Anniston Area
Anniston is a town in east-central Alabama that is located on the slopes of Blue Mountain. Anniston is the gateway to the Talladega National Forest, surrounded by it on three sides. In the mid-1800s, Anniston was a fairly important location, where there was, at the time, an iron furnace that was operated by the Confederacy. The furnace was destroyed during the Civil War. In 1872, the iron furnace was rebuilt on a much grander scale, and the Woodstock Iron Company was formed. The town continues to grow because of the iron and steel. Later, at the beginning of World War I, a military training camp called Fort McClellan was formed near Anniston. Today, both Fort McClellan and the town of Anniston are fairly large.
Most of Anniston is spread across a valley, with mountains to the north, east, and south. These are not very high mountains, compared to other states in the Southeast, but for Alabama, this is rather high. To the south, the Talladega Skyway travels the highest mountain ridge in Alabama, passing Alabama's high point, Cheaha Mountain (2413 feet). Cheaha Mountain is encompassed by Cheaha Resort State Park, complete with a lodge that faces a westward view. The Talladega Ranger District of Talladega National Forest surrounds the state park. To the south of the state park is the Cheaha Wilderness area, one of the most pristine locations in Alabama where a number of trails pass spectacular vistas of the Talladega chain. The Pinhoti Trail passes through the forest - its southern terminus is on the southwest end of the forest near the town of Sylacauga. On the north and east sides of Anniston, north of I-20, is the Shoal Creek Ranger District of Talladega National Forest. The mountains are lower here, and clear streams bisect the rolling hills. Dugger Mountain Wilderness and its namesake mountain form the centerpiece of the ranger district. Just outside of the Anniston city limits, the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge protects a large growth of longleaf pines on territory that used to be part of Fort McClellan. The refuge has a number of service roads that are open to hiking, where the longleaf pine forest is showcased.
Most of Anniston is spread across a valley, with mountains to the north, east, and south. These are not very high mountains, compared to other states in the Southeast, but for Alabama, this is rather high. To the south, the Talladega Skyway travels the highest mountain ridge in Alabama, passing Alabama's high point, Cheaha Mountain (2413 feet). Cheaha Mountain is encompassed by Cheaha Resort State Park, complete with a lodge that faces a westward view. The Talladega Ranger District of Talladega National Forest surrounds the state park. To the south of the state park is the Cheaha Wilderness area, one of the most pristine locations in Alabama where a number of trails pass spectacular vistas of the Talladega chain. The Pinhoti Trail passes through the forest - its southern terminus is on the southwest end of the forest near the town of Sylacauga. On the north and east sides of Anniston, north of I-20, is the Shoal Creek Ranger District of Talladega National Forest. The mountains are lower here, and clear streams bisect the rolling hills. Dugger Mountain Wilderness and its namesake mountain form the centerpiece of the ranger district. Just outside of the Anniston city limits, the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge protects a large growth of longleaf pines on territory that used to be part of Fort McClellan. The refuge has a number of service roads that are open to hiking, where the longleaf pine forest is showcased.