There are several ways to get to the top of Cheaha Mountain and the highest point in Alabama. The longest version is 1 mile out and back along the Lake Trail. The shortest version is a drive up on park roads to the stone observation tower marking the highpoint. Almost all fitness levels can access this state highpoint.

Cleburne County, Alabama, U.S. Cheaha Mountain /ˈtʃiːhɔː/, often called Mount Cheaha, is the highest natural point in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located a few miles northwest of the town of Delta in Cheaha State Park, which offers a lodge, a restaurant, and other amenities.

Cheaha Lake is open from March 1 to December 1 (closes for winter).

While it is possible to reach the top of Cheaha Mountain by driving up the Talladega Scenic Byway and Bunker Loop, that takes much of the adventure out of it. If you’re able, make the hike to the summit.

Day use visitors to Cheaha State Park are welcome to swim at Cheaha Lake Day Use Area but the pool is reserved for overnight guest use only. (Park Admission Fees: $5 per person; $2 per child/ senior; free for Veterans/ Military with ID.)

2,411′

Cheaha State Park, located in north-central Alabama, was first opened to the public in 1933 and is Alabama’s oldest continuously operating state park. Surrounded by the Talladega National Forest in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the park’s 2,799 acres straddle the border between Clay and Cleburne Counties.

Highest and Lowest Elevations

Acute mountain sickness is not fatal and therefore not encountered by medical examiner/coroner systems. High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and high altitude cerebral edema (HACE) are fatal if not treated promptly.

“One of the main reasons many people often don’t sleep well at altitude is because when you go to altitude your body goes through a variety of adaptations as it’s trying to make up for the lack of oxygen,” says Larry Kutt, CEO of Altitude Control Technologies.

Dehydration decreases the body’s ability to acclimatize to higher altitudes. If you are a regular coffee drinker, make sure that you have caffeine prior to climbing. The effects of caffeine withdrawal mimic the effects of altitude sickness, and are alleviated by caffeine.

You will feel your respiration rate going up and your body will lose water much faster than it would at sea level – even if you are not physically active. This is why drinking water at high altitude is so important. When your body is working harder, and you are breathing harder, your body will also use up more water.

Up in Summit, oxygen saturation is around 92%. Visitors coming to Summit from sea level might see their oxygen saturation drop to around 88% or lower before reaching levels typical at this elevation.

Use pressure breathing to release CO2. Pressure breathing can help you remove greater amounts of CO2 as you exhale. When you remove more CO2, you provide a better environment for oxygen exchange within your lungs which results in better oxygen supply for your body.

Clinical Significance High altitudes can cause low oxygen saturation levels or desaturation of an individual’s blood. It happens because of low atmospheric pressure at high altitudes. Oxygen saturation levels refer to the extent hemoglobin is bound or saturated to oxygen.

As altitude increases, the amount of gas molecules in the air decreases—the air becomes less dense than air nearer to sea level. The human body reacts to high altitudes. Decreased air pressure means that less oxygen is available for breathing.

When you’re mountain climbing, hiking, driving, or doing any other activity at a high altitude, your body may not get enough oxygen. The lack of oxygen can cause altitude sickness. Altitude sickness generally occurs at altitudes of 8,000 feet and above. People who aren’t accustomed to these heights are most vulnerable.

Normal levels of arterial blood oxygen are between 75 and 100 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). An oxygen level of 60 mmHg or lower indicates the need for supplemental oxygen. Too much oxygen can be dangerous as well, and can damage the cells in your lungs. Your oxygen level should not go above 110 mmHg.

Hypoxico Altitude To Oxygen Chart