The outdoors has always been a place for me to escape from the stress of everyday life. I love to be high up on top of mountains. It makes me feel like I am above anxiety, and it cannot find me there. It is peaceful. In the South, we do not have mountains or trails like the Western United States, in fact, the Rockies make our mountains look like tiny hills. But there are some fantastic sites to see here in Georgia and Alabama.
I have hiked many trails in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, New Mexico, and Alabama (if I had to) experiencing those pockets of peace. As an avid hiker, I have never shied away from a great trail anywhere, but growing up in Georgia, I had a weird dislike for my neighboring state, Alabama. That’s why I said, “if I had to.”
It was not because of the football rivalry between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama. It was not the people who live in the state, and it was not the Confederate history (that troubles me) of the state that made me loathe it. It was esthetic. I did not like the way the state looked; it is rundown and trashy. My distaste for the state kept me from discovering the hidden natural beauties Alabama has to offer. More importantly, I have missed out on those peaceful mountain vistas that are all over the state.
My feelings about the land to my west would soon change in 2016, this hate would begin to turn into appreciation. In the spring my parents had become near-empty nesters. Four of their six kids had married and moved out, myself included. So, with only two kids left in the house, they decided to move out of my childhood home. After a long search in fall 2016, they bought a house in Cedartown, Georgia, only a 20-minute drive from Alabama. Yes, Alabama. I did not understand my parent's like for the extreme northwest corner of Georgia and why they would want to be so close to Alabama. Whatever my thoughts on the subject were, it did not matter; I still visit my parents often.
One of my younger brothers who moved with them began journeying into Alabama on the weekends and finding these pockets of majestic canyons, mountains, and waterfalls to hike. That intrigued me, and so my wife and I started to go on hikes with him to these places. And it began to give me a different view of the state. I say all of this to set the stage for two kid and dog-friendly hikes you and your family or friends need to do in Alabama.
A few weeks ago my wife, two brothers, and one of their girlfriends packed some snacks, water, and three dogs into the car then headed on an adventure to Pisgah Gorge Overlook, Alabama to hike for the day. After driving for an hour on Alabama backroads, we finally reached our destination. The park was flat, with trees sprinkled throughout the front of the property. At first glance, the landscape didn’t look like much. As we walked toward the back of the park, we found a tall waterfall. Built above and to the front of the waterfall was a porch-like structure with benches for people to sit and take in the scene, forgetting life’s hardships.
Pisgah Gorge waterfall was fantastic, but this park was still hiding something. We continued hiking down a trail, as we walked, the left side of the trail began dropping and getting steeper, eventually becoming a canyon to our left. We could see the rolling mountains that make up northern Alabama. What at first, appeared as your typical community park with picnic tables and a pavilion quickly turned into a hidden gem for people who love a scenic view and seek peace in nature.
I bit south near I-20 west, just a few exits into Alabama sits Cheaha State Park. The park is perched on the top of Cheaha Mountain with a lodge, cabins, camping, and a restaurant on the side of the mountain, where you can enjoy dinner and a sunset. As you drive around the park, there are places with small trails that lead you to majestic views of western and southern Alabama.
(above photos left to right: Bald Rock, Preachers Pulpit, Preachers Pulpit.)
Just three weeks ago, our same group with only one dog this time headed to Cheaha for another day of hiking. The best part of this trip was that it was extremely foggy to start—the fog made for some great pictures. We commenced at the Bald Rock Boardwalk. This is an easy hike to a usually great view, but the fog was so thick we couldn’t see anything. That was okay because we came back later and got to see the view. We then ventured over to Pulpit Rock, a place where rock climbers can get a permit and ascend the cliff, or for people who want to sit on a rock, capture some pictures, and daydream.
Just a mile down the road from Cheaha sits a campground with a small lake. There is a trail from the top of the mountain down to the lake. We drove instead of taking the hike down to take a quick walk around due to a time crunch.
Over the years, my unsupported loathing for Alabama has slowly whittled away, and I now have great admiration for the state. I refer to the state now as “the land of hidden peace.” I am no scholar or philosopher, but I learned some wisdom from this. To give all things a chance, and you may have your breath taken away from you. Go on an adventure to these two parks!