Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tually none. Short-term rotation of the pine timber base has resulted in a forest that simply is
not old enough to provide for these woodpeckers.
Scenically speaking, this area of Alabama is perhaps its most beautiful, as trails and scenic
highways run along high mountain ridges that overlook valleys as much as 1,200 feet below.
Cheaha State Park is located in the middle of this portion of Talladega National Forest; it con-
tains the state's highest point and is discussed in its own section. The high mountains here do
allow for the summer presence of birds that are normally found only in more northerly areas.
Sharp-shinned hawks and black-throated green warblers have been known to nest in the high
areas of the forest's ridges.
The most visited part of the forest is the Cheaha Wilderness, immediately south of Cheaha
State Park. This is Alabama's second largest (out of only two) wilderness area, with approx-
imately 7,800 acres, and it preserves the highest peaks of the Talladega National Forest. A
well developed set of trails crosses the Cheaha Wilderness from one side to the other and
allows birders access to wooded ridges and scenic overlooks. The birds here are typical of
the rugged hardwood forests of this area. There were once a few active red-cockaded wood-
pecker colonies at the very western portion of the wilderness area, but to see one of these
birds there now would be extraordinarily lucky. The Odum Scout Trail runs for ten miles
through the wilderness in a south-north direction, and the northern half of the trail is part of
the 100-mile-long Pinhoti Trail. The southern terminus of the Odum Trail is near Pyriton; to
reach it, follow the signs west from SH 49, north of Lineville. This part of the trail climbs a
small, scenic ravine with a pretty waterfall (when there is sufficient water) and then follows a
ridge to a beautiful overlook of the wilderness about two miles from the trailhead. The north-
ern portion of Odum Trail is more accessible as the trailhead is in Cheaha State Park, right on
the Talladega Scenic Drive as it enters the park from the east.
