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Little River Canyon National Preserve, Fort Payne, AL

Photo: Richard A. Weaver, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFree

Little River Canyon National Preserve

4322 Little River Canyon Trail NE · Fort Payne, AL

Why you should go…

This 15,288-acre preserve protects the Little River, which flows along the top of Lookout Mountain and has carved one of the deepest canyons in the Southeast. A 23-mile rim parkway follows the western edge past overlooks where sandstone cliffs rise as much as 600 feet. You can stop at Little River Falls, look for 133-foot Grace's High Falls and Mushroom Rock, hike wooded trails and picnic. Only Canyon Mouth Park charges a per-vehicle entrance fee.

  • #national preserve
  • #waterfalls
  • #scenic drive
  • #canyon overlooks
  • #hiking

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Little River Canyon National Preserve, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Cloudland Canyon State Park

    Under $25

    Hike to canyon overlooks and down to two waterfalls in a thousand-foot-deep gorge on Lookout Mountain.

    28 mi awayMore like this

  • Shopping
    Quirky Fun

    Unclaimed Baggage

    Free

    Shop a 50,000-square-foot store that sells the contents of lost airline luggage, from clothing to electronics.

    30 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Rock City

    $25–$50

    Follow a garden trail through rock formations to Lover's Leap, a swinging bridge and Fairyland Caverns.

    39 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park

    Free

    Drive and walk Civil War battlefields lined with monuments and cannons, then take in Chattanooga from Point Park.

    39 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

    Under $25

    Ride a cable car about a mile up the side of Lookout Mountain on a track with grades up to 72.7 percent.

    42 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Ruby Falls

    $25–$50

    Underground waterfall inside Lookout Mountain reached by elevator, with cave tours and seasonal ziplining.

    43 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions