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Little River Canyon National Preserve
Little River flows for most of
its length atop Lookout Mountain
in northeast Alabama. Over time,
the river has cut one of the deepest
gorges in the East. The river and
canyon systems offer great RVing
and spectacular Appalachian Plateau
landscapes any season of the year.
But just after a rain is the best
time to see the waterfalls at their
best. Forested uplands, waterfalls,
canyon rims and bluffs, stream riffles
and pools, boulders, and sandstone
cliffs offer settings for a variety
of recreational activities.
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Grace's
High Falls is a beautiful
seasonal waterfall.
The falls often runs
dry in summer.
(Photo,
courtesy Joel Raeber.)
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Little River Canyon National
Preserve was established in 1992.
The difference between a “National
Park” and a “National Preserve”
is that a preserve offers hunting
and direct resource manipulation,
whereas a park does not. The Preserve
has a Backcountry Area (Wildlife
Management area), consisting of
approximately 8,000 acres located
north of the canyon, that allows
hunting and trapping.
While there are no RV camping
facilities in Little River Canyon
Preserve, DeSoto State Park, located
within the boundaries of the preserve,
has campgrounds, a lodge, restaurant,
nature center, country store and
a gift shop. There are three primitive
campsites located in the Backcountry
Area of Little River Canyon Preserve
(not the canyon). The campsites
are open February 1 through September
30 (when gun hunting is closed).
All three of the campsites are located
near the river and accommodate one
group per site. There is no charge
for camping at the primitive sites.
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Little
River Falls is located
by the bridge on Highway
35. A trail leads down
to the overlook of the
45-foot waterfall.
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Visitors can take a scenic 23-mile
drive following Highway 176 along
the canyon rim. There are eight
overlooks along the drive, which
afford spectacular views to the
canyon below. Little River Falls
and Canyon Mouth Day Use Areas are
available for picnicking and recreation.
Before venturing down the scenic
drive, make your first stop at Little
River Falls, located by the bridge
on Highway 35. There is a parking
lot, picnic tables, barbecue grills
and a rest room. A trail leads down
to the overlook of the 45-foot waterfall.
The water is swift over the falls
and the rocks are slippery. Hiking
down below the falls to swim can
also be hazardous due to unstable
rocks. Visitors swim at their own
risk. Fishing is allowed anywhere
on the river inside the preserve
if you have an Alabama fishing license.
After the falls, the first overlook
on Highway 176 is Little River Falls
Overlook, which gives you a different
perspective of the falls. Mushroom
Rock, a natural rock formation found
in the middle of Highway 176, is
a favorite photo opportunity. The
rock is shaped like a giant mushroom.
Grace's High Falls is a beautiful
seasonal waterfall. Fall, winter
and spring are the best times to
view the falls, which often runs
dry in summer.
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Mushroom
Rock is a natural rock
formation found along
the scenic drive in
the middle of Highway
176.
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Canyon Mouth Day Use Area is
a favorite area for families. There
is a restroom with running water,
a covered picnic area, picnic tables,
barbecue grills, a beach area and
a nice trail. The water is crystal
clear and is a great place to cool
off in the water. The boulders at
the end of the mile-long trail are
a great place to sit and have lunch
while the water sprays you with
a fine cooling mist.
The Wildlife Management Area
within the preserve has approximately
19 miles of multi-use trails for
all terrain vehicles (ATVs), and
horseback riders are allowed to
use the same trails. A free permit
issued by the Preserve is required
for ATV use. These are popular multi-use
trails so visitors may encounter
4-wheel drive vehicles, bicycles,
dirt bikes, horses, ATVs or people
walking.
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Little
River Canyon is one
of the deepest gorges
in the East.
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The Preserve offers exceptional
opportunities for whitewater kayaking/canoeing,
photography, rock climbing, horseback
riding, fishing, hunting, hiking,
picnicking or just enjoying the
outdoors. Photography and sightseeing
from the overlooks located along
the Canyon Rim Parkway are the most
popular activities. Picnicking,
hiking, wading, class III+ to a
VI white water paddling (recommended
only for experts), canoeing, mountain
bike riding, horse back riding (you
bring the horse), and rock climbing
(sheer cliffs) are also popular
activities. Hunting, fishing and
trapping are permitted in designated
areas.
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