About the Pine Mountain Trail Association
The Pine Mountain Trail Association, Inc. (PMTA) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization ((IRS 509(a)(2) status). Donations made to the PMTA are fully tax deductible under Section 170.). The association was founded in 1975 by Mr. D. Neal Wickham of Columbus, Georgia. The purpose of this organization is to enhance, preserve and promote the Pine Mountain Trail and the connecting loop trails within FDR State Park . It is an organization with an active Board of Directors and a growing membership of over 500.
All of the operating and administrative expenses for the PMTA are obtained from membership dues and contributions. There is no paid staff. All the trail work is done by volunteers.
Goals of the Pine Mountain Trail Association
PMTA Accomplishments
How have we done?
Since 1975, 43 miles of trail have been designed and built for maximum enjoyment with many varied points of interest and the PMTA has maintained fully all the trail miles throughout the years. The main Pine Mountain Trail is 23 miles long, and the 7 connecting loop trails add an additional 20+ miles.
In 1995 the PMTA was recognized by the Department of Natural Resources with an award for the Best Volunteer of the Year for the State of Georgia Outdoor Selection.
All of the operating and administrative expenses for the PMTA are obtained from membership dues and contributions. There is no paid staff. All the trail work is done by volunteers.
Goals of the Pine Mountain Trail Association
- Maintaining and expanding the existing 43 miles of trail.
- Promoting the outdoors and hiking.
- Preserving the environment and wilderness.
- Maintaining an informative website and Facebook page
- Providing to FDR State Park and the public an accurate topo style trail map and Kids map
PMTA Accomplishments
- Fully maintaining all the trail miles through the tireless volunteers efforts of its members. Including trail-blazes, walkways and bridges as needed.
- Created 43 miles of trail which are designed for maximum enjoyment with many varied points of interest and a few steep grades.
- 1995 and 2014 recipient of the Department of Natural Resources Best Volunteer of the Year award.
- Featured in Southern Living, Backpacker, Sports Illustrated Women magazines and numerous newspapers.
- Lauded in many hiking guidebooks as one of the finest hiking trails in the Southeast.
- Provided and placed all the wooden direction/information signs at the trailheads and intersections. Three of the four trailhead information bulletin boards have been built by the PMTA and all maintained by the PMTA.
- Sought out and gained approval for FDR State Park to have five parking areas along GA 190 and one two on Dowdell Knob Road paved, which benefit the thousands of hikers each year who visit the trail.
- Built and maintains 16 backcountry campsites along the trails that sales of permits for benefit FDR State Park.
How have we done?
Since 1975, 43 miles of trail have been designed and built for maximum enjoyment with many varied points of interest and the PMTA has maintained fully all the trail miles throughout the years. The main Pine Mountain Trail is 23 miles long, and the 7 connecting loop trails add an additional 20+ miles.
In 1995 the PMTA was recognized by the Department of Natural Resources with an award for the Best Volunteer of the Year for the State of Georgia Outdoor Selection.
- PMTA volunteers have provided all the work not only to maintain the trails and build new connectors for loops, but also the 16 backcountry campsites which are used annually by over 3,000 registered backpackers. This amounts to nearly 2,000 man-hours of volunteer time per year.
- The PMTA has provided and placed all the wooden direction and information signs at the trailheads and intersections. The trailhead information bulletin boards have been built by and are maintained by the PMTA.
- The PMTA has also been able to work with the Georgia DOT to build and pave for FDR State Park five parking areas along GA 190. These parking areas are used by thousands of hikers each year. Each named parking area is featured on our current PMT map. In 2008, the PMTA worked with the Georgia DOT to provide road signs at each parking area.
- The PMTA has maintained an informational website that has helped those interested in FDR State Park and the PMT to see about the trails and obtain contact information if they have further questions by email or phone. Through this website, we receive questions daily about our trail. Individuals and groups have sought out information and come to the PMT for all over the U.S. Hikers on portions of the trails are now estimated at over 60,000 per year.
- The PMTA has worked with at least two Eagle Scout candidates a year who have done projects that enhance the PMT and FDR State Park. The scouts raise money for their projects and many have given their excess funds to the PMTA for projects or provided additional tools for trail maintenance.
- In 2011 The PMTA organized groups of volunteers from late April through October to reopen and clean up over 24,500' (8 places along the trails) of tornado damaged trails the tornado wiped out. Over 155 different volunteers worked some 13 Saturdays. This work to clean up after the tornado took money to purchase chainsaws and other equipment maintaining along with water and drinks for the volunteers.