Beautiful in springtime
My wife and I recently got a chance to escape all the craziness of COVID lockdown and take a socially distanced backpacking trip in Talladega National Forest. We took the Chinnabee silent trail from the parking lot along Cheaha rd and camped out in one of the secluded sites next to the falls. (Check out my other review related to that site) After setting up camp we continued our hike passing the shelter at the top of the hill along the way. Although I have visited the site on previous trips I have not been here in the height of spring and seen just how beautiful the space is with all the flowers blooming. The shelter is situated at the top of the hill after crossing the falls and it has a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains. Although you won't get the same sight distance as you do by taking the Pinhoti to the top of the ridge the cover provided by the trees creates a magical environment. On top of the beauty of the foliage, the wildlife was really starting to come out. We saw so many birds and even found a nest that was built in a bush along the trail. In terms of the sleeping accommodations, the shelter is like most you will find along these kinds of trails with a raised platform and a roof that is closed in on three sides. Others in this wilderness area have loft areas but this one is a single level and is relatively exposed. Overall, it can really be a lifesaver if bad weather or heavy rain is in the forecast but personally I prefer to be under an open sky whenever possible. Another thing to consider is that the shelter is often occupied but there are enough alternate campgrounds that this shouldn't be too much of a concern.