Foothills Trail (Yellow Blazes, 8 Miles)
The Yellow trail also is easy to access from the North Trailhead, but is closer from the picnic area parking lot near the park office. Since I hiked it from the picnic area to the north trailhead, that is the way I'll cover it here. The first section of trail (about 3.5 miles) goes from the picnic area to the intersection with the red trail. It parallels, and crosses a few times, the north east section of the
orange horse trail. The trail looks easy from the map because it doesn't go up the mountain, but don't let that fool you. There is probably over a thousand feet of elevation gained over these 8 miles, when they say foothills they mean that it goes up and down all of them. That said, this is still a beautiful section of trail, I find the rolling hills more charming and intimate, if less spectacular than the best sections of the blue or white trails. There is lots of water along this section of trail, some of which appears to be reliable although I haven't hiked it in a drought. The trail starts from the picnic lot by climbing up a hill, and then down, and then up again crossing the orange trail, and then intersecting with the green trail on top of a flat pine covered ridge. Stop and smell the pines. From here the trail crosses the horse trail many times as it goes down, and then up across a road, beside the Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, and then down again. Here the trail crosses and parallels a large stream for a short distance, and then goes back uphill, and down again to meet up with the red trail. I really like this section of trail, it gets a three star rating, and is moderate to difficult due to the up and down nature of the trail.Almost at the end of the first section of the yellow trail you will see a yellow/white connector that branches off to the south east. This connector goes up the side of the mountain to meet the white trail for the better part of a mile. It is difficult and not particularly pretty, but it makes for some nice loop possibilities and is not as difficult as following the white trial up the end of the mountain.
The second section (about 4.5 miles) of the yellow trail is less impressive. It goes through some low lying over grown areas, crosses the bike trail again in half a mile, skirts a picnic area, then passes the damn creating Old Lake, and follows alongside the lake and near some boy scout cabins. From here the trail follows a stream for nearly a mile back to the intersection with the white trail and the yellow/red connector in a small ravine. This stream appears to have reliable water. The trail follows the stream up another foothill, and up and over some long leaf pine hills eventually going back to the North Trailhead. The map shows the trail continuing to the Country Store on the other side of the park road, but I've never seen this short section. This second section of trail gets a two star rating, there are some nice portions and some boring portions. It is easier than the first section of the yellow trail, I'd rate it as moderate in difficulty.
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Last Updated: April 2003
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