Alabama · Hiking

Skyway Loop Hiking Trail

12.0 mi
round trip
2,883 ft
climb
1,434 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Sep–May
best months

Is Skyway Loop Hiking Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in Alabama. It doesn't name Skyway Loop Hiking Trail, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in Alabama. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

The Skyway Loop Hiking Trail is a 12-mile out-and-back route on the Forest Service's Talladega Ranger District in Alabama's National Forests in Alabama. The trail rises from a low of 772 feet to a high of 1,434 feet, with a total elevation gain of 2,883 feet over the full trip. The climb is hardest around the 5.4-mile mark, where the grade reaches 17%. The trail is rated hard, and it is not open to horses or bikes. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show October highs around 76°F with lows near 49°F, and April is similar at about 74°F. That station sits roughly 400 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run a bit cooler. The Pinhoti Adams Gap Trailhead is the starting point, and the trail is open year-round. The trip takes about 5.5 hours. Nearby options include the Odum Scout Trail and the Chinnabee Silent Hiking Trail, both within 4 miles. Lake Chinnabee, about 4 miles away, offers camping, and paddlers can head to Talladega Creek, roughly 6 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Sep–May

    Best time to visit Skyway Loop Hiking Trail

    Best months: September–May. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      55° / 31°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      59° / 34°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      67° / 40°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      74° / 47°

      10 wet

    5. May

      81° / 55°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      87° / 63°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      90° / 67°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      89° / 66°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      84° / 60°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      76° / 49°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      66° / 38°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      57° / 33°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ashland 3 Ene, AL, 9.4 mi away at 1,022 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Cave Creek Trail - TalladegaPhoto: Martin Haeusler, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Sylaward Mtb Ridge LoopPhoto: Chris Hartman from Boston, Massachusetts, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Sylaward Mtb Cogs LoopPhoto: Chris Hartman from Boston, Massachusetts, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Sylaward Mtb Maintrunk

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