Little River Canyon National Preserve
Little River Canyon National Preserve is a U.S. National Preserve on Lookout Mountain, near Fort Payne, Alabama. It was created in 1992 and covers about 15,288 acres (61.87 square kilometers). The preserve protects what some call the nation’s longest mountaintop river—the Little River.
The Little River flows along the middle of Lookout Mountain for most of its length. It begins in Georgia, carves a deep canyon as it travels, and ends at Weiss Lake near Leesburg, Alabama. The river’s main stem is formed by the confluence of the East Fork (17 miles) and the West Fork (25 miles). The river then travels about 23 miles through the canyon to Weiss Lake.
Sandstone cliffs rise up to 600 feet (180 meters) above the canyon floor. The 23-mile Little River Canyon Rim Parkway offers scenic views along the canyon’s western rim. A later addition to the area, Eberhart Point, is a good place to descend toward the canyon bottom.
The preserve features three major waterfalls: DeSoto Falls, Little River Falls at the canyon’s start, and Grace’s High Falls, which drops 133 feet (41 meters) and is Alabama’s highest waterfall. The canyon’s bottom can be reached by a roughly eight-mile, uneven trail from Eberhart Point. Going upstream is more difficult and best saved for experienced hikers. The river is popular with experienced whitewater paddlers who may carry their boats down to Pine Tree Hole.
Camping is not allowed in the canyon. There are few National Park Service facilities inside the preserve, but DeSoto State Park is located within the boundaries and offers a lodge, restaurant, and several campgrounds. A day-use area near the canyon mouth provides areas for picnics and swimming.
The area has seen little new land acquisition since the New Deal era and faces encroachment from development around the canyon. In the 1970s–1980s, a private venture called Canyonland Park operated in the area, including a lift, remnants of which can still be seen.
Other regulations: backcountry camping is not allowed; hunting requires a license from Alabama or another state; ATVs are not allowed; fishing requires a license, and net or seine fishing is not permitted.
The Jacksonville State University Little River Canyon Center is a 23,000-square-foot LEED-certified visitor center nearby.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 00:32 (CET).