SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Members of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Alabama Hiking Trail Society have miles to go before they sleep — about 120 of them to be exact.
The larger statewide society has proposed the blazing of a 550-mile wilderness …
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SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Members of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Alabama Hiking Trail Society have miles to go before they sleep — about 120 of them to be exact.
The larger statewide society has proposed the blazing of a 550-mile wilderness trail that stretches from Fort Morgan in Baldwin County to the Alabama-Tennessee state line.
Locally, that translates to an ambitious plan to blaze 120 miles of natural walking trails linking Fort Morgan to Little River State Forest in Atmore.
Joe Cuhaj, who penned “Hiking Alabama” and serves as president of the society’s local chapter, said the group already has permission to begin the arduous task of trailblazing a 60-mile tract along the Perdido River that sits on 18,000 acres of state land, and six miles of trails are already established at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.
All told, Cuhaj said “connecting the dots” for the southernmost leg of the statewide effort could take as long as six years, but the chapter’s 62 active members are hopeful an informational meeting Feb. 12 at 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center on the Causeway will help galvanize support and recruit impassioned volunteers.
“There are several misconceptions floating around out there about this project, and the public meeting should answer a lot of questions,” he said.
Not only would the completed trail create vibrant outdoor venues for residents eager to get a little exercise and reconnect with nature, but organizers are also confident the project will boost ecotourism, pumping dollars into coffers statewide.
For instance, the 60-mile Perdido tract, alone, represents a four-day backpacking opportunity, and the current closest alternative for a similar experience is two hours away in the Conecuh National Forest near Andalusia.
“There’s absolutely no question our area would benefit economically with an attraction like this,” he said.
Volunteers, however, will play a vital role in the society’s ability to accomplish its goal, Cuhaj said, because trails need to be mapped, cleared and maintained, but they also need people to help make the necessary inroads along the way to fill in gaps in unconnected areas.
“We’ve got one section stretching from Orange Beach to Lillian Swamp near Elberta, and we simply don’t know how to connect it. We can build a trail pretty quickly, but making those connections and gaining access to the property we need will be the hard part,” he said.
At the moment, however, ownership of only about one-quarter of the desired 120 miles remain unclear.
Hank Burch, manager of 5 Rivers, said the society’s efforts to put the “Alabama Trail” together are “completely consistent” with the environmental education center’s conservation and recreation mission.
“We are here to celebrate the biological and landscape diversity in Alabama and to encourage folks to get outside and explore that diversity. Imagine having such infrastructure in place statewide to connect our greatest natural wonders,” said Burch.
And while he doesn’t discount the grandiose nature of the plan, Burch did say the potential rewards far outweigh the work involved.
“I think the Alabama Trail will make an excellent warm-up for thru-hikers of the Appalachian Trail,” he said.
The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and could well tie into a completed Alabama Trail, as could the Eastern Continental Trail linking south Florida to Quebec, Canada.
Burch said he also believes any effort to enhance access to public lands is “critical to successful conservation.”
“If there aren’t many avenues for citizens to use our public lands, they may not have a strong sense of ownership or investment in such lands,” he said.
Above all, Cuhaj said it’s about “leaving a legacy everyone can be proud of.”
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