Cloudland Canyon SP

[Firedog]

Spent the day at Cloudland Canyon State Park @ Trenton, GA. I know before you say anything, it's not in Alabama but it's close enough. Hiked the West Rim trail out and back. Not much water running but was beautiful just he same. Still some color in the leaves but past the peak by a few weeks. If you've never been there, it is a definite must do. The West Rim Trail is a wonderful trail with lots of overlooks and  is a great day hike. There is Lots to do there and is a fun place to car camp. The bear Creek trail is now open again after being closed for 15 years. The West Rim trail is a 5 mile out & back loop with some of the most scenic trials in the south. Plenty of parking  at the interpretive center and heading out into the canyon rising back to the brow past several overlooks to a bridge where the trial splits to make the loop. This sections is very green with laurel. I suggest taking the left fork along side the creekbed heading north. The trail continues across the plateau crossing the camp road to the north brow overlook. From here you are looking down over Trenton and can see Sand Mountain form this vantage point. Continue around the West Rim trail stopping along at he many overlooks along the way. You can look across the canyon and see the interpretive center where you parked and the confluence of the two canyons. There are some beautiful places to lunch and be amazed a God's creation. In addition to beautiful hiking and vistas there is disc golf, Tennis, cabins, fishing, & 2 caves. There is a backcountry trail with designated camping areas if you want to pack in and camp.

[blisterbob]

Lots of good info in your report.
Even tho my favorite trails are close by,
I also sometimes check out what else is out there.
bb

[Woody]

Nice report and great pics! May have to check that one out on my way through sometime.

[Rigormortis]

Went down into the canyon a couple of weeks ago, over 500 steps down felt like a 1000 steps  backup, brutal.

[weathermansam]

Went down into the canyon a couple of weeks ago, over 500 steps down felt like a 1000 steps  backup, brutal.

I tried jogging those steps back up once, talk about a mistake! 

[WolfVanZandt]

It's a gorgeous place (get it? "Gorge-eous" - uh, okay. I'll stop doing that.)

The problem is when you have to rely on the staff to keep their word. We had a cabin outing one year and noticed they had a nice group campground. On asking if there would be any shower facilities the next year, they said that they would definitely be fixing up the pool bathhouse for the group campground (the pool couldn't be repaired, they said). The next year was one of the largest camp outs I've ever hosted. I had people from all over the country attending, and what was the very first - the exact first - thing I heard as I walked up to the counter to pay for the campsites? "You know - you don't have any showers."

They wouldn't budge an inch. Not only didn't they let us have access to any bathhouse facilities - but they wouldn't let us get in the creeks. They don't want you to get off the trails.

I've run into that at several Georgia State Parks and I'll never expose my guests to such treatment again. I'm pretty committed to Alabama for camping.