Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Schedule: Year-round; however, road to trailhead closed Dec-Feb due to freezing
potential. Trail periodically closed due to hunting; visit USFS website for details
and schedule.
Maps: USGS Cheaha, AL;
DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer,
page 32 F5;
US Forest Service Pinhoti Trail Map #4 featuring Cheaha Mountain available at
Cheaha State Park camp store or online at www.nationalforeststore.com
Trail contact: US Forest Service Talladega Ranger District, 1001 North St., Tal-
ladega, AL 35160; (256) 362-2909; www.fs.usda.gov/alabama
Finding the trailhead: From Lineville at the intersection of AL 9 and AL 49, take
AL 49 north 14.2 miles. Turn left onto AL 281 South. Travel 4.9 miles (passing
Cheaha State Park on the way) and turn right onto Cheaha Road. Travel 3.6 miles
and turn left onto Lake Chinnabee Road. In 1.3 miles arrive at the Lake Chinna-
bee Recreation Area. The trailhead and parking is on your left. GPS: N33 27.624'
/ W85 52.464'
The Hike
Everyone who visits Cheaha State Park, Cheaha Mountain, and Talladega Nation-
al Forest seems to return with endless stories about how gorgeous it all is: the
overlooks, the waterfalls, the mountain landscapes. Sometimes it seems they exag-
gerate a bit, but seeing is believing. Cheaha Mountain—the highest point in the
state, coming in at an elevation of 2,407 feet—and the surrounding Cheaha Wil-
derness is truly a sight to behold, with massive quartzite rock outcroppings, raging
streams, and impressive waterfalls. The Chinnabee Silent Trail is rightfully one of
the most popular hiking routes in Alabama because you will see all of that along
its route.
The trail is named for Creek Indian Chief Chinnabee, an ally of Andrew Jack-
son during the Creek Indian War. The designation “Silent Trail” comes from the
trail's builders. Between 1973 and 1976, Boy Scout Troop 29 from the Alabama
Institute for the Deaf and Blind created the trail with the help of the USDA Forest
Service.
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