East Alabama Regional Attractions

Desoto Caverns Park

Childersburg

Retrace Hernando DeSoto’s expedition through the south over 450 years ago. Explore the caverns, the Lost Maze, and pan for gold and gemstones. The park features a picnic area, camping, hiking, and activities for the whole family. For more information, visit www.desotocavernspark.com.

Floating Fun

Alabama’s ‘Premier Tube Trip’ with many tubes in stock, offers a floating fun trip down Choccolocco Creek, with a variety of rapids and a steady current to enjoy. For more information, visit www.floatingfun.net.

Talladega Superspeedway 

and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame

Live life in the fast lane! Visit the fastest closed track in the world with records exceeding 200 miles per hour. This track hosts two major stock car races annually.

The museum, adjacent to the track, showcases vehicles that have set world records, antique automobiles, speed boats, planes, and more. They are open daily from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. For more information, visit www.motorsportshalloffame.com.

Noccalula Falls

Gadsden

Gaze upon this beautiful waterfall that plunges 90 feet into a rock gorge. This landmark is named after Noccalula, the legendary Indian Princess, who leaped to her death into the waters below. Other features include the Pioneer Village, a train ride, campgrounds, and picnic areas.

Cherokee Rock Village

Leesburg

Marvel atop the Lookout Mountain Ridge, and you won’t forget the breathtaking views of Weiss Lake. This 200+ acre park has boulders as large as 200 feet tall, dating back 300 million years to the Pennsylvanian Period. With one natural arch, eight mountain springs, miles of trail and rock climbing, it is truly an adventure. This site was also used in the 2006 film Failure to Launch with Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Weiss Lake

Centre

This 30,200 acre impoundment of the Coosa, Chattoga and Little Rivers offers 447 miles of shoreline. The popularity of this location is reflected in the fact that more out-of-state fishing licenses are issued here than any other location in Alabama.

Little River Canyon

Located near Fort Payne, the Little River flows, for most of its length, atop Lookout Mountain in Northeast Alabama. These spectacular river and canyon systems are surrounded by Appalachian Plateau, forested uplands, waterfalls, streams, pools, boulders and sandstone cliffs. As the deepest canyon in Alabama, the setting provides a variety of recreational activities.

JSU Field Schools

Now in its seventeenth year, the field schools offer many programs to explore the Mountain Longleaf Region of Northeast Alabama. Visit the Little River Canyon Center, the Planetarium at JSU, the Choccolocco Frog Pond, or join a hike on one of the many area trails. For more information, visit www.jsu.edu/epic/field_schools.

Loyd Owens Canoe Trail

Cleburne County

This trail meanders along the Tallapoosa River from the Georgia line to Highway 431.

Lake Wedowee

Randolph County

The Harris Reservoir, a 11,000 acre Alabama Power Lake with 270 miles of shoreline, is formed by the convergence of the Little and Big Tallapoosa Rivers between Wedowee and Lineville. The Flat Rock Park, a partially submerged granite outcrop that forms a natural beach, is home to bald eagles.

Lake Chinnabee

Clay County

Built in the late 1930s, Lake Chinnabee is home to the Chinnabee Silent Trail, a six mile, one way hiking trail that runs into the Pinhoti Trail. Nearby waterfalls include Devils Den, High Falls, and Cheaha Falls.

Pinhoti Hiking Trail

Talladega, Cleburne and Calhoun Counties

Alabama’s premiere long distance recreation trail spans 110 miles as it traverses the ridges and crests of the Talladega Mountains. Starting in the northern end of the Talladega National Forest and extend through the Georgia Line to the Appalachian Trail.

Talladega National Forest and Scenic Drive

Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians, this national forest offers numerous recreational opportunities including, campgrounds, mountain lakes, the Talladega Scenic Byway and the Pinhoti Trail. The 26 mile Talladega Scenic Drive provides a drive to travel the backbone of the Horseblock, Cheaha and Adam’s Gap Mountains. There are several overlooks, trails and points of interest along the way.