Hike - Swim and Play with Bonus Wild Blueberries

     Hope you’ll join Joyce and me for a wonderful adventure on the Chinnabee Silent Trail in the beautiful Talladega National Forest.  This will be a full day of hiking and swimming plus bonus wild blueberries.  Last year we found an incredible number of wild Blueberries along the trail and hopefully this will be another great harvest for us this year as well.  So remember to bring along something to carry them in (a quart sized ziplock baggy works great, and of course we ate as many as we took home)!

     We'll leave from the carpool location promptly at 8:30 AM and drive to the Cheaha State Park Headquarters.  We'll take a quick bathroom break there and also use it as a meeting point for anyone who may not be meeting at the carpool location.  From there it is just a short drive to the trailhead parking lot.  *The trailhead is located approx 3 miles south of the park headquarters on the left.  The trailhead we are using is directly across the road, NOT the one by the parking lot*

     After just 1 mile, we’ll enjoy exploring Cheaha Falls and the surrounding rapids.  Once we've spent a decent amount of time there, we'll then hike another 2 1/2 miles over to the larger waterfall at Devil's Den.  We'll have lunch at the 2nd waterfall and plan on spending a full 90 minutes enjoying the falls and pool (very suitable for swimming).  This will be an "in and out" hike of around 7 miles total distance. 

     The trail is named for Creek Indian Chief Chinnabee, an ally of Andrew Jackson during the Creek War.  The designation of “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.  The hike is considered by many to be one of the most enjoyable in the state.  

* If you are meeting us at the event, we'll see you at 8:45 Central time at the Cheaha State Park Headquarters.  

** We'll have one creek to cross at the first falls, but I'll allow folks to change out shoes for this.  Once we reach our lunch spot you may change into Quick-dry clothing or a bathing suit. River shoes or an old pair of sneakers should be fine unless you prefer boots for some reason.  No flip-flops though.  If you want to change into your favorite skimpy bikini or Speed-O at lunch, that's fine!

*** After the hike we'll stop at Johnny's New York Style Pizza for a tasty, well-earned meal.  Johnny's is conveniently located at our carpool location -so if you need to head home when we return to the carpool location, you'll have that as an option - but you'll miss out on some great pizza, subs and fellowship!

From Atlanta area take I-20 WEST into Alabama

Take exit # 191 & Turn LEFT on U.S. Highway 431

Drive  3.7 miles & Turn RIGHT onto County Rd 131

Turn LEFT onto Highway 281 

Go south on 281 for 12.5  miles & Turn RIGHT into the Cheaha State Park Headquarters.  

There is a store with restrooms to the left when you enter. We will meet there before we continue driving to the trailhead.  If you are meeting us at the event, we'll see you at 8:45 Central time at the Cheaha State Park Headquarters.  *The trailhead is located approx 3 miles south of the park headquarters on the left.  The trailhead we are using is directly across the road, NOT the one by the parking lot*