet Explorer will lock up on you at Nimblewill Nomad's page for some reason.

http://hikealabama.org/im...NW_GA_Trails_Handbook.pdf

[Mountain Dog]

Thanks Jay.  The problem is that I expected the trail, if it was on a road, to be as well marked as the trail south from Bull along the road.  When exiting the Florida trail, there is an AHTS sign and a small trail headed into the woods at the intersection of two roads.  The trail does not go far, at least not now.  But, it was a pretty clear trail two years ago and it followed yellow markers on the trees.  I followed them then.  They turned out to be survey markers, not trail markers.  The yellow trail blazes are not visible at the intersection.  But, if you walk far enough down the correct road you will see a blaze.  I walked about a mile and found three blazes way off the road on trees.   Jedbear sent me a PM about what AHTS is doing to connect Conecuh to the Florida Trail through the woods.  He and his group down here are to be applauded for their vision.  I'd not advise people to try the trail now unless they knew for sure which road to start walking and knew not to follow all yellow paint.   

[jaybird]

Yeah, I see your point.  I think originally the plan was to get the Alabama Trail up and running a lot faster at least up to Andalusia where the AHTS was once headquartered.  However, the first part of the guide I sent you (which they're hoping all thru-hikers will have with them) detail all of the road turns from the state line up to the beginning of the Conecuh Trail, and then everything on up to Flagg Mtn.  I know that initially everything was blazed at or shortly after the 1st annual meeting of the AHTS 8 years ago in 2003.  Between then and now, storms and peeling bark have probably taken their toll on all of the backroads and power poles.  Just a guess however, as I'm not actively involved with AHTS, so I can't speak for them.