CAMPNPOST

Pine Mountain Rec Area Trail System - West Loop

Nearest Town: Cartersville, GA

Trailhead Location: I75-Exit 288, Komatsu entrance.

Directions: I-75 Exit 288, Go East and turn right at dead end at the Komatsu sign. Turn left into Pine Mountain Recreation area parking lot.

Trail Length: West Trailhead to Loop - 0.18 miles, West Loop - 1.57 miles, West Pass - 0.10 miles

Trail Management:City of Cartersville

Short Trail Description: Loop Trail leading to summit of  Pine Mountain.

I was able to break away from work at the end of the day yesterday to fit some more local North Georgia hiking with my father. I wanted to follow up on the second part of the hike at Pine Mountain Recreation Area and the West Loop.

The West loop begins near the entrance to Komatsu America Corp. who is responsible for this wilderness easement and making this hike possible. (Click on the picture to read the details of the donation in 2002.)

I continue to be impressed with the design of the trails in Cartersville and the quality of the maintenance. For me, this makes a huge difference in whether I would bother to hike a trail that is so close in to civilization!

The West loop lead trail from the trailhead (0.18) to the loop traverses by a small lake on Komatsu property before crossing a short footbridge and on to the loop intersection. From here you can head West or East. We chose to head West which ascends up the mountain with Hurricane Hollow to your left. You will find several switchbacks that wind close to rock outcroppings typical and indigenous to the mountains of North Georgia.

The winter months allow for exceptional views through the trees and out to the surrounding hillsides as you come to a few of the notable highlights of the trail such as Fatman Squeeze which are a series of larger rock outcroppings that seem to have joined in one small part of the hillside.

The trail then begins to plain out along a ridge line giving you some of the best views you will see at this point of the trail. Continuing on, you will come to an intersection with an old maintenance road which heads down the hill. You will want to turn left ( no marker but pretty obvious ) and follow the road for a short period before it returns to a single track trail heading up the hill right of the old road.

The top of the loop intersects at 1,419 ft with the West Pass ( 0.10 miles) and on to the Summit Trail ( 0.16 miles ) to the summit at 1,562 ft.

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