The Pinhoti Trail with Nathan "Switchback" Wright (BPR #317)

In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Nathan Wright, known on trail as Switchback. Nathan is an ambassador for the Pinhoti Trail and Alabama trails more broadly, wearing almost too many hats to count. He is the co-founder of the Pinhoti Outdoor Center - a hostel he runs with his wife, President of the Alabama Hiking Trail Society, Vice President of the Alabama Pinhoti Trail Association, Chairman of the Board of the Pinhoti Experience Foundation, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Alabama Trails Commission. 

In this conversation, we go deep on everything to do with the Pinhoti Trail and Nathan’s many roles in supporting it. We cover the best time of year to hike it, what to expect in terms of wildlife, resupply, water, and logistics, as well as the standout physical features of the trail. Nathan also shares why the trail’s surrounding community makes it so special, the can’t-miss town stops and restaurants, and why he believes it’s the best off-season thru-hike in the US.

We wrap the show with a FREE STUFF alert for 2025 PCT Thru-Hikers, how to get college credit for thru-hiking the AT, how our lives would be totally different if our first names were spelled differently, the triple crown of thru-hiker fads, a shortest day of the year of the week, and a listener shares some intel on Texas' most underrated trail.

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Betterment: Learn more at betterment.com/trek.

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Interview with Nathan Wright

• Pinhoti Experience Foundation Website
• Alabama Hiking Trail Society Website
• Pinhoti Outdoor Center Website
• Nathan's Instagram

Time stamps & Questions

00:05:20 - Reminders: Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter, apply to blog for the Trek or to run Trail Correspondents and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon!

00:13:20 - Introducing Nathan

00:14:30 - Tell us about your hiking experience

00:15:00 - What made you fall in love with hiking in Alabama?

00:17:40 - Did you get involved with the trail first or hike it first?

00:19:30 - Tell us about finding out you were having a baby

00:21:44 - Discussion about section hiking the AT

00:23:45 - Tell us