talladega national forest

I went to Coleman Lake in the Talladega National Forest to do some birding, as it had been recommended in a guide book as a "must see" for birders in Alabama. I found the place was very hard to find. The Talladega National Forest website did not have useful directions for my GPS. The best directions I found were on a birding website. Once I got to Coleman Lake (after driving through the hinterlands of Talladega County), I was displeased to find no trail maps at the three places at which that I stopped (and where there clearly were trails). I also did not see any trail maps on the website. As for the birding, I was there for one and one-half hours and, incredibly, saw only four birds. Perhaps it was not a good time of year for birding. There are camping facilities in the area. As for the amenities by Coleman Lake, there are some picnic spots, no running water, and outhouses. This large forest could be a real gem if someone took the time to make it user friendly.