Just slightly over an hour drive from Georgia is the highest point in all of Alabama. Cheaha Mountain is located in Cheaha State Park in Cleburne County, Alabama. The past Sunday, Abby and I drove up to the mountain on the winding roads to go hiking and explore the park. When we arrived, we paid the five dollars per person entry fee and began our adventure inside Cheaha State Park. 
With stomachs growling, our first stop inside the park was the Cliffside Restaurant, which sits atop Cheaha Mountain. Sunday lunch was a southern-style buffet with vegetables, fried chicken, pork chops, salad, and dessert. The food was amazing for a buffet but the view from the cliffside dining area was breathtaking. The staff and servers were also friendly and extremely helpful. The scenic dining experience alone is worth the drive to Cheaha. I hope to come back in the fall to enjoy another meal with a view.
After lunch, we looked at the map and decided to take a light trail to walk off our meal in the summer heat. The Bald Rock Boardwalk was just the right amount of ease to help the digestion. An easy .3 mile trail through the green forest via wooden boardwalk leads to a breathtaking view of the Alabama countryside. The summer haze did sadly cut the view shorter.
After our hike back to the truck, we drove deeper into the park to a more intermediate trail to Pulpit Rock.
The trail itself is short and would be considered easy but the first leg of the hike is a steep, rocky stretch. With the difficulty behind us, the remainder of the trail offered beautiful rock formations and greenery.As we reached our destination, I captured the majestic, rocky cliffs, which offers various photo opportunities.
As we hiked back from the cliff, we noticed the nice cabins on the property for overnight stay. Wooden and rustic, they had outdoorsy charm about them.
As we drove out of the park, we passed the highest inground pool in Alabama. Families enjoyed the cool water as we exited the park and headed to the lake in the lower area of the Cheaha. At the lake, kids were jumping from a platform into the water under the vigilant eye of a lifeguard as parents rested and soaked up the sun on the sandy white beach.
Besides the lake, cliff trails, restaurant and pool, Cheaha offers other amenities. These include Gem Mine Self Guided Tour Of CCC Buildings, Walt Farr Native American Relic Museum, fishing, geocaching, a picnic area, playground, waterfall trails, mountain biking trail, Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, rappelling and rock climbing. The park also has facilities for weddings and corporate meetings.
For more information on Cheaha State Park, click here.
Man Can Outdoors 