"Not all those who wander are lost.."- Tolkien

After reading books or watching movies like "Wild" or "A Walk in the Woods," some are inspired to venture out and hit the trail. After all, Whitman said, "Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."

In and around Calhoun County, there is much to see and do, including trails for hiking.

Before you set out on your next adventure, review your checklist:
- Appropriate tennis shoes or hiking boots
- Plenty of water and snacks
- Watch your step
- Stay on course
- Leave no trace

Cheaha State Park
There are several great trails, and some overlap with mountain bikers, to which you yield.
- Bald Rock has a boardwalk path, and two dirt paths on either side of the boardwalk. All three are about .3 miles and allow you to enjoy the highest point in Alabama's scenic overlook.
- Pulpit Rock is sometimes steep, but this .3 mile trail is worth the climb for a picturesque overlook. Some rock climbing enthusiasts can also obtain a permit from the Country Store.
- Mountain Laurel follows the streambank about 1.4 miles to the Rock Garden Outlook.
- The Lake Trails connect Cheaha Lake to the Rock Garden over a 1 miles steep and rugged path.
- Have you seen Bigfoot? Cheaha has a .5 mile Leave No Trace Bigfoot Trail that connects the Motel to the highest point.
- Fisherman's Tail circles .6 miles around the Lake and is known for having perfect fishing holes.
- The Odum Scout Hiking Trail traces 7.5 miles of slopes in the Cheaha Wilderness area.
- Chinnabee Silent Trail is a 6 mile trail varying from moderate to difficult hiking from Lake Chinnabee to Caney Head atop Talladega Mountain.
- Pinhoti National Recreation Trail has more than 100 miles of moderate to difficult hiking trails through east Alabama's mountains and valleys to Georgia's mountains and streams.

Alabama Birding Trails includes Coleman Lake at Shoal Creek in the Talladega National Forest, the Mountain Longleaf Wildlife Refuge at McClellan, the Choccolocco Forest's Frog Pond, and The Anniston Museum of Natural History Trial.

Nearby we also have the Little River Canyon National Preserve, Lake Guntersville, Cherokee Rock Village, and more!

Cheaha State Park @ Bald Rock