Best Tent Camping: Alabama. Joe Cuhaj

      Those who love to explore nature while camping in a rustic setting will find everything they seek at Lake Chinnabee Recreation Area. Located only 6 miles from Cheaha State Park in the Cheaha Wilderness, Lake Chinnabee puts you in closer proximity to nature than the park does, providing easy access to several of the forest’s most popular hiking trails.

      The recreation area was named for famed Creek chief Chinnabee. He and his tribe adapted and worked with white settlers, ultimately becoming an important ally of General Andrew Jackson during the Creek Indian War of 1813.

      The lake that bears the chief’s name is relatively small, about 17 acres. It is dammed on the north side by a picturesque spillway. Cheaha Creek, a beautiful mountain stream to the west, feeds the lake. For the anglers among you, this is a great little fishing hole for largemouth bass (an Alabama freshwater-fishing license is required), as well as a great paddling lake with plenty of interesting geology, plant life, and sloughs to explore. You can cast your line from the grassy bank near the campground or put in your nonmotorized boat.

      The area is also a prime location to explore the wonders of the Talladega National Forest. Several hiking trails ranging from easy to difficult converge at this spot, providing access to even more trails that you can connect to make loops. The forest’s most popular hike is the Chinnabee Silent Trail. The silent part of the name pays homage to a group of Boy Scouts at the Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind who helped build the trail.

      The Chinnabee Silent Trail begins near the Cheaha Creek inlet at the western end of Lake Chinnabee and travels along the creek’s banks. The creek is rather slow moving in this section, but about 0.5 mile farther the water begins to churn as it cascades down several rock ledges. Here you’ll find an amazing natural swimming hole; on hot summer days cool down with a dip in the ice-cold mountain water.

      As you hike farther along the climb gets steeper, and you soon find yourself scaling a rock wall on wooden platforms and wooden and stone stairs. Take a look over the railing at a marvelous site—the cascading waters of Devil’s Den!

      At about the 4-mile mark, a small climb leads to the Cheaha Falls Shelter, a building used by backpackers to escape the elements, and just below that is another spectacular three-tier waterfall. All in all, the hike from the lake to the shelter and back is 8 miles round-trip. If you turn around at Devil’s Den, it’s approximately 4 miles total round-trip.

      Other hikes include the Skyway Loop Trail, a steep climb up the side of a mountain from the lake, with nice seasonal mountain streams on top and a nice view. If you are not into mountain climbing, try the much easier Lake Chinnabee Loop Trail circling the lake.