Alabama’s Talladega National Forest Expanded

Along the southern boundary of Alabama’s Talladega National Forest, nearly 1,500 acres of forestland sat at risk — a gap in the landscape that left wildlife habitat fragmented, public access incomplete, and one of the state’s most beloved outdoor destinations vulnerable. 

The Conservation Fund is pleased to announce that we have permanently protected those lands, conveying them to the U.S. Forest Service and closing a critical gap in a forest that generations of Alabamians have hunted, hiked, and called their own. 

Talladega National Forest in Alabama Grows — and So Does Public Access 

Without intervention, these 1,446 acres in Clay County faced an uncertain future. Now they are permanently part of the Talladega National Forest. The land will be managed in part through the Hollins Wildlife Management Area, one of Alabama’s premier destinations for deer and turkey hunting. 

For the hunters, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts who love this landscape, the impact is tangible. This project expands public access to lands that were previously unavailable, strengthens the trail experience along the Pinhoti Trail — a southern extension of the Appalachian Trail — and ensures that the scenic views, wildlife, and sense of wildness that define this corner of Alabama remain intact.