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Print Friendly MapThe Man O' War Railroad Recreation Trail carries both the name of the famous racehorse and that of the diesel passenger train that once traveled through Pine Mountain between Columbus and Atlanta.
The ten-foot-wide, paved trail conveniently begins in beautiful downtown Pine Mountain, where trail users can find parking, bike parking and refreshments. The trail then travels along the converted railroad right-of-way sandwiched between US 27/Main Street and Commerce Avenue. Heading south through town, the trail peels away from the road at about the mile mark and starts to become more shrouded with trees. The trail extends south past Callaway Garden and FDR State Park. Passing through Hamilton, the trail winds another 3.15-miles south towards Cataula before coming to a dead end at Mulberry Creek. Built in phases, the trail's latest section recently opened to the public in August 2023 and marked the completion of phase 6.
Its one-way distance of 13.5 miles and 500+ foot of elevation change makes this trail a favorite with the avid athlete looking to train and the casual cyclist alike. With its wide smooth surface, scenic views, and convenient routes through downtown Pine Mountain and Hamilton, the Man O' War Railroad Recreation Trail is also quite popular with both visitors and locals looking to explore the area, enjoy a walk with friends, spend some time in nature, or go for a run. For those living near the trail, it provides more options for commuting, going to school, and running errands.
Along the route, there are mile markers and five trailheads with parking (Chipley, Downtown Pine Mountain, Hood, Callaway Country Store, Hamilton Square, and South Hamilton). Each trailhead has an informational kiosk with an updated trail map showing trailheads, mile markers, elevations, restrooms, parking, and more. There are restrooms at the Pine Mountain Visitor Center and at the Harris County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center.
The completion of the final phase—eight miles from Mulberry Creek to the Columbus/Muscogee County line—is scheduled for 2026/2027.
There are five trailheads with parking (north to south: Chipley, Downtown Pine Mountain, Hood, Callaway Country Store, Hamilton Square, and South Hamilton).
See TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
Wonderful trail. Steady incline to Pine Mountain. Plenty of restroom spots. Gorgeous scenery. Highly recommend this well paved trail for all bikes and all levels. About 33 miles round trip. Shorten as needed. Seems like an extra 4.5 miles will be added in a few years. Not very shaded in some parts, but we road this in spring, so maybe the trees will cover more area. A few road crossings that are very well marked, and one larger intersection. Free parking in Pine Mountain.
Phase VI was opened to ride in August 2023. We rode from downtown Hamilton south to the end which now is just short of the Mulberry Creek Trestle. You can see the bridge decking from the turn around at the end of the current trail in Spetember 2023. Smooth ride but you are riding a slight upgrade going back the 3.1 miles to Hamilton.
NOTE... there are NO facilities south of Hamilton so bathroom accordingly before leaving... :-)
I get all trails change. But when I pay 50 bucks to ride a ten mile trail the signage should be updated. We ended up in closed sections. I am sure will get better but, update your signs!!!
This beautiful 10 mile trail cuts through the low ridges in west central Georgia from Hamilton to Pine Mountain. Calloway restaurant sits about the halfway point. Leaving from Hamilton you can ride to Pine Mountain or take 354 into FDR Park for a more challenging mountain course. Possibilities and workout levels are endless.
Rode from PIne Mountain to Hamilton. Excellent ride on brisk November day. So nice to have this new rails to trails.
We biked from Pine Mtn to the Country Store, 9 miles RT. Lovely!
We rode from Pine Mountain to the Country Store. There is a sign warning to go no further, but the trail appeared to continue. Is the sign obsolete? We ended up with a 9 mile ride which was fine. The trail was lovely.
Nice woodland views as you cross the Pine Mountain ridge. The grade is not very steep. Hope it eventually is expanded to south Harris county.
Yesterday I rode the Man-O-War Railroad Recreation Trail. It's now 10 miles long, as it runs from a little north of Pine Mountain to Hamilton. There is parking on both ends and in the middle, at the Callaway Gardens Country Store. While it is flat in Pine Mountain and Hamilton, it climbs up or rolls down Pine Mountain most of the time. There are benches and trash cans, on the north end, and paved spots for more, in the future. I will ride this trail again soon.
Newly upgraded trail that is now 4.5 miles long. Beautiful scenic trail that is NOT flat. It is essentially a V shaped terrain. It starts with a 1.5 mile gradual slope southward followed by a 3 mile uphill slope. Slightly challenging uphills grade
Just rode 5 miles! Lovely improvements made and a lot of opportunity!
10/16/2021 The trail runs through the town and behind Callaway Gardens, but abruptly stops at a fence before the old railroad crossing over the highway. It looks complete, but wondering why it's still blocked off. The other side at the country store I believe snakes down to the rail alignment, but it's blocked as well. It's good till that point. The county has a website stating the whole trail fr town to country store is open.
The MOW Trail is a great trail for the beginner cyclists with easy access linking Downtown Pine Mountain shops & restaurants to the beauty of FDR State Park & Callaway Gardens.
This trail is currently only about 3 miles (Aug 2020). It starts out in the town of Pine mountain, and ends up near Callaway Gardens. Pine Mountain has a few little shops, and some places to eat. The first mile or so is through town and is out in the open. The second and third mile are through a nice ‘tree tunnel’. We rode it in the afternoon and it was hot, but the tree covered section was much more comfortable. The asphalt ends but there is a dirt trail that continues for another mile or so. We did just the asphalt section and started and finished in Pine Mountain. Made a quick sixish mile out and back. Looking forward to the completion. As I understand it there plans to continue this for a 29 mile straight line rail to trail.
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