Cheaha Resort State Park

Cheaha Resort State Park has something for everyone ... from a quiet getaway to an outdoor adventure. At 2,407 feet above sea level, Cheaha is Alabama's highest point and has breath-taking views of the Talladega National Forest. The 2,799-acre park offers camping, hiking, swimming as well as a restaurant and lodge.

The park's facilities include a lodge with 31 guest rooms and 15 stone cabins and chalets. The cabins are recently renovated. Cabins and chalets have fireplaces, outdoor grills, linens and cooking utensils and house from two to eight people. A swimming pool is open during the summer for lodge guests.

For outdoor enthusiasts, Cheaha has 73 camp sites with water, electrical and sewage hookups. Primitive campsites are also available. A laundry, bathhouse and camp store are nearby.

In 2002, renovations began at Bald Rock Group Lodge. The old-fashioned stone lodge can accommodate 50 people and has a large kitchen and dining hall. The lodge is perfect for family reunions and business retreats.

Cheaha's restaurant is open year-round and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant's Cleburne room includes banquet facilities and meeting space for up to 50 people.

Cheaha Lake is open during the summer for swimming and fishing. The lake has a sandy beach, picnic area and paddle boats. Fishing and non-motorized boats are welcome.

The park's trails range from an easy stroll around a wildflower garden to the rougher Pulpit Rock Trail. The Doug Ghee Accessible Trail is a boardwalk that leads to the Bald Rock overlook and can be used by wheelchairs and other devices that might be limited on the park's more difficult trails. Cheaha Mt. Express is open for mountain bikers.

History buffs will be fascinated by Cheaha's stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Cheaha State Park officially opened in June 1939. The park hosts an annual reunion for CCC members and their families in June. CCC structures include a stone observation tower that provides a sweeping overlook of the park. The tower is located in the picnic and playground area.