Motorcycle Ride Planner · Routes · United States
Cheaha Mountain Skyway & Talladega Scenic Drive (AL-281)
United States · AL-281
Alabama's highest mountain highway follows the Talladega Scenic Drive (AL-281) along the spine of the Talladega Mountains to Cheaha State Park, culminating at Bunker Tower on Mount Cheaha (2,407 ft, the highest point in Alabama). The route features rolling ridgetop sweepers, technical climbs through longleaf pine and hardwood forests, and panoramic overlooks extending 40 miles across the Coosa River valley. At Adams Gap, the pavement ends and connects directly into rugged USFS off-road dual-sport trails.
Cheaha Mountain Skyway & Talladega Scenic Drive (AL-281) runs 36 miles between Heflin / US-78, AL and Cheaha State Park / Adams Gap, AL. We count about 145 corners along it, which is consistently bendy. Committed riding: real corners, real consequences.
Tank-bag quick reference
- StartHeflin / US-78, AL33.6498, -85.5869
- High750 ft - 2,407 ftelevation range
- EndCheaha State Park / Adams Gap, AL33.4862, -85.8089
T-CLOCS before you go: tyres and wheels, controls and cables, lights and electrics, oil and fluids, chassis and stand.
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Questions riders ask
- How long does Cheaha Mountain Skyway & Talladega Scenic Drive (AL-281) take to ride?
- About 36 miles. At an unhurried pace with stops that is roughly 1 hour of riding, longer if you are stopping for photographs.
- Where does Cheaha Mountain Skyway & Talladega Scenic Drive (AL-281) start and end?
- It runs between Heflin / US-78, AL and Cheaha State Park / Adams Gap, AL. Either end works as a start; the route reads the same in both directions.
- Is Cheaha Mountain Skyway & Talladega Scenic Drive (AL-281) a twisty road?
- We count about 145 corners across 36 miles, which is consistently bendy.
- Is there a GPX file for Cheaha Mountain Skyway & Talladega Scenic Drive (AL-281)?
- Yes. The GPX is free, there is no account, and the planner will build a route that includes this road alongside others nearby.
Where these numbers come from
Distances and corner counts come from the route's own geometry, not from ratings or votes. Nothing here is crowdsourced and nobody paid to appear.