View Full Version : Cheaha Loop Maps, trail info
I'm trying to plan a long Labor Day weekend trip around the side trails around Cheaha. Mostly the Skyway - Chinnabee - Turnipseed loop. I have Pinhoti maps, but I can't seem to find much on these trails. This is kinda of a prep trip for an eventual Thru of the Pinhoti.
Seems the old alatrails.com is dead now, I'm not sure where else to go.
awsumawstun
07-10-2014, 13:03
The loop is about 17 miles. If you take your time, you could easily turn it into a two or three nighter. I believe there are only two spots you can leave your car - Adams Gap and Turnipseed. Overnight parking isn't allowed at Lake Chinnabee. Most people go at it clockwise. The best views are on the Pinhoti section, however my favorite section is the Chinnabee Silent. It is very tranquil and calming. I would recommend parking at Adams Gap, following the trail clockwise and starting on the Skyway. This gives you the best views on your last leg on the Pinhoti. Also, the Cheaha convenient store has a map you can pick up of the trails. They are very rough, but give you an idea.
http://www.pinhotitrailalliance.org/loopscw.html
Thanks for the info. I was trying to plan a weird 4 day route starting a Turnipseed and would include the South Cheaha loop and McDiill point. Me and my Wife hiked that section of Pinhoti awhile back and I missed the overlook due to my poor map skills. We have also hiked from Turnipseed to Lake Chinnabee and I really liked that route.
Mountain Dog
07-10-2014, 16:11
Four days is plenty of time to do a figure 8 loop which circles the south side of Cheaha and includes the standard Skyway/Pinhoti/Chinnnabee loop. 1. park behind the store at the campgrounds, 2. walk down the highway and start south on cave creek, 3. hike the cave creek to Nubbin to the Odum (there are two reliable creeks and good camping at the creeks in this section). Go west on the Odum to the Odum/Chinnabee/Pinhoti crossing. Go south on the Pinhoti to Skyways to Chinnabee to the Pinhoti/Chinabee/Odum intersection. and then north on the Pinhoti to McDill and eventually to the camp store. you should find a couple of sources of water in the first 10 miles, at the Pinhoti/Odum/Chinabee intersection, several places on the Skyways, and the Chinnabee. The only real dry section is on the Pinhoti between the Store and the O/C/P intersection. This route will give you mountain views, creek walking, solitude, climbs and good memories. Water and camping will not be a problem if you top off when you can in the afternoons.
Four days is plenty of time to do a figure 8 loop which circles the south side of Cheaha and includes the standard Skyway/Pinhoti/Chinnnabee loop. 1. park behind the store at the campgrounds, 2. walk down the highway and start south on cave creek, 3. hike the cave creek to Nubbin to the Odum (there are two reliable creeks and good camping at the creeks in this section). Go west on the Odum to the Odum/Chinnabee/Pinhoti crossing. Go south on the Pinhoti to Skyways to Chinnabee to the Pinhoti/Chinabee/Odum intersection. and then north on the Pinhoti to McDill and eventually to the camp store. you should find a couple of sources of water in the first 10 miles, at the Pinhoti/Odum/Chinabee intersection, several places on the Skyways, and the Chinnabee. The only real dry section is on the Pinhoti between the Store and the O/C/P intersection. This route will give you mountain views, creek walking, solitude, climbs and good memories. Water and camping will not be a problem if you top off when you can in the afternoons.This sounds great and I'll be walking the other direction on all the trails that I've already been on. You are making this trip way too easy for me. Thank you for the great idea
I'm trying to plan a long Labor Day weekend trip around the side trails around Cheaha. Mostly the Skyway - Chinnabee - Turnipseed loop. I have Pinhoti maps, but I can't seem to find much on these trails. This is kinda of a prep trip for an eventual Thru of the Pinhoti.
Seems the old alatrails.com is dead now, I'm not sure where else to go.
We did the Chinnabee Pinhoti Skyway Chinnabee Loop clockwise as a day hike back in December. I posted a few pictures here: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=100318
http://www.alabamatrail.org/hikingAL/Pinhoti/PinhotiS.htm
There are at least two other sites that have Cheaha SP trail descriptions as well as the SP itself that I used for additional side hiking planning while on a PT NOBO thru-hike. I also had the Hiking Alabama Guidebook by Joe Cuhaj published by Falcon for pre PT thru-hike side hiking planning purposes.
blisterbob
07-11-2014, 06:22
http://jahudson.wiki.hoover.k12.al.us/Cheaha+Trail+Maps
Should I park at the Cheaha store, or is leaving my car the the Cheaha trail head Arch OK?
blisterbob
07-11-2014, 14:10
Either is safe enough that I park at the arch to eliminate the 1/4 mile road walk.
If you park at the Arch don't do this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DewEKz9TzmM
Any problems with parking at Turnipseed and leaving my car for a few days?
I wanted to do an out and back trip, but the weathers looking bad so I'm going to park in the middle and do my trip that way. And I doubt I'll have any problems finding water this weekend.
Never any trouble here - Enjoy your hike.
Drybones
08-29-2014, 22:30
Get a Talladega National Forrest map at the Shoal Creek ranger station...or order on line.
Drybones
08-29-2014, 22:32
Should I park at the Cheaha store, or is leaving my car the the Cheaha trail head Arch OK?
I've parked there many times with no issue.
quickdraw
08-30-2014, 14:35
I am planing a hike there as well. We did the loop in spring, parking at Turnipseed with no issues. This time we are parking at Adams Gap and walking the Pinhoti all the way to Cheaha then Cave creek back down to Odum, and coming out at High Falls. Im a little worried about water, as we were planning on camping at the top by the OCP intersection ( which had water in March.) Anyone been there recently and can give a water report?
I have a copy of the map that is at Kiosk at the trailhead:
Well I tried to do the whole trip. I was not ready for the heat. I made it from cave creek to the bottom of the stairway to heaven on day one then I just got too hot the next day and I was drinking way too much water. I defiantly got into the heat stress area when I started feeling cold. I'll have to come back out and plan shorter trips for this warm weather.
There was water at the creek at the OCP intersection, but it wasn't flowing. Since the rain on Saturday, I'm sure its flowing now.
The heat and humidity have been pretty brutal the past few weeks. Today is supposedly the first day of Meteorological Fall. With a high of 97F and heat index over 100 it didn't feel like it. It gets to where your just blowing through water and can't stay ahead of the sweat puddles your making. That loop is also very nice to see when the leaves turn.
Btw....did you happen to see any snakes? They been on the move.
No snakes, but lots of bees and wasps. There was a huge wasp nest on a tree right on the trail. I'm amazed I didn't get stung.