Cheaha State Park

The last time I was here was 27 years ago, when my new wife and I spent our honeymoon here. We came back this year for a more somber occasion, but this time we got a chalet instead of a rustic cabin. The old hotel we stayed in our first night all those years ago is gone now, as is the old restaurant, but they're busy constructing a new hotel where the old one stood. The hike to Bald Rock has been made infinitely easier thanks to the boardwalk, but the old trail is still available for those who wanna do it the old fashioned way.

Beautiful place! We camped on the primitive area and it was very nice. Went to the Bald Rock, what a fantastic view!

Highest point in Alabama! Great state park with lots of trails! Many lead to some amazing viewpoints. They are currently going through some rebuild of the resort/restaurant so there are limited facility within the park. Looking forward for the resort/restaurant to be finished and we for sure will revisit!

The top point of Cheaha Mountain has beautiful view, specially during the sunset. This is also good for hiking, repelling, or just spending some great time sitting on the rocks and looking to the horizon where sky falls on the ground!

Really beautiful place. Stunning trails, plenty of camp sites, the coolest little dog park. I really enjoyed the informative plaques telling of the wild life and the history of the area. This mountain has so much to offer.

Seen the tower, store, Boardwalk trail, Pulpit Rock. Got a flat tire just below the tower so watch the road on the right where it's crumbling, tows aren't crazy about coming up that mountain! Boardwalk and Pulpit have very nice views, the old stone lodge is a neat building to look at too. There is a small fee to enter the park, think it was $3+4? Lol wasn't paying attention but it's posted inside the store.

Lovely state park. We camped in the lower primitive loop. Staff are nice, lake is cool.

The most breath taking views, awesome hiking trails and wheelchair accessible trails also. In my book that says it all!! Everyone was very nice. The little country store there had very reasonable prices which shocked me. Will be going back

It will take you a solid 30 minutes to drive from Oxford up to the highest point in Alabama, but it is well worth it. The walk to Bald Rock is extremely easy, but there are areas along the boardwalk where you can step down into the woods and rocks if you like. For us, the highlight of our visit to the area was a hike to Pulpit Rock. That hike is a bit more strenuous, but still very short. I have indicated with a red dot on the map photo where this hike begins. The views are phenomenal. We actually enjoyed this hike the most. Keep your children on a leash.

What an amazing, scenic place to visit! We took a day trip here and immedaitely felt in love with the location. It's home to the highest point in Alabama. There are several cabins, chalets, and even a hotel and restaurant. It was only $5 entry to get in per adult. The drive wasn't too bad from Birmingham. About 1 hour and 30ish minutes or so. Around 97 miles I believe is what we traveled. Everyone was very friendly who we met. The gal at the gate welcomed us and told us everything we needed to know to have a wonderful and safe trip. The little hiking trails were very scenic, and shockingly my allergies weren't triggered LOL. There is a tiny store or 'food mart' that offers things like bread, sandwiches, eggs, as well as some cool handy dandy gadgets and oddities. It was one of the most healing outdoor trips I've had in a while, and I can't wait to go back. The cabins and chalets aren't expensive and they give you several options. I can't wait to update my review with information about those. If you need a good little get away, this is probably the place for you. They also have a swimming pool opened during warm hours that appeared very clean, and also had an amazing few of thousands of feet below outside of the gate. It was so serene.

I remember visiting here every summer as a child. Being outdoors and in nature is so healing. It was great to be able to bring my husband and share my memories again. The drive is beautiful with outlook stops . Nature park has a center for whatever you need. The staff are friendly and helpful. Parking is good. A great place for family camping trip or just a day trip to picnic.

It's simply beautiful as far as the eye can see. The hike to pulpit is about a mile and an intermediate level. First 1/3 is pretty steep but totally doable. Completely worth it. We used hiking sticks for this one. Getting to Bald Rock is a breeze. Straight shot on a board walk or there's a trail with easy terrain to maneuver that runs parallel with the boardwalk. The campgrounds are nice and quiet. We stayed in #64 (nice pull through) w/a 35 ft. and were satisfied. Definitely want to return in the fall when the leaves have changed or fallen.

The park was clean and nice with acceptable bathrooms except no hot water. The sites are packed in tighter than average. It is a long winding road up to the park so probably not great for larger RVs. One of the park rangers was very rude to us when she needed to move her vehicle so we could get turned around in their parking lot. They had a nice camp store.

Cheaha Resort State Park boasts the highest point in Alabama. It is a 2,799-acre mountaintop retreat with a restaurant, hotel, vacation cottages/chalets, modern campground, picnic areas and pavilions, hiking and biking trails, children play areas and of course beautiful scenery. However, I did find it to be a tad expensive just to come for the view @ $5 per person + $2 children... which is considerably different from Georgia State Parks @ $4 per car. ~ THE SCENE The official height of the mountain is 2,407 feet, which is practically a pet cat compared to more mountainous states like Colorado, with multiple peaks above 14,000 feet! Or Alaska, with the king of all North American Mountains (Denali) standing @ 20,310 feet, but in all it's glory doesn't make the top 100 tallest peaks in the world. Still, considering Alabama sits at the edge of both the Gulf of New Mexico AND the Great Plains, it really is breathtaking to be standing so tall in comparison to all that surrounds it. For example, the tallest natural area of neighboring Mississippi is only 807 feet. Next to them in Louisiana, the highest elevation is only 535 feet in the entire state and Florida's highest point (Britton Hill) rises to only 345 feet!!! Here in Georgia however, we have multiple peaks of over 4,500 feet. ~ THE EXPERIENCE Cheaha State Park was named by native Muscogee Creek Indians whom called it "Chaha" which means "high place." Once you reach the parking area after paying your extortion fees at the gate, you will walk about a quarter of a mile on either the elevated deck walk or the ground trail beside it. The deck walk has several informative signs talking about wildlife, historic facts or flora as well as several benches to rest. Once you reach the end, on a clear day the view will carry your eye for miles on a canvas of surreal beauty. I've been told THIS OVERLOOK is thee best place in the state to see a Sunset. Google images of the park and see for yourself. It was our first stop in a series of natural scenic places we spend visiting on a lazy Sunday drive thru Alabama, so sunset was not an option for us. Families will be happy to know there are male/female restrooms at the trailhead/parking area. TIP - Yearly Family Pass up to 6: $155 ~ FINAL THOUGHTS I would have probably been more excited about Cheaha State Park in past times when the COVID-19 restrictions didn't closed the restaurant and social aspects of the park. It seemed a little pricey, even compared to other Alabama State Parks we visited the same day. Still, after being locked inside for weeks, the view, fresh air and feeling of freedom was greatly appreciated. ENJOY RESPONSIBLY! NOTE: I'm not preaching, but please please please continue to self regulate by practicing social distancing protocols until we have a green light to do otherwise. I'd truly hate to see these small freedoms taken away because the virus comes roaring back due to lack of responsible discipline when in public. 2020 / 26

Had a great time checking out Alabama's High Point (2400 ft) including a few rocky out crops called Bald Rock and Pulpit Rock which had nice scenic 2000 foot backdrops. This is just 90 miles outside Atlanta and was $5 per person. Children under 3 years free! It was a clear day and windy. There is so much to do here. Camp. Lodge. The overlook restaurant was closed due to Covid 19 but lots of people still came to visit. Will need to come back and visit for to tour some of the muscadine wineries.

If it weren't for quarantine, I wouldn't even know that this park existed. We were looking for a day trip with twin two year olds, an awesome view and definitely not too far away. I have seen the signs for the Talladega Scenic Byway many times on my way to Atlanta. But until we desperately needed to get out of the house, I never though I would actually visit. We started on the northern part of the byway to make sure we ended up at the "highest point in Alabama" at the end of it south of I-20. And I sure am glad we did. It usually costs $5 a person. But even after admitting that I had twin toddlers, they let us get by with $10 for the whole family. That may be what they normally do... but I'll walk away thinking I got a deal. The park itself was really cool. They had very nice looking cabins that we plan on checking out sometime in the future. But the winner was the view. The pool and restaurant (both closed for obvious reasons), had some of the most spectacular views. I want to come stay in the cabins just to experience that a short walk away. Great state park that you will definitely get an update when we stay there!

Love this park! Been going here for years! We found four waterfalls here recently we were so super excited about it. The hikes are not too bad to them all. I got some pics below. If you have not been you must visit soon!

Great park! It is the highest place in Alabama! There are lots of nice places to stay inside the park. They looked nice from the outside anyway, we did not stay over night but did a day trip and two hikes. One was to bald rock and the other to pulpit rock. Both were only about a half mile. Bald rock had a board walk and was very easy. It was a really beautiful but windy day. The views were awesome!!! Then we went to the highest point which was cool. Of course, since covid, all the muse sums and restaurant were closed. When everything opens back up we will check more out. The camping sites looked cool too!!!

This is the highest point in Alabama, according to several sources, which also offers rental cabins and a hotel. I haven't stayed in the cabins but the hotel rooms here are nice for what they are and there is a restaurant (see my review of "Vista Cliffside Restaurant") next to the hotel with fantastic views. They have a lot of hiking trails here and some really interesting sights to see with beautiful views looking down from up high to down low. Things close VERY early around here so you might be well served to bring plenty of your own provisions and any adult beverages you might desire to partake of later in the night. Overall this is certainly a nice spot to check out and stay for a night or more to explore the views and abundant natural beauty of the area.

This is a cool state park. We came in October and the weather was perfect. There were no mosquitoes and no chiggers (they warn of these but no problem). The primitive camp sites are at the highest point and have a lot of fun boulders for the kids to climb on. There is a very nice playground with safe rubber bedding. There are two nice covered pavilions with lighting and picnic tables that can be used if no one rents them. Also a dog park is close by. Campsite 120 is arguably the most desirable as it has plush grass, is a double sized lot and has a special sunrise overlook. The bathrooms are clean and have sink and running toilets. The primitive campsites have a nice TVA stack stone feel. Nicest in the state of AL for that at a primitive campground. The staff was extremely nice and country store was fully stocked. They had milk, firewood, beer, and other goodies. Maps were $2. Park ranger people were sowing off a turtle to the kids. You can walk to the pool and restaurant from the primitive campsite. Insider tip #1: since you are at the peak, the wind keeps same direction till about 9pm. Then from 9-11pm it gets more erratic. So the campfire more enjoyable earlier as far as smoke blowing at you. It is a little windy up there as it gets later in the night. That was our experience. Climb to top of the peak tower. It is electrically lit. Insider Tip #2: The only negative was after a beautiful day and night, there was a severe cloud that descended on the entire park because your so high up. The trees seemed to condense water and rain it down on the tent. It essentially rained all night this way but if you got out from the tent to the road you'll find it isn't raining at all. Bring your tarp, etc. put your hammocks in the car. Insider Tip #3: We think there are 9 bigfeet to spot on the kid Bigfoot spotting trail. The staff seemed unsure. We counted 9. This park, Monte Sano, Guntersville, and De Soto seemed the best so far in AL. We'll be back!

Second time I've been here, first time I rented a cabin the power went out and they said there was nothing they could do about it, understandable. That night a rat came in and ate all of our groceries. never gave us our money back or try to rectify the situation. Decided to try it again, specifically ask for a room with an east facing view to watch the sunrise and now I sit in a room looking at the parking lot. Do not come here, it is beautiful to visit but don't give them your money.

Went here to celebrate my birthday. Stayed from Wednesday to Saturday. It was perfect. A little chilly but it was perfect for hiking. There's a lot of things to do outdoor and so much to see.

This State Park is a gem! Enjoy lots of hiking trails and bike paths. The cabins are quaint and well-kept, the chalets have excellent views, and the hotel is steps away from the restaurant and pool. The campgrounds are open for RVs and tent-camping--book in advance in the spring and summer, but don't skip a weekend trip to Cheaha in the winter, when it's less crowded and just as beautiful! Climb the tower to get to the highest point in Alabama. Walk the accessible trail to Bald Rock, and consider getting married at Bald Rock Lodge, where your wedding party can stay and avoid needing a vehicle to get around the park (the interfaith chapel and Bald Rock Lodge are no more than 1/4 mile apart)!

We stayed in the lower campgrounds, easy walk to the lake where you can swim. Plenty of Pokémon and Geocaching all over the park. Several trails, different levels. I did like the main hike, Bald Rock, now has handicap access with a boardwalk! Restaurant carries several Alabama beers. Nice, Peaceful weekend stay!

Great place to relax with your family in nature! Beautiful views of nature! You can put a campsite, or an RV, you can also place in motels or rent chalet houses! Be sure to go hiking trails to see beautiful views from the top! There is a swimming pool at the main entrance. Unfortunately, the shower is located very far from the camping "P", and camping places are not always equipped with electricity and water The shower is located on the camping "S" which is just being built, of a very small capacity.

We stopped here for a night on our way from Florida to Tennessee and it was well worth it. The Cheaha State Park Hotel was older and worn, but it was very clean and our room faced the west which granted glorious views of the sunset. Hiking is fun and colorful during the time of year we were there (November) and everyone working at checkin/the front store was pleasant and helpful. Definitely a great place to get away from it all.

I had not been to Cheaha State Park in over 50 years having grown up in nearby Pell City. It was more than I remembered and exactly the same :). We drove into the park from Talladega and then stopped to have lunch at the Lodge. The views were to die for and the lunch buffet was delicious. My husband thought the fire in the fireplace was real! So you know they have done everything to make it authentic. Can't wait to go back and stay for a while and hike around the trails!

Cheaha State Park was a wonderful weekend of fun for my family. They have recently updated their campsites, added a playground and added an educational pavilion. We camped during January. Some sections of the park were closed to fix roads and to do additional updates. We camped in our RV in the upper campground. It is close to the popular shorter hikes, chalets, cabins, observation tower, and country store. We actually hiked to the observation tower and playground from our campsite with our 4 and 7 year old. It was 0.22 miles. . We drove down to the lower campground which was updated but closed at the time because of road closures. It is located closest to Cheaha Lake, the swim area, and another play area. In the summer, I could see this being a popular campground. The disadvantage of the lower campground is that you have to drive up the mountain to check into the campsite, get gate code, etc. We hiked Bald Rock which is a short boardwalk hike to a beautiful overlook. Our favorite was Pulpit Rock. It was a real hike with a beautiful vista at the end.

Captains Log - This, the 17th day of February, in the year of our Lord 2019: Today, the expedition braved frigid temperatures in the upper 40's, rain and clouds to conquer what some say is the highest peak in the territory of Alabama. Mount Cheaha is located within the Talladega National Forest. The expedition bravely stormed up the mountain by following trails that were cut by "Park Rangers," as they call themselves. The expedition saw no signs of wildlife aside from the roaming packs of families and friends whom braved the frigid night in their tents and RV's. These folks are a rugged type, often dining solely on foods gathered at the Walmart or the Kroger. I suspect some of them may have imbibed in that witches brew we call "beer" the night before as well. The expedition has safely returned to base camp Atlanta and will submit a full report to Congress after a much needed rest.

My wife and I take a trip every year near our anniversary. We had made great plans to stay at Cheaha State Park this year and enjoy 4 nights, which would give us 3 days of hiking, which we really wanted to do a lot of on our trip. It was our first time at the park. I wanted it to be special, so we rented a chalet. We were in chalet 15, to be specific. Enough back story, here's our review. We arrived shortly after dark and enters the park store to register. One employee was busy on the phone, seemingly work related. So no issue with her. They was another couple who walked in just ahead of us, so we waited behind them. There was one other employee engaged in a lengthy conversation about a recent surgery she had on her knee with another guest. The conversation centers around different types of physical therapy. It dragged on and on, with the employee being oblivious that four other people were waiting in line. The employee on the phone finished her call and assisted the couple ahead of us. They were clearly aggravated by the situation also. The injured employee continued her conversation about her surgery as if we didn't exist. Finally, the employee assisting the other couple got her attention and let her know that she needed to take care of us. The actual checking went smoothly and quickly. We arrived at our chalet and notice it is dark, with only a few low watt landscaping lights illuminating the walkway to the chalet. The walkway had steps that you had to look carefully to see. One of the lights was not working. Upon opening the door we are met with the odor of a very old cabin. Not a stench, but just the usual odor of a very old wood paneled facility. We enter to find we are in a bedroom. A quite small bedroom, just an awkward design. The kitchen is tiny, with an oven that has to be a minimum of 40 years old. I'm 57, and I can't remember my family ever having an oven as old as this one. We open the cabinets to find 4 glasses, all different shapes and sizes. Four white plates, and four saucers. We had called ahead and inquired about wine glasses and were told that they were stocked in the chalet. Well, there was 1 wine glass and it was filthy. They were kind enough to leave us a well used sponge that we could use to clean the glass. I'm this day and age of COVID-19, I expected better attention to safety than this. So, did the last guest clean the dishes? I was left to wonder. The kitchen was equipped with 2 pots and 1 frying pan. One kitchen drawer fell toward the floor every time you opened it. We always managed to catch it before it fell, but I'm sure it would have fallen to the floor without our cat-like reflexes. The kitchen cabinets need cleaning. The kitchen is a miniature kitchen at best. The refrigerator was nice and clean. NO dishwashing machine. SO, how are the dishes being cleaned between guests? Hmmmmm, I'm back to thinking each guest cleans their own for the next guest. Oh yeah, way to go State of Alabama. A light on the back porch was out. Called it in to the store and they were going to have someone come out. A couple of hours later and no one arrived. I called them back to learn that the maintenance team was aware of the issue and it required more than a light bulb. They would repair it tomorrow. This was the only light anywhere near the grill, which we planned to use the next night. I could go on and on about the pathetic chalet, nothing on the walls to speak of. A night stand in each bedroom with no drawers. Explain that one to me? The toilet barely worked when it was empty. Very, very slow. The worse I've seen. Called maintenance the next morning and a very nice man responded and plunged it, but it had little effect. Oh yeah, the chalets did not have their own plunger. There is more, but I'm sure you are tired of reading, so I'll spare you. Bottom line, the employees seemed clueless, they couldn't answer basic questions about routine stuff. Very poor communication amongst the staff. We decided to pack up and make the 4.5 hour drive home after one night. The staff did apologize and was empathetic once we told them we were leaving and did give us a partial refund. Bottom line, the park is not clean and doesn't seem to care to be clean or efficient. I would have loved to have hiked the trails, and am very disappointed that our plans were ruined. I would not recommend spending a night in the chalets.

The hiking trails are good, but the experience was overshadowed by the cabins and resort so I will review the resort. We came in Thursday night for a relaxing getaway with convenient hiking trails. The staff was easy to work with over the phone and checked us in without problem. We were staying in the "deluxe cabin" complete with jacuzzi tub, small but functional kitchen, and direct TV. The cabin was a little more expensive at $187 per night after fees, which seemed a little steep but I thought hey it's the deluxe cabin so it should be nice. Things took a turn once we got to the cabin when we could hardly see down the rock path with small and malfunctioning lights, opened the door and the cabin looked as if someone was still home. The bed looked like someone had just taken a nap, left a keycard, and we were scared we were about to walk in on someone. After cautiously figuring out that no one was there but had left their trash, dirty dishes, and dirty bathroom complete with urine on the toilet seat and dirty tub, we went back to the office to let them know what had happened, and they told us it was their mistake and whoever was supposed to clean it didn't do so, but would come in the morning to clean. The staff dropped off new sheets and towels without comforter or blanket and immediately left, leaving us with the mess and dirty sheets. We started making the bed only to realize it was the wrong size sheets so I went back to the office to get a correctly sized set of sheets. The staff were very apologetic and to make up for everything that had happened, gave us $6 off one meal at the park restaurant. They told us again they would send someone to clean in the morning as well as replace towels. The cabin was relatively comfortable, but the screen door to the porch has no latch which means when the wind blows at night it slams shut and can be very loud. Friday morning, I went by the office to make sure that someone was going to come by and clean and the staff assured me they were on it. We spent the morning hiking and seeing the sites, went to lunch, and stopped by the Cabin which was still unclean. We went to the office to ask if someone was coming to clean, and again, they assured us that there was someone coming to clean. We spent the rest of the day hiking the trails, and when we returned, of course no one ever came by to so much as replace towels or remove the old sheets that were still there. I asked the staff about it and was given a multitude of excuses. After a lot of discussions I was given a 12% discount on the room. I wasn't told how they got to that number or who to talk to about it. I was only ever able to talk with the cashier at the front office, and I'm not sure if there is managerial staff or not. The park has an office with small general store and gift shop, restaurant with a good view, multiple cabins, chalets for bigger groups, and hotel rooms. The restaurant is buffet style for $25-$30 meals for 2 people, but apparently you can order individual meals but I never saw a menu. The food wasn't bad, but is only worth the price because there is nothing else nearby. There is also the observation tower, bald rock overlook with a lodge for big groups, and pulpit rock overlook. The cell service is not very good, and there are no phones in the cabins so the only way to get in touch with staff is to drive to the office. To reiterate, we had a good time with the hiking, but it was really frustrating to spend the extra money on a deluxe cabin with so many problems. I understand a deep clean isn't done normally during a guest's stay, but it was very frustrating to be told numerous times that due to the unusual circumstance they would send someone to clean, and it never happens. After the experience I don't think it is worth the money you have to pay. Update: After working with the staff more, I was able to get better answers on what happened which helped me understand what went wrong and why it was not fixed. The people here will work with you to make sure things are right even if something goes wrong. They are good people, but I would recommend staying during a less busy time of year than fall.

Alabama has so many beautiful state parks. Need to take advantage of them more often. Cheaha is about 90 min from Hoover. Not a bad drive for a day of great hiking. I really want to camp here or stay in a cabin. This is the highest point in Alabama. The views are absolutely beautiful. Really enjoyed God's country today. There is a restaurant with a panaramic view of the mountains. We didn't stop but will definitely next trip. Recommend visiting if looking for a nice day trip. There are a couple waterfalls too.

We Stayed in Cabin 9. Clean, well kept. Two Queen Beds in open area, fireplace (bring wood or you can buy at the store) full fridge, microwave, oven/stove - with grill, utensils, dishes, just about everything you need provided. Small bathroom with tub/shower. Grill outside, table with 4 chairs also outside. Steep rock walk, so be careful. Wi-Fi, direct TV. Ceiling Fan, central heat and air. Parking for two vehicles at top of driveway. The area is just breathtaking and we hope to come back and review other cabins. The area is clean and well kept.

Part of me wants to give it 5+ stars and some aspects of our stay rate 1 star. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good: *The view and natural beauty of Cheaha is wonderful. *The trails are nice and the wheelchair friendly walking ramp near Bald Rock is top notch. *The steak I had from the restaurant was fantastic! It was cooked perfectly and tasted tender and like a quality cut of beef. *The folks at the country store, the entrance gate, and majority of the people at the restaurant were friendly, polite and helpful. *The toilet, sinks and shower stall in the cabin was clean. *Towels and soap, a few cups and utensil were provided and the mini fridge, coffee pot and microwave worked. The bad: *The cabin we stayed in was a little inconvenient to navigate. Several large potholes made the gravel side road to our cabin unpleasant. *The parking and turn around area for our cabin was very tight. *The cabin was rustic and charming on the outside, but the attention to decor on the inside was disappointing. No pictures on any walls. Nothing to add charm or ambience. Only a very cheap, old, dust laden small flower arrangement adorned the kitchen table and a few metal plates/pots atop the fireplace mantle. *The only place to sit in the cabin was in one of two rocking chairs in front of the fireplace or in one of two kitchen chairs. No soft chairs or sofa of any kind. The rockers were nice, but a soft, comfortable spot would've been nicer. The ugly: *The bathroom door had dust, lint and human hair clinging to it. Disgusting. *The exposed beam ceilings had cobwebs and dust dangling from them. The state of Alabama needs to buy the housekeeping staff a swiffer stick. *The floors were nice old hardwood but we're not only rustic, they were filthy. They were dingy and there was a gritty, grimy layer of dirt over the entire surface. It was obvious the floor was not routinely swept or mopped. *The fireplace grill had wads of coarse dog hair clinging to it around the base. *The sheets on the bed were not clean. They did not have stains or bugs, but the sheets had human hair and obvious signs of use. I am not a perfectionist, but if I pay $150 for the use of a cabin for 19 hours, I'd love it if I did not have to brush a stranger's pubic hair out of the bedsheets before crawling into bed for the night. *The young lady serving as the restaurant hostess the night we were there was rude and completely unprofessional. She grunted when greeting us, rolled her eyes and sighed when taking our drink orders and wanted us to "please hurry up and pay our bill so she could do her books." (We were the last guests of the night and finished our meal close to closing time. I know the last customers can frustrate servers who are tired and want to close up and go home, but we were not inconsiderate. We had not stayed there for hours or stayed well beyond closing. We were not rude guests. We were not high maintenance. We were there for 36 minutes from start to finish. We basically bussed our own table. We finished our meal and left at closing time. We left a 50% tip.) Our server that night was top notch. The hostess needs to work on people skills. Cheaha is a beautiful place. The majority of the employees were helpful and friendly. The cabin was disappointing. For the price we paid for one night I expected a little more effort on the part of the staff. I don't mind roughing it. I enjoy primitive camping and I have stayed in some dive motels before. The cabin, number 16, was disappointing. At $150 per night, I expected an attempt to at least sweep the grime off the floors and provide clean sheets. Perhaps the lack of attention to detail and cleanliness is because the state of Alabama does a poor job financing state parks because of bureaucratic politics and lack of funding. Regardless, what could have been a charming, romantic getaway was only a decent experience and somewhat substandard. We paid an average hotel room price but what we got was closer to a cheap motel room experience. I would definitely recommend Cheaha to hikers and campers, but I won't go back to their cabins. It is a shame that the potential for such a nice place is wasted when a little extra effort could make a real difference in quality of experience.

Great local area to spend time and have fun. Been here a few times, never disappointed. Great place to grill, get into water, and swing on the swings. You can take your pet. Parking is good, but if you go, try to get there early, as the good spots get taken quick.

Our family really enjoyed staying here. The campground was very nice and clean. The showers were a nice break from the cramped motorhome shower. It wasn't difficult to find, although it was quite a drive to get there. The hike to Bald Rock was .75 miles from our camp, not bad for the little ones. We had very poor service up there, so be warned if you use Verizon. Beautiful sunsets at bald rock! One thing I would recommend for the staff: put garbage cans at each camp or throughout the campground. You have to pack your garbage out to the gate where they put the dumpsters. Another tidbit, firewood is only available at the camp store, no delivery available. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay.

There are a few things at Mount Cheaha state park that you can't miss. The hike out to pulpit rock is amazing. Well worth the Half mile hike. The observation tower is not really worth seeing, But there's a really cool Bigfoot chainsaw sculpture near the observation tower. Our favorite hike of the weekend Was devils den waterfalls down at the lake Chinnabee recreation area. We stayed at the hotel at Mount Cheaha ate at the restaurant and had great service all weekend. We will be back again soon.

Cheaha is excellent state park. Biggest concern before going was condition of the chalets. The park has a TERRIBLE website concerning the chalets. You figure the interior must be bad when the only pictures are of a ceiling fan and towel rack. But...these chalets are very nice. Big floor-to-ceiling window in LR, fireplace, small but doable kitchen, 2 BRs with comfortable beds. All in all, very nice. And the park is great. Beautiful vistas, well maintained trails and boardwalk, and excellent staff. If you get a chance, go!

This review could most easily be written with only one word: WOW!!!! Let me put it this way; my "husband" (we've been living together for over a year, but he's really my fiance even though I refer to him as my husband) and I decided that this is the place where we're going to get married. I cannot stress enough how beautiful this place is. Mount Cheaha (pronounced Chee-uh-haw) is the highest natural point in the state of Alabama and is located at the bottom of the Appalachian Mountains chain. This is an amazing park that simply must be seen to believe. The views are stunning and the park amenities are just fabulous for the price. Want an inexpensive (outside of the gas to get there) romantic mountain getaway? Then you just must visit this park. The park has a restaurant with an amazing view, a motel with an amazing view and even a pool with - you guessed it - an amazing view. The cabins and chalets are built in gorgeous stone and you won't believe the low price for what you get. No. Really. They also allow pets in certain cabins/chalets. If you prefer to camp instead, then they have semi-primitive and primitive camp spots for those interested. Additionally there is a lodge that is great for larger groups and is also built in stone. My husband and I tried to figure out how buildings so beautiful could be so cheap! I Googled it and discovered that my theory was right. They were built in the 30's so basically they're debt free. I'll be honest here, they just don't make them like they used to... but I digress. At the top of Mt. Cheaha is Bunker Tower. This is where you can go up several flights of stairs to see the amazing view of the surrounding hills/mountains. Just outside of the tower - on the ground - are two stamp markers declaring that these are the highest natural points in Alabama, so you can literally stand on those very spots. Visit the official site to see all they offer. I promise you that if you are an outdoorsy person and like mountains and hills, then this is a spot that you'll love.

We rented cabin 8 for the weekend! It was in a great location at the head of the Rock Garden Trail and close to the store but still secluded enough to have plenty of privacy and a beautiful view. The cabin is quaint and has a nice fireplace inside and outside. They are very rustic. If you do Rock Garden Trail, hike all the way through from the top and do not try to come back up as it is very steep, but has spectacular views of the valley, lakes, and the Talladega National Forest. Our favorite hike was Pulpit Rock Trail. The hiking trails in the park are beautiful and fairly easy and there is a beautiful beach and playground on Cheaha Lake. Also, the park is right beside the TNF, so Lake Chinnabee and several amazing waterfall trails and nice hikes are right next door. The hike to Devil's Den is easy enough and worth it! Take bug spray. Bring water and snacks as there is one small convenience type store with only necessities and one small restaurant. The restaurant offers a buffet, but the cheeseburgers are the best thing we ate there...and they were really good! The restaurant has a great view over the valley at sunset.

It's hard to write a review of this place because there's the park, then there's the restaraunt, hotel, cabins, and chalets. I've never camped there or stayed there, however I've gone to the restaurant, the tower, and hiked some of the trails a couple of different times. The natural beauty of this place is off the charts. It's the highest point in Alabama and has absolutely incredible views. The trails I've been on are all just gorgeous ... trickling brooks leading to rock outcroppings with huge drop offs and views across Talladega National Forest. Absolutely worth a trip to see (I plan on going back many times while I'm living in this part of the country) I can't wait to go back here in the fall. Now the bad. The restaurant is possibly the saddest thing I've ever seen. The building is really nice - vaulted / open ceilings and floor to ceiling glass looking out at a million dollar view. The food and service, however, are *INSANELY* bad. The times I've been there (yes I went back .. because the view is so awesome) they served possibly some of the *worst buffet style slop from an old rolling hot cart that I've ever had. It's really bad... the second time I went I sat and drank an iced-t just so I could look at the view. Actually the second time we sat and watched a wedding setting up on the porch outside the restaurant and I had to wonder if that incredible view as a backdrop would be worth it if you had to use the rest of their facilities. The service matches the food in how bad it is. I think the problem is that this place is just so far away from anything that the staff know they can be as shitty as they want and it will make zero difference. I generally tip in the 20% range even if service someplace is just moderate. I left nothing both times I was at this place. I don't know if people here get trained to have an attitude that you're an annoyance rather than a customer but they seem to have it down. The CCC built tower that is marked at the highest point in Alabama is sad. It's a neat old building but it's pretty disgusting. Walking up the graffiti covered metal stairs you can't help wonder how many people have pissed on the walls or shot up heroin here. Yeah, it's that nice. The tower is next to the camping area. With a park road running down the middle and sites directly next to the road (and each other) on either side I'd have no desire to camp here. I think there are campsites down by the lake as well but they aren't on the top of the mountain. Not that the campsites seem to have much of a view. There are CCC built cabins as well as "chalets" that, from the outside, look pretty nice. Great views, privacy, tucked away, etc. ... but seeing how the rest of the park is run I'm a little leary about renting one. I probably *will rent one at some point but my expectations are pretty low. (as in I will rent for 1 night and be prepared to leave without actually staying the night) It's sad because the location is SO beautiful, the restaraunt has SUCH an awesome view, and the old CCC built stuff looks SO cool. They've taken something that should be just absolutely incredible and made it into something that is marginal at best. Overall I've got to say that this seems to be a common theme with the Alabama state parks I've been to.

In our rented RV, on the way from southern Georgia to Oklahoma City, we spent a night here in late June this year. The natural beauty of the place was astonishing, as was the elevation. I'm not great with heights (though I can ride in an airplane or hot air balloon), so driving around the loop (on top of the mountain, it only goes in one direction and that is UP) after checking in was nauseating. There are cabins and chalets (fancy cabins, as near as I could tell) and a hotel with a view from the mountain that goes on for miles (with a very cool infinity-type pool, too). We stayed in the lower campground because of my being-on-top-of-a-mountain problem. When I went to check in (we didn't have a reservation) I dealt with an extremely indifferent/rather rude young woman. She was not helpful at all, but the young man who took over for her so she could be pissy to another tourist was wonderfully kind. He was all ma'am this and ma'am that. Adorable. In fact, in all the state parks we stayed at (five parks, five states), she was the least pleasant by far. The campsite was fine (everything worked) but the bathroom was grooooooss. I used it once and then wouldn't go near it again. There was a lake not far and some nice walking trails through the woods.

Absolutely a wonderful place to camp! We camped here the weekend of Oct 8-10 in the large group camping spot with my sons Cub Scout pack and we had a great time. It's very inexpensive to camp here and all of the boys and families that went, had a great time! The walk to the bathroom was kinda crappy (no pun intended) but it was still a great place to stay. Great hiking trails and the lodge and front office(s) are not that far away.

Lovely place to visit! Incredible views from Bald Rock & Pulpit Rock. Small lake to cool off. Beautiful hikes for all ages. ***(Reason for 3 stars: Disappointed with the $5 per PERSON!?! Seriously, those with large families expect to take their kids to places like don't expect to pay a nearly $40 entry fee! Overall, pleased and look forward to the next visit.

This was our fist trip to this state park. We stayed in CCC cabins. The views from the cabin were phenomenal and we spent three days on the trails between the state park and Talledega national Forest. There are some great primitive campsites and RV spots also but this trip we use the cabin. The only negative about the entire experience so far has been the cleanliness of the cabins. We stayed in several state parks across the south the second dirtiest cabin we have been in. I would highly recommend this park and the trails are very kid friendly with some gorgeous views. This state park is the highest point in the state of Alabama so you can truly see for miles and miles.

Okay, lets talk about this... This is a STATE PARK. Just in case y'all missed it, the Alabama State Parks funding system cash well has dried up. With that said, no- this is NOT the same park that you visited in the 90's. And I hate that for you, because believe me when I tell you that back in the day, this was the place to be on a hot July afternoon. So many of my childhood reflections involve the park and Chinnabee and memories were made that will be treasured forever- hiking, swimming, fishing, camping, horseback riding- this place had it all. But that was then and this is now. The horses are gone, the diving board at the lake has been pulled up, and the National Parks System have taken over Chinnabee, a fact so sad that I want to cry. However, the actual State Park part of Cheaha is still wonderful if you are going for a hike or camping trip. The cabins are pretty nice too, but I can't speak for the chalets or hotel since I've never rented either. As for camping- the bathrooms are what you would expect from a park that was primarily built in the 30's. The pool is nice and cool and the views are lovely. I have never had an issue with the restaurant, and we usually go at least every 3 months or so. Yes, it's food that you could probably cook for yourself, but you didn't, so there. I've always had quite friendly service and no complaints what so ever.

This is a nice state park. I took off a star because I found it confusing to navigate and there were no maps or markers I could find. I did alot of driving around and checking out various trails and landmarks. I think it could do with more staff and signing.

I absolutely love this place--based on the beautiful trails leading to lookout points where you can see eagles soar above, the gorgeous waterfall in the middle of the woods that temps you to at least dip your toes in, or the undisturbed wilderness trails that will lead to an animal sighting or two, this is 5 stars. I'll emphasize that if you are a nature freak like me, you don't want to miss this place. I would also say that the campgrounds and the bathhouses within are well-maintained. My reasons behind docking a star were based on some negatives that affected my first trip but most can be avoided if you visit with them in mind. For one, there are no quiet hours posted at the campgrounds. We hoped to get to bed reasonably early once we returned to the campsite so we could hit the trails during the cool morning hours. Unfortunately, we also went during peak season and people nearby visited with children that were still playing and screaming until midnight and parties with music and lights lasting until about 4AM. Unless you're a deep sleeper, I'd pick the less crowded primitive site or get fancy with a cabin. Also the map and the paper with directions to some of the trails was at times confusing to me and my companions. It definitely takes some getting used to and I wouldn't be shy about asking for clarification before heading out. Lastly, keep in mind it is a LONG drive back down from the campgrounds to the nearest convenience store or Wal-Mart. And the people running the store up there understand that, so expect to pay dearly if you forget anything or run out of something. This should be a pretty basic thing all experienced campers understand, but of course there are some nice places that are less remote where you can get away with it. This is not one of them.

I stayed here at the lodge in 2012 and had a great time. I wanted to stay there again this year on a Saturday night on my way down to Florida, but they have a new rule - On a weekend there is now a 2-night minimum! This is insane and makes absolutely no sense that I can see. I'm not going to pay for a night I can't stay, so now I have to miss the whole experience. Too bad! And for what reason??

I have stayed in the cabins and chalets a number of times over the last 20 years. This time we stayed in cabin number 7. It seems to be falling apart and our kitchen smelled like urine. The restaurant is "trying" to offer barbecue. Let me warn you now! DONT! The ribs were like lather and tasted gamy. Cheaha holds many fond memories of my childhood and my children's childhood. I hope that they can find a way to invest in improvements soon.

I've been camping here for over 20 years. The park has fallen to pieces. The campground is dirty and not kept up. The grass isn't cut, the camp sites aren't cleaned between campers, the bathrooms were disgusting- we wouldn't us them. The rangers flew through the campground giving no thought to the children playing and biking. The park staff went the wrong way on the one way road almost causing us to wreck. They have placed deep gravel in the campsites which makes backing your rig difficult. It's a shame such a beautiful place is no longer maintained and cared for.

We stayed in the lodge for 2 nights with a family reunion last march. View was amazing and it even snowed!

We stayed in Cabin # 9. A few glitches were quickly resolved. The key did not work. We had unloaded some of our stuff. We went to the store and the maintenance person had fixed the problem and carried our bags in before we got back to the cabin. We had to trade the wifi modem in for another one. Those were the only problems and they were quickly resolved. The staff was courteous. The cabin was great. I agree with Lesa T's review. A short hiking trail starts there. The restaurant is beautiful and the food was pretty good. Sliders and nachos (barbeque brisket) were tasty and the view is great. The service was fine. We hiked the easier trails. Not bad. Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel should be blooming before too long. The Silent Trail at Lake Chinnabee nearby is awesome. I would recommend this park and will go back when i can.

We have been to Cheaha State Park many many times over the years and have held our family reunion there for decades. Unfortunately 2013 may be our last visit: the park has really gone downhill and the state of the Chalets where we stayed was pitiful. The kitchens were almost cleaned out of dishes, cooking utensils, etc., and there was mold and damp smell throughout the Chalet. They didn't even have the customary cards to leave comments about needed repairs, cleaning, etc. It seems that this beautiful old park has been left to decay.

I wanted so bad to love this park! I've heard so much about it. But this weekend we took our travel trailer to Cheaha to camp. We have been to several state parks in Alabama and this is by far the least maintained one we have seen. Parking pads for RV are almost nonexistent. Some sites you can't even tell where the site is due to weeds and lack of gravel. Luckily we did not need the bathhouse since the one peek I had today on the way out was nasty! Showers needed a pressure washer used on them. Mouse droppings in the toilet stall. Sewer hookups for campers are elevated and hoses did not drain properly because of that. Other state parks we have seen park rangers patrolling - none this weekend - not one! The only one we saw was filling the drink cooler in the camp store. As a result there was trash around campsites and the park volunteer on the lower loop looked like some homeless guy that had picked up a triler on the side of the road to bring to the park. His site was nasty with a picnic table covered in bottles and trash. The one bright spot was the park restaurant. Beautiful view from the highest point in Alabama, decent food - if not gourmet, good enough we ate there both nights! We asked the park super on the way out if there were plans to upgrade the sites and he said "not since the money ran out". A sad commentary on our times. We will not go back!

I'm spending one day at this park on my way to Birmingham and I don't want to leave. I spend so much time in north Georgia and it will forever be one of my favorite places in the world, but this park rivals all Georgia parks. It is so clean and beautiful with endless views of rolling luscious green mountains. This is the nicest state park hotel I have ever stayed in. It's actually more like a motel, but it is so clean and beautiful. It is not a resort. There is no real common area - just a small check in office. The fake plant and flowers in my room add to the experience. It is so Alabama. I am from Alabama, so I can say that. If you stay at this hotel, don't plan to eat healthy. The restaurant is a typical Alabama restaurant. I ordered what I thought would be the healthiest item on the menu - a fried shrimp salad. The salad consisted of a huge mound of fried shrimp, croutons, a tiny bit of lettuce and some really bad tomatoes. That's all. Nothing else. There is no other restaurant in the vicinity, so bring food if you don't want to eat at the restaurant. They do have a buffet. The views from the restaurant are beautiful though. There is a microwave and refrigerator in the king deluxe room. It would be nice if this park would invest some effort in a real map of the park, including the hiking trails. I asked for a map and they gave me a map of the campground.

This area used to be a nice place to visit and stay, the rooms were cheap but that has changed, the cost is now almost $150 as a local resident I can tell you it is not worth it, as one other visitor mentioned there are some serious maintenance issues that need to be addressed. I would certainly plan on visiting but stay at one of the hotels on the "other" side of the hill, you can get rates from $40 and up this ignorant "pseudo cabin bull crap is a waste of your time and money.