Little River Canyon: A first-time visitor’s sightseeing guide
This captivating wild-river area is easy to experience thanks to the curvy parkway that takes you right up to numerous scenic overlooks and other points of interest
As it is with most natural wonders and public recreation areas, there are a slew of outdoor activities that can be undertaken at the Little River Canyon National Preserve. Known for its views, sightseeing is perhaps the most common activity. But hiking, outdoor photography, rappelling, fishing, bird watching and similar pursuits are also enjoyed by visitors practically every day. Adventurers who enjoy whitewater kayaking are often found heading downstream when the river in the gorge is suitable.
You can divide the national preserve into three parts: the gorge, the backcountry and the mouth park. The backcountry is a densely forested area of about 8,000 acres found upstream from the gorge. The mouth park, located where the river exits the gorge in the valley before it empties into the Coosa River at Weiss Lake, is a place where people enjoy picnics, swimming and exploring the river.
Due to it’s easy to get to location, the 11-mile long gorge has the most visitors. It’s possible to see the most-popular sights in two hours or less. A good number of visitors only experience the Little River Falls area, not realizing what they’re missing by not spending more time checking out the sights along Little River Canyon Rim Parkway (Hwy. 176). Over a half dozen not-to-be-missed wild-river views await you without having to go far from your vehicle. The parkway is literally only yards away from most of them.
Keep scrolling for info that can help you make the most of your trip to the canyon.
Download the map:
The Canyon Center and Little River Falls at Alabama Hwy. 35 is a good starting point
The JSU Little River Canyon Center is a good place to park if you would like to hike down the boardwalk trail to a viewing deck on the Hwy. 35 bridge. if you are there during their business hours, you can also enjoy their gift shop, natural history library and exhibits. The larger Little River Falls parking lot (map) is across the bridge and the highway.
Google map to Canyon Center
The Rim Parkway (map) is across from the Canyon Center entrance. It’s hilly and curvy like a roller coaster, and the park rangers enforce the speed limit. Along the first 12 miles, you’ll discover that the views get better and better as the canyon get deeper and deeper. Each overlook has a gravel parking area. Rock-and-pole fences are found at many bluff edges designed to keep visitors safe.
The Little River Falls overlook is first — only 0.42 mile down the parkway. You’ll get a nice view of the falls from a viewing deck. (map)
Lynn Overlook (map)
Next, Lynn Overlook is 0.77 mile down the parkway. The view is about 200 feet above the river. The whitewater rapids known as the Suicide section are almost directly below this point, and the Beaver Pond Trail is across the street. Just past this overlook is a good place to take a short, steep hike down to the river.
The big boulder in the parkway (map)
When you start back down the parkway, go 0.87 mile to the next landmark, the Umbrella Rock, a big rock formation on a steep hill in the middle of the road. Some maps or websites call it Needle Rock or Mushroom Rock. There’s also some other massive boulders here that are worth checking out.
Lower Two-Mile Trail and Hawk’s Glide
Hit the road again and go another mile, and, if you’re watching for it, you’ll see a sign for the Lower Two-Mile Trail and a small dirt parking area (map). Don’t stop unless you want to hike. See my canyon hiking article for details about this and other trails. From the Lower Two-Mile Trail sign, it’s 0.74 mile to Hawk’s Glide overlook (map). From Hawk’s Glide, expect to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the water which will be about 300 feet below you. But, the best is yet to come.
Canyon View and Wolf Creek overlooks
It’s only another 0.71 miles to the Canyon View overlook (map). If you walk over to the overlook ledge you can see the Wolf Creek Overlook to your right. The views are unforgettable, so have your camera ready. If you were a bird, you could fly about 800 feet to get from one overlook to the other. But since you’re only a human in a car, it’s a hilly, curvy 5,000 feet via the parkway.
Wolf Creek flows down a narrow ravine that separates these two overlooks. There’s not really a trail, but it’s a good place to take a two- or three-hour hike to the river and back. There are some amazing cascades and small waterfalls that most people don’t even know about.
Crow Point (map)
You’ll understand why it’s called the Rim Parkway while you’re on the 0.97 mile section of road between the Wolf Creek Overlook and the Crow Point Overlook. The road is near the canyon’s edge, and I’m sure the views from a car or motorcycle make a lot of people nervous.
SEE ALSO, ENCHANTED PLACES: LITTLE RIVER CANYON’ TOP HIDDEN WONDERS
If you could only visit one overlook, Crow Point would be a good choice. It’s only 6.5 miles from Hwy. 35. Park near the sign, walk down the hill to the overlook, and you’ll find yourself standing on top of a sheer rock cliff about 400 feet above the river.
Bear Creek flows between Crow Point and Eberhart Point. Fun fact: It’s only 845 feet between these two overlooks for a bird, but it’s five miles via the parkway.
Graces High Falls overlook (map)
Before completing the five miles from Crow Point to Eberhart Point, you’ll want to stop at the Graces High Falls overlook unless you’re visiting during a dry spell. There will probably be no falls to see if it has been dry. But it’s a nice sight if there is a good flow of water.
The overlook has a small parking area on the road’s edge, and a nice viewing deck. It’s 0.39 mile from Crow Point.
Eberhart Point (map)
Two overlooks provide great views of the river and of Crow Point’s vertical rock cliff.
The rim parkway continues just south of Eberhart Point at County Rd. 148, but there are not any more overlooks to visit.
There was an amusement park near Eberhart Point back in the late ‘60s to early ‘70s. It had a chairlift that took people from the top of the gorge to the river’s edge. There was a road that was built to service the chairlift, and you can hike the same path today. The hike is about 0.75 mile one-way. It’s steep with a grade of over 20 percent in a couple of spots, so it’s difficult for a short hike.
Ranking the overlooks
If you don’t have time for a two- or three hour tour, but you want to see the best parts of the gorge, the best way to shorten your visit would be to stop at fewer overlooks. This ranking may help you decide which ones you can and cannot skip:
1. Crow Point
1. Eberhart Point (tie)
3. Little River Falls boardwalk trail viewing deck
4. Wolf Creek overlook
5. Canyon Overlook
6. Grace High Falls overlook
7. Lynn Overlook
8. Little River Falls overlook
9. Hawk's Glide overlook
More than sightseeing
If you plan to do more than sightsee, there’s a lot of ways to extend your adventure.
Mountain biking and horseback riding are allowed in the backcountry area.
A local adventure company, True Adventure Sports, is located between Dogtown and the Eberhart Point part of the canyon. They offer group rappelling, kayaking, caving, zip-lining and other outdoor activities, some of which take place at Little River Canyon National Preserve.
Due to the difficult terrain, the canyon section of the preserve has very few officially named trails for a land area of its size. For hikes over two miles, walking the rocky riverbed and fighting your way through riverside rhododendron and other bushes is necessary.
CAUTION: Remember that cliffs, rivers, waterfalls, creeks, boulders and forested areas can be dangerous. Flash flooding is relatively common in many places in the preserve. Stay away from the riverbed following very heavy rainfall like is common with tropical storms.
Please note that Little River Canyon’s rapids are not beginner-friendly. In fact, under many conditions, the higher-rated rapids like the Suicide Rapids, Humpty Dumpty Rapids and Bottleneck Rapids should only be attempted by seasoned whitewater enthusiasts.
Expect to see wildlife. Naturally, animals that are common in this region are common at the preserve. You will likely see a lot of birds and small mammals on any visit. At times, vultures seem to be everywhere.
Vultures enjoying the view at the Wolf Creek Overlook
More information
Found just a few miles outside the city of Fort Payne, the canyon was designated a State Wild and Scenic River by the Alabama legislature in 1969, and was looked after by nearby DeSoto State Park until it became a national preserve in 1992.
Little River Canyon National Preserve contains over 15,000 acres. The river is now also designated as a National Wild and Scenic River. Snaking from north to south, Little River travels most of its length atop the plateau known as Lookout Mountain. A few creeks, including Yellow Creek, Wolf Creek, Bear Creek and Johnnies Creek, feed into it along the way. The river forms the boundary between two Alabama counties: DeKalb and Cherokee.
Canyon Mouth Park has picnic areas, a soccer field, easy river access, a new playground and more. There is a day use fee at this area. It’s the only place in the preserve where that is true. Access to all other areas is free.
Other articles:
My favorite Little River Canyon hikes
Enchanted places: Little River Canyon’s top hidden wonders
Other resources: