The Talladega National Forest is located in the U.S. state of Alabama and covers 392,567 acres (613.39 sq mi, or 1,588.66 km2) at the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountains.

[2] Before it was bought by the federal government in the 1930s, the area that composes the Talladega was extensively logged and represented some of the most abused, eroded wastelands in all of Alabama.

The tiny 7,400 acre (30 km2) Cheaha Wilderness preserves a portion of this natural wealth on Talladega Mountain.

Talladega National Forest is home to several threatened, endangered, and sensitive species including the seepage salamander, eastern spotted skunk, and the red-cockaded woodpecker.

In descending order of forest land area they are Cleburne, Clay, Bibb, Talladega, Perry, Hale, Calhoun, Chilton, Tuscaloosa, Cherokee, and Dallas counties.