Public Lands Day
Public Lands Day
From its sugar white sands along the Gulf of Mexico, to its rustic rolling hills of the Appalachian Mountains, Alabama is a treasure trove of natural beauty. And nowhere is Alabama’s natural wonder better exhibited than on our many public lands across the state. On the weekend of National Public Lands Day, take a moment to slow down and unplug as you get outside, appreciate, and explore YOUR public lands. Learn more about how you can engage with this amazing resource through a weekend of celebrating Alabama’s public lands at Cheaha State Park! Join us, along with our partners the U.S. Forest Service, Wild Alabama, Alabama Wildlife Center, Auburn University Museum of Natural History, Anniston Museum of Natural History, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, Girls Who Hike Alabama, Alabama Audubon, Cleburne County Extension Office, and more as we gather in the spirit of stewardship, outdoor recreation, and conservation of our amazing Alabama public lands!
Guided Programming September 24-26, 2021
- Nature Nook
Time: 3:30 PM-5:30 PM Location: Mountain Store Patio Date: September 24, 2021
Meet the Park Naturalist. Ask questions! Learn more about Cheaha State Park! Meet a live animal!
-Campfire Talk: Leave No Trace and America’s Public Lands
Time: 7:00 PM Location: Lower Improved Campground Date: September 24, 2021
Join Park Naturalist Mandy Pearson to learn about the 7 Leave No Trace Principles and the history of public lands.
-Public Lands Day Conservation Festival
Time: 10:00 AM -6:00 PM Location: Cheaha Lake Grassy Meadow Date: September 25, 2021
Join Cheaha State Park as we celebrate National Public Lands Day with our first annual Conservation Festival! Meet and engage with public land agencies to learn more about YOUR public lands across the state of Alabama. Meet live animals from Anniston Museum of Natural History, get your picture taken with Smokey Bear from Talladega National Forest, learn the best birding spots with Alabama Audubon, get to know your native plants with Cleburne County Master Gardeners, check out awesome and rare specimens from Auburn’s Museum of Natural History, explore our wilderness areas with Wild Alabama, and much more! Spend your day celebrating and recreating in in your public lands Alabama’s oldest state park!
-Mountain Music
Time: 10:00 AM -1:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM Location: Interpretive Center Date: September 25, 2021
Relive the time-honored tradition of music and fellowship with live performances by Justin Farr and Brandon Sanders. Enjoy classic country and rock hits from the comfort of your own camp chair.
-Public Lands Day Clean Up
Time: 10:00 AM -6:00 PM Location: Interpretive Center Date: September 25, 2021
You don’t have to commit to a big project, make a huge monetary donation, or invest a vast amount of your time to support your public lands. It can be as simple and small as helping us keep our planet one trash bag of litter cleaner. Become an eco-hero, lend a hand, and help us keep Cheaha State Park beautiful! Bring us a bag of trash and exchange it for a special prize!
-Take A Hike: Tim Haney Legacy Sensory Hike
Time: 11:00 AM-12:00 PM Location: LNT Bigfoot Challenge Trail (Bigfoot Pavilion)
Date: September 25, 2021
Join us for the debut of the Tim Haney Legacy Sensory Trail and venture out on the first guided sensory hike at Cheaha State Park with Mirandi Watson from Girls Who Hike Alabama. In this fast-paced world, it is easy to lose track of time and forget to ponder. This hike is about slowing down and using all five of your senses to really explore the natural world around you.
-Bigfoot Hopscotch Game
Time: 12:00 PM Location: Interpretive Center Date: September 25, 2021
Bigfoot never leaves behind any footprints. Have you ever wondered how? Our park interpretive staff will teach you a couple of his secrets through a fun game.
-Take A Hike: Shinrin-yoku (Taking in the Forest) Hike
Time: 1:00 PM-1:20 PM. Location: Mountain Laurel Trail (Chalet Road)
Date: September 25, 2021
Join us for the debut of the Shinrin-yoku Trail and venture out on the first Shinrin-yoku hike. Forest immersion and ecotherapy with relaxation prompts make this a mindful experience that focuses on celebrating the power of nature. This “five sense” experience nurtures heart-centered relationships between you and the more-than-human world of nature. Research has proven that health benefits result from spending time surrounded by trees including reduced stress, lower blood pressure, improved mood, amplified focus, and increased energy.
-Eco Explorers: Legacy Time Traveler Adventure Quest
Time: 2:00 PM-2:20 PM Location: Mountain Store
Date: September 25, 2021
Join us for the debut of the Legacy Time Traveler Adventure Quest. Step back in time and learn about the Civilian Conservation Corps and the birth of Cheaha State Park through a fun and educational parkwide adventure! Follow the secret clues on each trail exhibit panel to learn about the natural history and cultural heritage of Alabama’s oldest state park. Quest answer sheets are available in the Mountain Store to record the letters you discover at each station. Once you complete your quest, you can decode the secret message left behind by the Civilian Conservation Corps!
-Alabama Wildlife Center Birds of Prey Show
Time: 6:00 PM Location: Interpretive Center Porch Date: September 25, 2021
Join the Alabama Wildlife Center, Alabama’s oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation and conservation education center, as they introduce you to live raptors up close and personal! Bring your camera and don’t miss out on this opportunity to meet hawks, owls, and falcons from Alabama and beyond!
-Learning by the Lake
Time: 12:00 PM-4:00PM Location: Interpretive Center Date: September 26, 2021
Do you have a child who is curious about the great outdoors? The interpretive team will help them connect with the natural world through art, activities, storytelling, games, and so much more.
Ongoing Activities (September 24, 2021-September 26, 2021)
-Leave Only Fairy Footprints Location: Enchanted Garden
Build a fairy house out of natural materials! You might just catch a glimpse of a fairy darting into your new home!
- Photo Scavenger Hunt
Sharpen your hide-and-seek skills by finding all of the hidden locations. Pick up a scavenger hunt sheet from the Mountain Store and play your way through Cheaha State Park.
-Hit a Trail in Cheaha State Park
Cheaha State Park is home to 17 miles of trail spread across 17 trails. We have everything you are looking for: easy strolls on Bald Rock Boardwalk, technical mountain bike trails, and even backcountry access to the Pinhoti Trail. Stop by the Mountain Store to purchase a trail map for $2.00 and begin your exploration.
-Hike to the highest point in Alabama: Bigfoot Trail (1 mile)
Count how many hidden Bigfoots you see along the way.
-Self-guided Hikes on the Bald Rock Boardwalk (0.66 miles) and the Heritage Trail (0.44 miles)
Stop by the Mountain Store to pick up a trail map.
-Play on the Imagination Tree Playground Location: Tower Road
-Gem Mine (Various buckets of gemstones available at Mountain Store)
-Eat at the Vista Cliffside Restaurant (Open noon-8:00pm Friday and Sunday; Closed Saturday, September 25, 2021 for a private Happily Ever After wedding event)
