The Pines Trail
- 4.9 mi
- round trip
- 825 ft
- climb
- 437 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Oct–May
- best months
The Pines Trail is an easy hike of about 4.9 miles in Wehle Nature Preserve in Alabama, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail is an out-and-back route that reaches a high point of about 437 feet, with the steepest stretch at roughly 9% grade around the 4.3-mile mark. The total climb is about 224 feet one way. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Clayton put October highs around 78°F with lows near 55°F, and April highs around 76°F with lows near 52°F. Summer highs typically reach the low 90s. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not. The Connector Trail and Quail Ridge Loop both start about 0.6 miles away, and paddlers can reach South Fork Cowikee Creek about 5 miles off.
- Connector TrailHiking0.6 mi
- Quail Ridge LoopHiking0.6 mi
- Bottomland Cut-offHiking1.4 mi
- South Fork Cowikee CreekCanoeing5.1 mi
- Pea RiverCanoeing8.1 mi
- Middle Fork Cowikee CreekCanoeing9.9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Canyon Loop TrailHiking · ~57 min drivePhoto: StephenGA, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)
Backcountry TrailHiking · ~57 min drivePhoto: StephenGA, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)- Bartram National Recreational TrailHiking · ~51 min drive
- BartramHiking · ~52 min drive
- CanyonsHiking · ~57 min drivePhoto: StephenGA, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)
- Mountain Laurel TrailHiking · ~59 min drive
- BOLD DESTINY HORSE TRAILHiking · ~52 min drive
- Grove LoopHiking · Next door
- Lumpkin TrailHiking · ~1h 4m drive
- Pleasant Hill Mtn Bike TrailHiking · ~52 min drive
Also worth it near here
Best time to visit The Pines Trail
Best months: October–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.
Jan
58° / 37°
8 wet
Feb
63° / 40°
8 wet
Mar
70° / 46°
7 wet
Apr
76° / 52°
6 wet
May
84° / 61°
7 wet
Jun
89° / 69°
9 wet
Jul
91° / 71°
10 wet
Aug
90° / 71°
9 wet
Sep
86° / 66°
6 wet
Oct
78° / 55°
5 wet
Nov
68° / 45°
5 wet
Dec
60° / 40°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Clayton, AL, 12.4 mi away at 569 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
