Little River Canyon
Difficulty: Easy to Difficult depending on the hike
Distance: Each hike differs
Entry Cost: Free except Canyon Mouth Park and Congo Falls
Little River Canyon is located just east of Fort Payne, AL and is the largest canyon in the state. This canyon’s max depth is over 600 ft in some areas and provides incredible waterfalls, views, and rock features.
Find nearby hikes:
Desoto Falls
Griffin Falls
Yellow Creek Falls
Summer is hot. Find the gear you need.
Little River Canyon is located a little around 1.5 hours from Huntsville, but can be a bit further depending on where you go in the preserve.
Click here for directions to the main parkway. GPS locations for each site are tagged in the sections below under the corresponding picture.
Little River Falls Overlook
The overlook is a quick stop for snapping pictures of Little River Falls along the rim right off the road.
You can park here.
Canyon Overlooks
There are 6 marked overlooks into the canyon. As you go further south, the deeper the canyon gets for these marked overlooks. Below I have them listed in order from the furthest north to the furthest south. Click on the name for a link to google maps.
My favorite 2 are Eberhart Point and Wolf Creek.
Lynn Overlook
Hawks Glide Overlook
Canyon View Overlook
Wolf Creek Overlook
Crow Point Overlook
Eberhart Point Overlook
Brooks Branch Falls
Looking down onto Brooks Branch Falls is accessible by parking at Lynn Overlook and following the canyon south, or downstream until you hit this waterfall.Â
Where I’m standing to get to this waterfall is very difficult and dangerous. I do not recommend for people without expert hiking and climbing skills. You can still see the waterfall from the top without any skills required.
Mushroom Rock
The Mushroom Rock is a famous rock in the middle of the road. If you drive the rim of the canyon, you will pass this. There’s a nice boulder field you can walk around right next to it.
Grace’s High Falls
Grace’s High Falls is the tallest ABOVE GROUND waterfall in the State of Alabama with a height of 133 ft.
This is just a stop for the overlook. It is possible to hike to the bottom of the falls, but I have not done it. Until I do, here’s Southern Outing’s blog on it. I cannot speak for their accuracy, but it looks good from a quick review!
Dee’s Branch Falls
Dee’s Branch Falls has no trail and a steep incline to get down to it. It is short, but you will be bushwhacking and have a risk of sliding the entire time.Â
Congo Falls
Congo Fall’s (Also known as Johnnie’s Creek Falls) is a short stop along the Rim with a waterfall. This stop requires a paid permit which you can get here.
Canyon Mouth Park
Canyon Mouth Park is a great swimming hole in the summer, has a mile of parking, bathrooms, and other features like picnic tables and grills.
This area does cost (updated (4/13/2023) $15 per car.
You can find out more about Canyon Mouth Park here.
That Spot You Cannot Miss
This is one of my favorite spots in Alabama. There’s no marker, no trailhead, nothing but a spot where you can fit 1 car next to the side of the road. When you park and walk 20 ft it opens up to this view. There are bolts here for either climbers or rappelers. This is an absolute must-stop.
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