Camping & Exploring Cheaha State Park

We stumbled across Cheaha State Park when scouring the internet for a place to stay after a previously scheduled reservation fell through. This gem of a state park should be on your radar for day trips, hiking or camping.

There are 2 campgrounds, an upper and lower campground. RVs stay at the lower campground, and will fit larger rigs, just be aware of some switchback roads and steep incline/declines. We had no issues with our 39 ft 5th wheel, we just went slow on some turns and getting into the campground.

Because it is built into the side of the mountain, there are great views from most of the spots, and there are cabins, or you can camp in a tent (tents can also camp at the upper campground). Each spot has 30/50 amp hook ups, water and sewer hook ups, and a picnic table and fire ring. The bathhouse and dumpster are nearby walks from anywhere in the loop.

Cell phone service with Verizon was spotty and, when we went, we didn’t have Starlink. The camp store is where you check in at, and also has free Wifi, so we just went up there daily to check messages and touch base with family. There were some basic grocery and toiletry items here, but you will need to either bring stuff in or be prepared to head down the mountain for supplies and fuel.

The state park has so many hiking options, whether you are hiking with small children, or you are an experienced hiker or backpacker. Cheaha Mountain is considered the southern unofficial start for the Appalachian Trail, as part of the original plans, and they are working to make it official, so many hikers start here and hike to Springer Mountain in Georgia.

Located near the Taladega National Forest, there are many trails to choose from. We did several different hikes and were treated to a variety of species of vegetation and landscape, some were rocky, some were along rivers and led to waterfalls where we were treated to swimming and splashing with our picnic lunch before returning. Since cell phone service is spotty, be sure to have proper hiking gear with you and you are signing the log books for the trails.

We spent several nights camping here and left feeling like we had really unplugged and connected with nature. Being from Central Florida, this was a day’s drive for us, and a place we plan to keep on our list. While it is a bit off the interstates to get to, if you are looking for someplace to relax and recharge in nature, this should be at the top of your list for Alabama.

Be sure to check out the Travel Map on our home page for other campground and attraction reviews! You can also find FREE resources on the Printables page, or order your copy of Our Travel Planner to have all the resources conveniently at your fingertips!