Heflin offers a range of reasons to stay: a longer hiking route, activities on the water and insights into the city’s history. When planning, it’s worth first deciding what you want to focus on. The Heflin Spur connects a trail through Cahulga Creek Park with the historic center; other activities take center stage at the lake.
Follow the Heflin Spur to the historic center
The Heflin Spur is a 3.5-mile extension of the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail. Its trailhead is at Heflin City Hall. From there, the trail passes through Cahulga Creek Park and continues to the historic center of Heflin. Rocky Creek Waterfall is one of the Spur’s featured destinations. This route brings together a nature trail, a waterfall and the city center without requiring any additional legs to be assumed.
Those interested in the city’s history will find a historic courthouse in Heflin, built in 1906. A scenic route also passes through the historic center; it’s a separate way to experience this part of the city. The Heflin Spur and this route should not be confused: the Spur is described as starting at City Hall and passing through the park to the center.
Cahulga Creek Park: Trails and Water
Cahulga Creek Park is in Heflin and covers 176 acres. Its facilities include the Passport to Fitness Trail, a fishing pier, a picnic pavilion, an outdoor classroom, public restrooms and a boat ramp. The park therefore offers a variety of ways to spend time there: a trail, fishing opportunities and facilities for enjoying the outdoors. You can choose which ones will shape your day based on your interests.
Boats without gasoline engines are permitted on the lake for fishing, kayaking, canoeing and leisurely boating. The restriction to boats without gasoline engines applies to use of the lake. In summer, Northern Rough-winged Swallows can occasionally be spotted over the water. If you’re planning a visit to the lake, you can choose between activities on the water and a seasonal nature-watching opportunity.
The Lake Point Disc Golf Course also starts at the Cahulga Creek Dam. The course has 20 holes. This gives Heflin another specific outdoor recreation option alongside the Heflin Spur and the Passport to Fitness Trail; the number of holes clearly distinguishes this course from a walking or hiking trail.
More Outdoor Activities
The Heflin Community Archery Park has target facilities for adults and young people, a raised platform for hunting-style archery, and a 10-target course. The Kayak Adventure Camp is offered by Heflin Parks and Recreation as part of its year-round programs. The two activities have different focuses: archery takes place at the described target facilities, while the camp features kayaking.
At Bennett Farms, the listed attractions include a hayride to a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, a hay bale maze and a corn pit. The patch’s pumpkins are grown from seeds planted entirely by hand. Before visiting, check whether the hayride and other attractions will be available on your travel dates.
Culture in the Cityscape
The iHeartHeflin Amphitheater mural is at the city amphitheater. A large chalkboard for visitors and the community is right next to it. Together with the historic courthouse and the route through the historic center, the mural offers another cultural point of interest in Heflin. These places are distinct in nature: the courthouse has a construction date, while the mural is part of the amphitheater setting.
When deciding on your trip, you can choose based on the kind of day you want: the Heflin Spur passes through the park and continues to the historic center, the lake offers boating in vessels without gasoline engines and occasional summer wildlife sightings, and other activities range from disc golf to archery. If you’d like to include culture, you can also consider the city’s historic and artistic points of interest.
For the broader travel overview: Cleburne.
