Paradise Found
By BethSnipes
Don't you wish your backyard looked like
Chewacla State Park? Imagine, you wake every
morning and watch the sun rise over acres and
acres of lush woods and wildfl owers. A turkey
strolls by and gobbles a morning greeting
while the music of a waterfall plays in the
background. You grab a fi shing pole and head
to your lake to catch breakfast. The fish are
happy to see you and jump on your line, one
after the other, because it's a perfect morning.
Disney couldn't do better.
OK, so this might not be your backyard
but it is Lee County's. Nestled four miles south
of Auburn, just off interstate exit 51, is one of
prettiest of Alabama's 22 state parks. "Building
a park" may seem an odd way to explain it but
Chewacla is more than just a pretty piece of
property. Nature provided the setting but roads
and cabins were added so visitors would drive
in a stay awhile. It was a big job that landed
on the strong shoulders of the Civilian Conservation
Corps, an army run work relief program
established as part of Franklin Roosevelt's
"New Deal". The goal of the CCC program
was to put unemployed young men to work in
a time when little could be found. It was 1935,
in the midst of The Great Depression, that the
CCC started work on the property known then
as Wright's Mill and what is now our state
park.
The Civilian Conservation Corps, established
to fi ght poverty and preserve natural
resources, was one of Roosevelt's most popular
New Deal programs. Corps members earned a
living and learned skills from local experts and
communities were benefi ciaries of their work.
It was "on the job training" at a new level.
These young men learned to build and did so
with impressive results. The next time you visit
the park, take a close look at the buildings and
you'll appreciate their style and craftsmanship
even more knowing their beginnings.
Today, Chewacla State Park is 696 acres
of relaxation. Trails and creeks wind through
the woods and circle the twenty six acre lake.
Swimming, fi shing and hiking are on the
agenda but so are sitting and enjoying. Cabins,
camp grounds and picnic pavilions invite you
to spend the day or a week.
There's a lot to do so don't let living
nearby stop you from spending a weekend
in the park. It's a great get-a-way without
a long drive. There are six cabins tucked in
the woods near the lake, thirty six tent and
trailer campsites and, if you'd rather rough it,
primitive sites are waiting for you. Once you're
tent is up, your camper parked or your bags
unpacked, it's time to get going.
The park is open year round so you
can take to the one of the eight trails in any
season. They come in all shapes and challenges
to match your mood. For a leisurely walk,
take the Sweet Shrub Trail or for more of a
challenge try the Deer Rub or Mountain Bike
Trails for a good work-out. If you'd like an extra
reward for your hiking, The Mountain Laurel
Trail is the one to pick. You'll meander through
the woods, down a hill and land by Chewacla
Falls, a beautiful spot to rest before continuing
along the lake.
Rather be fi shing? Bring your pole because
big mouth bass, catfi sh and other local
game fi sh are vying for the title of "the big one
that got away." Or if your favorite water fun is
swimming, a lakeside beach is open all summer.
Be aware though, no lifeguards are on
duty so come knowing you are on your own.
If you'd rather stop and smell the wildfl owers
and enjoy the birds, one of the park's pavilions
is a perfect headquarters.
We have to face it, our yards will never
come close to Chewacla State Park's countryside
but they don't have to. Before disbanding
in 1942, The Civilian Conservation Corps gave
us a present. It built a park for us and gave Lee
County a show-stopping backyard.
Beth Snipes is a freelance writer living in Auburn. She can be reached at bsnipesatl@mindspring.com.
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