County set to get money from Georgia DNR

When officials from the Pinhoti Trail Association reached out in 2024, they had crossed fingers in hopes that Polk County would get help from the state to preserve a portion of the natural beauty of the Appalachian foothills for generations to come.

The money came through with an announcement on Tuesday from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources that Polk County is one of a handful splitting state dollars to conserve land, allowing for an increase in space for the Pinhoti Trail and amenities needed at the trailhead. The grant will give the county $1.6 million for conservation efforts for the trail’s 4.3 mile span through Polk County, connecting to trails in Alabama and further into North Georgia eventually meeting up with the Appalachian Trail.

Commissioners tabled a motion they had sought to reconsider their involvement in the effort after learning Tuesday they had received the funding from the Georgia DNR. Additional discussion is expected during the March session of the County Commission on whether they’ll accept the grant funds.

Issues were raised over future maintenance costs for the trail that would become the responsibility of the county since they are administering the grant, but part of a grant proposal made in 2024 includes funding for future costs of upkeep.

The proposal put forth in 2023 by the Conservation Fund seeks to increase the amount of land being held in conservation and utilized by the Pinhoti Trail, development of the trails and additional paths, alongside some money for long term maintenance and some new amenities for the trailhead on Cave Spring Road near the county line. They filed the grant in 2024 and provided staff help to Polk County to get the process rolling.

Officials recently celebrated the renaming of one of the extensions of the Pinhoti to Tillery Trail in honor of former Commissioner Scotty Tillery, who was a longtime supporter of the trail. He pushed for the trailhead build by the county to increase use of the Polk County portion of the trail and help attract new visitors to the area. Tillery died at the beginning of 2024 after a battle with cancer.

Among the areas the project hopes to address is building restroom facilities at the trailhead and providing improvements for access for a variety of uses, from horseback trail riders to hikers.

The Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program also provided grants to