There are three National Forests in Alabama: William B. Bankhead National Forest in the North, Conecuh National Forest in the South, and Talladega National Forest in the East and Central portions of the state. The Talladega is divided into two divisions, Oakmulgee Division in the central part of the state and the Talladega Division in the eastern Appalachian area. Of these the Talladega Division of the Talladega National Forest is definitely my favorite because it contains the highest mountains and the largest wilderness areas in the state.
An extraordinarily beautiful roadway is the Talladega Scenic Drive, which follows the crest of Horseblock Mountain for 23 miles of the Talladega National Forest on Highways 49 and 281. This drive reminds me of the better known Blue Ridge Parkway that runs through the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia, although the Alabama road is shorter, and much less crowded.
Several hiking trails criss-cross the Talladega, including the Pinhoti, designated a National Recreation Trail and stretching for 102 miles. I took a 24-mile backpacking trip on this trail several years ago in November and did not encounter another hiker for the entire distance, although I saw whitetail deer and wild turkey. Views from the rocky cliffs and overlooks were spectacular. Some trails in the Talladega lead to waterfalls at Devils Den, Cheaha Falls and High Falls.
These beautiful ridges and peaks are the southernmost reach of the Appalachian mountain chain which has its northern terminus 1,600 miles away in Newfoundland.
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