Visit Cheaha State Park in Alabama!

Check out the brand new video Cheaha State Park courtesy of www.twoegg.tv!

Leaf Change turnining the Alabama Mountains Gold and Red

The staff at Cheaha Lodge at Cheaha State Park in Alabama reports that the drive up the mountain from Talladega is beginning to take on excellent color as the reds and golds start to move down the slopes of the state's highest point.

The park encompasses thousands of acres at Mt. Cheaha, the highest point in Alabama and a mountain rich in history and scenic beauty. Cheaha State Park, which features a very nice restaurant with possibly the best view of any dining establishment in the state, was established as a public works project during the Great Depression and preserves many original structures and trails first established by workers of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

The fall is a particularly beautiful time to visit the mountain, which offers beautiful scenic drives and overlooks where the stunning reds and golds of the leaves can be enjoyed. There is a fully accessible walkway leading to Bald Rock on one end of the mountain, where visitors of all abilities can take in the scenic view. The area also features waterfalls, hiking trails, cabins, a hotel, rock formations and adjoins the beautiful Talladega National Forest.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/cheaha1.

Summer Escapes #2 - Cheaha State Park, Alabama

Located high atop the tallest point in Alabama, Cheaha State Park is a jewel among Southern state parks.

Mt. Cheaha rises to 2,407 feet above sea level and can be seen for miles. The elevation keeps the summit much cooler than the land below. Creek Indians, impressed by the massive mountain, gave it a name that white settlers later interpreted as "cheaha." It means, roughly, "high place."

The park area was once part of the Creek Nation. Following the nearby Battle of Talladega in 1813, Red Stick Creek warriors retreated to safety in the mountains of the Cheaha area after they were defeated by Andrew Jackson and his Tennnesseans.

By the early 20th century, the forests around the mountain had been been largely cut over. The state and Federal governments, however, both saw potential in the thousands and thousands of acres of mountain land surrounding Mt. Cheaha. The state began work on Cheaha State Park in 1933 and President Franklin Roosevelt issued a proclamation establishing the Talladega National Forest in 1936. Both were Depression-era works projects and many structures built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers can still be seen at the park.

Today, Cheaha State Park is a major gateway to the beautiful scenery of the Talladega National Forest and also features a hotel, restaurant, cabins, chalets, campgrounds, picnic areas, overlooks and more. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/cheaha1.

Doug Ghee Accessible Trail at Cheaha State Park, Alabama

The historic mountains of the South are rich in beautiful scenery, but aren't always easy to explore for those with disabilities. Mt. Cheaha in Alabama, however, is different.

The park features the outstanding boardwalk seen here. Officially designated the Doug Ghee Accessible Trail, it gives visitors of all abilities the chance to explore some of the most beautiful terrain of Alabama's tallest mountain.

The accessible trail has no steps or steep inclines and leads from a paved parking area near Bald Rock Lodge out through the scene mountain forest to an overlook at Bald Rock, where visitors can enjoy one of the finest views in the state of Alabama.

The accessible trail follows roughly the same route as an early trail built by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers during the 1930s. When Cheaha State Park was established during the depths of the Great Depression, Bald Rock was selected as one of the original vistas where visitors could enjoy the spectacular views from the mountain. The accessible trail now gives all visitors the chance to enjoy the setting that attracted the original designers of the park.

You can learn more about Cheaha State Park and its numerous features by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/cheaha1.

Waterfalls of the Cheaha State Park Area - Alabama

The Talladega Mountains of Alabama are rich in scenic beauty, particularly in the area around Cheaha State Park.

These mountains are the highest in Alabama and offer a variety of historic sites, hiking opportunities, scenic vistas and other features rarely found so deep in the South.

Of particular interest to many visitors is the array of waterfalls found in the area immediately surrounding Mt. Cheaha. Three of these - Cheaha Falls (seen here), High Falls and Devil's Den - can be accessed via hiking trails and are relatively easy to reach.

To learn more about these falls, see additional photos and obtain directions to them from Cheaha State Park, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/cheaha2.

Cheaha State Park and Mt. Cheaha, Alabama

The photograph at right was taken from the highest point in Alabama, the top of Mt. Cheaha.

Now the site of Cheaha State Park, the mountain offers visitors a fascinating combination of scenic views, historic sites and natural wonders.

Most experts believe that Hernando de Soto's expedition marched within sight of the mountain, passing through the rich valleys below on its way down from the mountains to the bloody Battle of Mabila near the Gulf Coast. The 16th century soldiers raided Native American villages in the area for slaves and food.

In later times, the Mt. Cheaha area was part of the Creek Nation. The name, in fact, is thought to orginate from the Muskogee word "Chaha" which translates, roughly, to "high place." An important battle was fought at nearby Talladega during the Creek War of 1813-1814 and Andrew Jackson reported that Creek warriors fled into the mountains following the engagement.

Cheaha State Park itself was created in 1933 as a works project during the Great Depression. Numerous structures and trails built by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers can still be found in the park, along with a modern hotel, chalets, restaurant and more.

If you would like to learn more about this beautiful and historic state park, one of the true jewels of the Alabama State Park system, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/cheaha1.

Cheaha State Park, Alabama - New Pages Online!

We have launched our new pages for Alabama's phenomenal Cheaha State Park!

Located on Mt. Cheaha, the park preserves beautiful mountain scenery and is the location of the highest point in Alabama.

We'll talk a closer look at some key points of interest in and around the park over the coming days. Until then, you can learn more about this beautiful and historic park by visiting our new Cheaha State Park and Talladega National Forest pages at http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/.

Just follow the link and look for the Cheaha State Park heading.