Polk County High Point Trip Report

Date: April 12, 2003
Author: Mike Beavers

To reach the Pinhoti Trailhead: From the AL/GA State line take Highway 411 west for 2.4 miles. Turn left onto County Road 29 and go 5.7 miles. Turn left onto County Road 45 and go 2.4 miles. Then turn left one more time onto County Road 8 and go 2.2 miles to the trailhead. The trailhead is not obvious and very easy to miss. There is not a parking area. The trailhead is on the north side of the road and is not marked. Follow the trail to the top of Flagpole Mountain, the highpoint of Cherokee County AL.

After you reach the top of Flagpole stay on the Pinhoti Trail until you reach a memorial stone dedicated to Dr. Tom McGhee from Huntsville. Turn to your right at the memorial stone and bushwhack to the high point of Polk County GA. This bushwhack is about a quarter mile. From the memorial stone the Pinhoti Trail turns to the northeast and goes to the state line where it ends.

This hike is around 10 miles round trip. The elevation gain from the trailhead to the top of Flagpole is about 1,160 feet.