Leave Birmingham by 7:30 AM, take I-20 East to Exit 191, and let the 2026 Subaru Outback carry you up Alabama Highway 281 into the most concentrated fall color anywhere in the state. Hit Bald Rock Boardwalk first while the light is low and the lot is empty, then walk the 61 steps up the Bunker Observation Tower before the summit crowd arrives. You'll see why October is when Alabama earns it.
What's the Plan at a Glance?
| Stop | What to Do | Best Time | Parking Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bald Rock Boardwalk | Accessible boardwalk walk to a wide open ridgeline overlook | Early morning (7:30-9 AM) | Small lot by the Bald Rock Group Lodge; fills quickly on peak weekends |
| Bunker Observation Tower / Summit | Climb 61 steps to Alabama's highest point at 2,407 feet | Before 10 AM | Summit lot fills by 10 AM on fall weekends; arrive early |
| Pulpit Rock Trail | Short but moderately demanding hike (under 1 mile roundtrip) to a cliff overlook | Mid-morning, after summit | Roadside pull-off parking; very small, walk from the main area if full |
| Cheaha Lake | Flat walk around the lake, good for dogs and kids after the hikes | Midday | Turnipseed Campground lot; more space than the summit area |
Bald Rock and the Summit: Two Stops, One Mountain
Cheaha hands you two completely different overlook experiences on the same mountain, and the smart move is to pair them in one morning rather than choose between them, because each rewards a different pace and a different kind of visitor. The Bald Rock Boardwalk is accessible and gentle, while the Bunker Tower sits at the official state high point of 2,413 feet. Don't treat them as the same stop.
The surface is paved and wide, and in mid-to-late October the view across the Talladega ridgeline is open in every direction. Red maples, hickories, sweetgums, and oaks paint the slopes in crimson, gold, and amber from late October through early November. Go here first, while the early light still comes in low and you'll still find room in the lot. Then drive to the summit.
The 2026 Forester handles the switchbacks on Highway 281 exactly as you'd expect. Subaru's standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive keeps all four wheels pulling through the elevation changes, and the 8.7 inches of ground clearance Subaru lists means the occasional rough patch at a trailhead pull-off isn't something you think twice about.
Inside the stone structure that marks Alabama's highest point, you count 61 steps to the top of the Bunker Observation Tower. It's a small task. The bragging right is not small. Arrive early on fall weekends, because parking at the summit fills by 10 AM during peak color. We're not overstating that. Pull up at 10:30 on a Saturday in late October, and you're parking down the road and walking.
Insider note: Fall foliage at Cheaha peaks late October through early November. Chalets, cabins, and campsites are the core overnight stays, and mountain-top lodging books ahead fast for fall weekends. If you want to stay overnight, contact the park well in advance. Day-tripping from Birmingham is absolutely doable. Just leave early.
The Drive Up: Highway 281 Is Half the Trip
From Birmingham, take I-20 East to Exit 191, then follow Highway 281 South approximately 18 miles to the park entrance, and you'll spend half the trip enjoying the road itself rather than just getting there. That 18-mile stretch on Alabama Highway 281 is the Talladega Scenic Drive. Known as Talladega Scenic Drive, Alabama State Route 281 travels a 26-mile course through Talladega National Forest and Cheaha State Park. A two-lane mountain highway, it climbs through switchbacks and elevation gain. The surface is paved and well-maintained, and the park itself recommends it as the primary approach from Birmingham. The park recommends this route from the north as a well-maintained, wide highway.
The Outback is a natural fit for this kind of drive. The standard 2026 Outback carries 8.7 inches of ground clearance, as Subaru rates it, and the Wilderness trim steps up to 9.5 inches if you're planning to add unpaved Forest Service roads to the itinerary. An X-Mode button on the steering wheel activates a low-speed off-road mode that adjusts engine response, shifting, traction control, and more for challenging terrain. On Highway 281 proper you won't need it. But on the National Forest trails next to the park, it's a real tool, not a marketing feature.
The Outback is longer than the Forester. You'll find the tighter cabin areas and some small trailhead pull-offs easier to handle in the Forester.
If your group is two adults with a dog and gear for a day hike, you'll be fine in either vehicle. Families with three kids and weekend luggage will find the Outback's additional cargo depth earns its keep.
Next step: Check the Cheaha State Park website, alapark.com, for current day-use admission rates and any ongoing construction updates near the summit trailhead before you go. Cell signal in the park is limited, so download your maps offline.
Which Subaru Makes the Most Sense for This Trip?
Both the Forester and the Outback suit Cheaha well, so the choice comes down to what you're loading rather than whether either can make the climb. A fair question before this trip is which one fits your group, and we'll be direct about it. The difference is what you're loading.
Subaru puts the 2026 Forester at up to 74.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and its upright roofline means you'll load gear through the rear gate easily. An extra-wide rear gate opening makes it easy to load gear, and with up to 74.4 cubic feet of cargo space, you can fit more in a Forester than the Toyota RAV4 or Mazda CX-5. For a day hike with packs, coolers, and a dog crate, it loads efficiently.
The 2026 Outback is longer and slightly lower to the ground on standard trims (8.7 inches versus the Forester's matching 8.7 on standard trims), but its Wilderness trim pushes to 9.5 inches with all-terrain tires. The Outback Wilderness features a standard 260-horsepower direct-injection turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine that delivers 277 pound-feet of torque and 3,500 pounds of towing capacity. Towing a small trailer with bikes or a kayak to Cheaha Lake? The Outback Wilderness is the one you'll want to look at. Both models carry standard EyeSight driver assist technology, which keeps pre-collision braking active on the drive east through Irondale and out I-20 before you hit the forest roads.
We'd weigh it this way. The Forester is slightly easier to thread into small trailhead lots, and the Outback hauls more on longer, gear-heavy trips. Both share the legendary all-weather traction of standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, at least 8.7 inches of ground clearance, and the confidence of advanced Subaru safety features, as Subaru reports them. Neither is the wrong call for this mountain.
Pack List and Practical Notes Before You Leave Grants Mill Road
Cheaha sits about an hour and a half from Birmingham on a good day, which is short enough to underestimate and long enough that a little prep pays off before you leave Grants Mill Road. We'd pack the way we'd tell a friend to pack.
- Offline maps. Cell signal is unreliable inside the park. Download the trail maps from AllTrails or the park's own PDF before you leave Birmingham.
- Layers. Fall temperatures at Cheaha run 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit, with clear skies and peak crowds from October through November. Morning at 2,407 feet runs noticeably cooler than it was when you left Birmingham. Bring a real jacket, not just a hoodie.
- Early arrival. The summit lot and the Bald Rock lot both fill fast on fall weekends. Reservations are highly recommended as spots fill quickly, especially on weekends. For day use, that means wheels on Highway 281 by 8 AM at the latest on a Saturday.
- Dog-friendly trails. Yes, dogs are welcome on most trails. Keep them leashed and bring water. The lake area after the hikes is an easy flat walk that dogs handle well.
- A day-use fee is charged at the gate. The amount is small for adults, and you'll want to check the park's website for the current schedule since these amounts can change. Have cash or card ready.
- The new lodge is coming. A new lodge is replacing the old hotel with about 32 guest units across three towers. Opening timing is still settling as of fall 2026. Verify with the park directly before counting on it for an overnight.
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