First stop in the Appalachians…
…and our last stop in Alabama. We camped in Alabama’s DeSoto State Park, in Fort Payne, developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and is home to DeSoto Falls, the state’s highest waterfall (104-foot-tall). The park also borders the Little River, which flows into Little River Canyon National Preserve (#241), our reason for Camping here. Little River is unique because it flows for most of its length atop Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama. Forested uplands, waterfalls, canyon rims and bluffs, pools, boulders, and sandstone cliffs make the Preserve a special place in the Southern Appalachians.
We had 3 days to visit the State Park and the National Preserve. We saw several waterfalls, hiked several short (1.5-3 mile) trails, visited the Jacksonville State University Little River Canyon Center, the DeSoto CCC Museum & Nature Center, and drove the steep and winding Little River Canyon Rim Parkway all the way to the canyon mouth. We also visited the Old Fort Payne Cabin Site of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Fort Payne was the site of one of the Cherokee Removal Camps.
Little River Canyon, Little River Falls 
Little River Canyon, end of Little River Falls Trail 
DeSoto Falls 
DeSoto CCC Museum in original Park Entrance Lodge 
DeSoto Lodge Falls 
Little River Canyon, Wolf Creek Overlook on Canyon Rim Parkway 
Little River Canyon, Graces High Falls from Canyon Rim Parkway 
Little River Canyon, creek crossing on Powell Trail 
Little River Canyon, end of Powell Trail 
Little River Canyon, end of Powell Trail 
Little River Canyon, Congo Falls 
Little River Canyon, end of Canyon Mouth Trail 
Trail of Tears NHT-Old Fort Payne Cabin Site
Next stop, Lookout Mountain, Georgia
Second stop in the Southern Appalachians, where we’ll be visiting for the next month…Alabama thru Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to northern Virginia.
For more pictures, see (in-work) Adventure Album: Southern Appalachians
4 Comments
Gretta · March 17, 2024 at 10:22 am
Looks like Winter, thought would see foliage. You look as if you are standing in the falls. Don’t fall!
Are you heading North on the East Coast? Spring is just around the corner. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you both.
Gail · March 17, 2024 at 2:41 pm
Happy St Patty’s Day to you, too. Since it was a short trip to our new site, I had time to
get Corned Beef into our Instant Pot. Can take it out and cook the vegies in 30 minutes.
Yes we are heading north, but up the Appalachians, not on the coast. Will have 10 days
with Mark’s kids/grandkids the end of April, then fly home to Washington for 6 weeks.
When we get back, it’s 2 weeks in NJ, 10 days in Sturbridge and 10 days back in NJ
before we take off north in mid July for the Great Lakes.
As for spring in the mountains of Alabama…it is starting. Look again. There are some
Purple blossoms in the Wolf Creek Overlook picture!
Jeri · March 17, 2024 at 4:19 pm
GREAT PICTURES THE FALLS REMIND ME OF OHIO PYLE IN WESTERN PA.
Gail · March 22, 2024 at 5:10 am
I said the same thing to Mark!