Preparation will greatly increase the enjoyment you get from your hike. Here are some suggestions based on my experience.

Consider every item very carefully, do you really need it? I suggest that you aim for a starting pack weight of under 25-30 lbs, I start with between 15-20 lbs.

Take extra socks, and a dry change of clothes (or at least T-shirt). Synthetic clothes are a must, I suggest coolmax for everything except pants which are nylon. Cotton is heavy, does not keep you warm when wet, and takes a long time to dry, don't use it on the trail. In the summer you might not even take rain gear if you have quick drying clothes. Hiking in Gore-Tex will get just as wet as being in the rain (you sweat) and much smellier. It does get chilly here in the winter, although rarely very cold. Light fleece and a windbreaker are usually sufficient for night, I wear the same clothes for hiking year round. I do take light weight rain gear in the winter. It is generally 5-10 degrees cooler on the trail than in the city, take that into account when you look at weather forecasts.

Hiking uses a lot of energy, be sure to take enough to eat. Hot food is great on cool evenings and mornings. I try to get 2500 to 3000 calories per day.

There are a few shelters along the Pinhoti, but not enough to do the hike sleeping in only shelters. Those that are available are all decent, two of them are very nice. The other trails in Alabama have no shelters. You are allowed to set up camp anywhere in the National Forests with a few restrictions that you can read at the trail head, but during hunting season you generally need to get a permit. Oak Mountain allows backcountry camping at designated places. There are generally plenty of potential camp sites, and in my guide I'll point out the really pretty ones. I always try to camp in beautiful places.

Be prepared not to see anyone else while you are on the trails, this is especially true of the Pinhoti. In many places you are within a few miles of a road, but not all. Forest roads are often gated or not used for weeks. I give an idea of the amount of use each trail reviewed gets.

Trailheads are listed in each section and for each trail. In general there are many access points to the trails, the Sipsey being the only place where you might be able to get more than 8-10 miles by trail from a road. Using the maps you should be able to find the trailheads fairly easily.

Water is an essential ingredient in your trek, you can go a long way without food but you won't get very far without water. Water is also the heaviest item you will have to carry, creating a good incentive for carrying only what you need (hiking in moderate weather 1 gallon a day per person is what I expect to use). I have pointed out the areas where water is in short supply and have indicated what I believe to be reliable water sources. However, almost all water sources on this trail are weather dependent. In droughts I've seen even large streams completely dry. During normal fall, winter, and spring seasons you should experience little difficulty. I always treat my water with iodine, and encourage you to use chemical treatment or a water purifier.

This depends much on the trail you are hiking, in general I prefer the woods after the leaves are mostly down and before the return in the spring, then you can see more from the mountains, and when in the canyons you can see the walls and streams. The Sipsey is definitely better in winter when the leaves are down and you can see the canyons. Oak Mountain has appeal all year around, fall might be the prettiest if there is any color, most of the overlooks at Oak Mountain will allow you to see out all year. Different sections of the Pinhoti have different things to offer. The first couple sections are fairly boring when the leaves are out hiding the view. Flowers are in bloom from March through November, section 6 is great for flowers. The Bartram Trail also has good potential for flowers. The Conecuh Trail is great all year long except deep summer. One thing to consider is heat. The summers can get very hot, I've been hiking when it was 100 deg, this is kind of crazy. If you do go when it is over 90, carry lots of water.