Upper Improved Campground — Cheaha State Park

PROS 

Site 27- pull-thru gravel. Very nice moveable 6 ft metal picnic table; fire ring with cooking grate; pedestal BBQ grill 

Campground very quiet Sunday-Tuesday nights 

Frequent ranger drive thrus of the campground 

T Mobile 3 bars 

CONS 

Upon arrival, power outage due to storm and lasted until dark. Check-in was not able to be completed so had to return the next day. 

Paid a transaction fee for making my own on-line reservation along with a resort fee and sales tax 

No senior or Veteran discount 

Site 27 greatly unlevel side-to-side 

Fire ring full of ash upon arrival 

Street light at Site 28 that lights up all of 28 and most of 27 and 27A. 

Extremely tight at checkin station. We had to park partially on AL281. There is a very small parking lot at the check-in station with no loop around 

No trash receptacle in either men’s or woman’s toilets 

Campground noisy Friday and Saturday nights. Lots of loud music. 

Bathhouse not serviced over weekend 

Large rocks throughout the campground had been painted

(by children) an unsightly vivid paint 

Don’t Miss 

Climbing to the top of the CCC Bunker Observation Tower 

Hiking out to Bald Rock 

Berman Museum in Anniston 

Watch—some pull-thru sites have the camper door facing the campground roadway with the picnic table and campfire ring along the campground roadway.

General: Two improved campgrounds (Upper and Lower), two primitive campgrounds, chalets, cabins, and a motel. We camped in the improved Upper campground, so this review is focused on that. I would recommend you arrive during daylight hours as it was challenging for us to find our site in the dark! There is very limited cell service in the park and none in the campgrounds. 

Site Quality: Gravel and pavement; most looked level. They are all rated tent/RV and small- medium– large and they mean it! We have an 18-foot campervan, and we were pretty snug in Site 19. Also, it was hilly and the angle to back into the site was somewhat challenging. All of the sites are FHU. We were warned that freezing temperatures were expected during our stay and that we could not stay connected to water or the spigot would break if not drained and that we would be charged a $125 repair fee. Each site has a metal picnic table, a BBQ grill, and a fire ring with a grate. 

Bathhouse/Shower: Basic but clean. No hooks to hang toiletry bags but it looks like there used to be some. The showers looked a bit sketchy but since it was so cold during our visit, I didn’t feel the need to check them out. Plenty of toilet paper but hubby reported that in the men's room, there always seemed to be toilet paper unraveled all around the restroom! 

Activities/Amenities: Several short hiking trails and longer forest service ones nearby. Mountain biking, although I read on the All Trails app that the trails are extremely challenging for biking. I agree that with so many leaves covering the roots and rocks, the trails were more challenging (hubby slipped and fell on one hike). There is a small store and a pool for in-season. Rappelling is also popular in this park but requires a permit. There was a small informative CCC museum (there was significant evidence of the work of the CCC in the park). There was also a small “fairy garden” near the entrance that was quite adorable. There was a postcard in the store that showed an impressive waterfall but it was completely dried up in November! There used to be a restaurant/bar but it has been closed indefinitely due to staffing issues. 

Cheaha State Park prides itself on being a Leave No Trace Park (one of about a dozen in the US) but while there were two large dumpsters by the campground, there were no recycling bins.

Cheaha State Park is about what you'd expect from any other state park, with plenty of trails and foliage. The camp store is a lot bigger than I expected, with lots of firewood available, and snacks, drinks, and gifts/souvenirs for sale. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable, and there were three cashier stations as the store seemed to have a pretty constant flow of customers each time we went. Outside at the parking lot, there was even an EV charging station - I don't know much about those but I can say it's not one of the fast chargers. As far as the trails go, this is on top of a mountain, so be sure to pay attention to the topology on the trail maps to be sure you're not under-prepared for steep climbs.

The campsites were ok. While the wind proved to be the biggest issue we had during our trip (nearly tearing our tent from the ground with us in it during the first night!), the main issue we found was that the ground was really rocky and uneven, making tent tethering rather difficult. There were plenty of trees around to tether to, though, so if you have a larger tent with lots of guy lines, I recommend making use of them as tether points. Out second night was much better in that regard, as we made adjustments specifically to combat the harsh wind and our tent fared much better. Each campsite had some kind of fire pit, though they all appeared to be different: some had your basic stone fire ring, some had like a Home Depot-style metal fire pits, some had big iron stove contraptions. Be wary of all the fallen leaves in the fall and winter, though! Clear out any leaves immediately surrounding your fire pit before starting any campfires.

The bathroom facility (at least for the upper campground) was pretty spartan, but mostly clean with plenty of TP available. No showers or hot water. Some spider webs, but we didn't encounter any bugs or critters holed up inside. The only cleanliness issue we encountered was when other campers left the toilets in bad condition. The bathroom did have an electric heater inside, though, which was rather nice when escaping from the wind chill.

The upper campground is near the highest point of the mountain and is in walking distance for most sites. Don't expect any real views, though, as most of the area is covered in trees. Site 120 actually had a fantastic, unobstructed view and would be ideal for sunrise, so try to get that one if it's available. The fire tower at the top is open to the public for most of the day, but its views are pretty lackluster surprisingly - there is a big antenna with support wires that get in the way, and the glass windows are pretty dirty. The best view is actually down toward the camp store at the event hall and really is quite phenomenal. There is a nice overlook with seating available, and the view is unobstructed by any man-made feature or any foliage overgrowth.

I might recommend visiting in the spring or summer. Not only would it be better considering the park's available water features, but the foliage would be green and keep things cool. We visited in early November, thinking the fall colors would be a big draw. The colors from the overlook were amazing, but inside the campground the views were just dead, brown leaves. Additionally, the combination of the wind and the dry fallen leaves made lots of LOUD noise in the overnight hours.

We had a two day primitive camping trip at site P109. Nicely shaded site. Water spigot between out site and P107. It had stone fire rings. No picnic grill. Only problem for me was very rocky terrain. The primitive campgrounds only have toilets, if you want a shower you will have to purchase a shower pass for improved campground bath house. Looking at surrounding sites I believe P108 and P120would have been great sites. P108 for a great sunset and P120 for a great sunrise. We stayed in Cabin 3 next two nights. Cabins 1-4 &16 are in one area and provide the best views. For a great sunset view from your patio while cooking out or just chilling, choose cabin 1. There are lots of hiking trails and 3 waterfalls in the park. There is a rich history with the Civilian Conservation Corps here and if you want to learn more there is a quest that begins at the store and takes you around the park. The CCC built the observation bunk house, the custodian cabin and garage, the water reservoir, several cabins, Cheaha lake and the bath house at the lake. All built by hand in the 1930s. An amazing place with amazing views and an amazing history.

We stayed the week after Labor Day and the place was mostly empty which was nice. It started filling up on Friday and once we had neighbors all around us, I realized how close some of the sites were. We stayed in site 42 in upper improved campground. It wasn’t the best for our large rig but we made do. My family loves to hike so we enjoyed our stay here but I wouldn’t recommend it to my parents who love to camp but don’t like hiking. My little girl enjoyed the cut through hike to the observation tower/playground on the backside of the loop. We also hiked to devil’s den (trickiest hike we did but our little girl managed pretty good and the view is worth it) pulpit rock (a few slippery spots if it’s rained but overall not bad) and bald rock (boardwalk trail-friendly for all ages and abilities.) We also enjoyed the beach area at the lake. Walking down to the outdoor eating area is worth the view even if you don’t eat there-the cheaha burger was delicious though. It took us a couple days to settle in and figure out where everything was but once we did, we enjoyed Cheaha.

On our trip to Cheaha State Park we stayed in the lower campground, which features very roomy RV sites, some with really nice views, and all with full hookups including power, water, and sewer.  There is no cable or wifi available however, and cell service is pretty spotty.  There is also an upper campground with RV sites in the park and separate tent and primitive camping sites available.

The lower campground is right next to Cheaha Lake, which is a small lake, but large enough for some kayaking and features a sandy beach swimming area and a nice playground (see video).  There are also pavilions and picnic areas around the lake.  There is a nature center by the lake that has some interesting nature exhibits and a few live animals to check out.

There are lots of great hiking trails, mostly toward the top of Mount Cheaha in the park itself, and there are several different overlooks with spectacular views.  The main overlook has an easy boardwalk trail that leads to it from the parking area and is wheelchair accessible.  There's also a pool, lodge, cabins, and a restaurant on the mountain in the park.

The main road that leads to the park and campgrounds has some pretty steep and long uphill and downhill sections.  Nothing too crazy, but I would suggest that you make sure your tow vehicle can handle it without overheating the engine or transmission, especially in the heat of the summer.

Cheaha Lower Campground Tour:

https://youtu.be/iH4gYju0YRE

Cheaha Lake Fly Around:

https://youtu.be/IOGloJ\_Ob6E