Buck’s Pocket

Buck’s Pocket

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 0.5 mile
Entry Fee: Free

Buck’s Pocket is a secluded park in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It offers amazing views from the parking lot all the way to the cliffs. Currently, the bottom of Buck’s Pocket is closed, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the top!

Buck’s Pocket is located a little over an hour’s drive southeast from Huntsville. It is located near Guntersville Lake.

DO NOT Google Maps Buck’s Pocket. It will take you to the bottom of Buck’s Pocket. Instead, click here or the map above!

Trailhead/Parking Lot

The parking lot is well marked at the end of a small street right before you make the loopback. You can’t miss it. There is enough parking for a few dozen cars including a handicap parking spot. The trailhead has a giant sign that says “Jim Lynn Overlook Area”. You get your first views are from the parking lot, so take it in!

Entrance

The trail is very accessible. It moves from a wooden boardwalk to a gravel path, to walking on flat rock. There are small paths that shoot off the path in both directions as you’re walking to the overlook, but none of the views at the end of these paths are as spectacular as the main overlook area.

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Overlook Area

After a short hike, there is a beautiful overlook area. Make sure to bring a camera and look around! When you are done, head back down the same path you came in from.

Camping

There are camping spots along the top portion of the park near the parking lot. The campgrounds follow the road and according to the website are currently walk-in camping only and first come first serve.

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Mardis Mill Falls

Mardis Mill Falls

Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Distance: 0.2 miles
Entry Fee: Free

Mardis Mill Falls is a beautiful and serene waterfall just south of Blountsville, AL. Enjoy swimming, bouldering and hiking along the river bed.

Posted By: Anton Etenko

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Mardis Mill Falls is only an hour south of Huntsville.

Google Mardis Mill Falls or look at the map provided above!

 

Trailhead and Parking

This is not a park, so there are no trailhead signs. The trailhead is near the bridge on the Northside of the road. You can park on the road right before the trailhead. 

Trail

The trail is easy to follow despite that it isn’t marked. Once you cross the one-lane bridge, it will be on your right before the 90-degree turn. Walk down the rocky path to the falls and enjoy walking the river bed downstream!

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Waterfall

There is plenty of depth in the water to swim, even in periods of light rain! A rope swing is provided for those brave enough to jump. Swim across the falls to the overhead rock formations or walk down the rocky river bed for more scenic views!

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Welti Falls

Welti Falls

EDITED BLOG POST! This is private property with “No Tresspassing” signs. Do not go here.

 

Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Distance: 1 mile
Entry Fee: Free

Welti Falls is a beautiful waterfall located south of Cullman, AL. This is a great place to swim if the water is flowing and explore!

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Welti Falls is a little more than an hour’s drive from Huntsville.

DO NOT just type in “Welti Falls” into Google Maps. It will take you to the north side with no apparent way to get down to the falls. Instead, click here for the location of the parking lot.

Trailhead and Parking

This is not a park, so there are no trailhead signs. The trailhead is near the bridge on the Northside of the road. There are “No Parking” signs along the road. We actually parked there, but of course park at your own risk. We could not find any alternative parking.

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Trail

The trail isn’t well marked but is still fairly easy to follow. If you can’t find the trail, just follow the river. The trail is only 1/2 a mile to get to the waterfall, so even if you have to make your own path, it doesn’t take very long to get to the waterfall. The trail is trashed, so if you wish to be a good citizen, bring a bag and pack some of the trash out!

Waterfall

The waterfall can be bustling or dripping depending on the amount of rain. If the water is still, I suggest not swimming in it. Otherwise, it’s a great place to relax and cool off in the summer heat. You can also find your way to the top of the falls to get a different view of the falls. Take the same trail you came in on to get back to the car.

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Rickwood Caverns

Rickwood Caverns

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 mile

Rickwood Caverns is a beautiful cavern located just north of Birmingham. It is a tour guided cave in a beautiful state park that offers hiking trails, a pool, and campsites. 

Website for Rickwood Caverns.

Rickwood Caverns is located about 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Huntsville with a short drive off of I-65.

Google Maps Rickwood Caverns or look at our map above!

Ticket Office

This building is the ticket office for the cave tour.  Tours are available Jan – Nov.

Ticket Prices are based on age.
13+: $18
5-13: $9
Under 5: Free

Tours are available at 10AM, 12PM, 2PM, and 4PM.

Discounts available when bundled with camping.

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Cave Tour

The cave stays 62º F year around. The ground can get very slick, and the staircases can get very narrow. Make sure you wear shoes with a good grip! The tour is 1 mile long with 110 stairs at the end to get out of the cave.

Santa’s Underground Workshop

Ticket Price:
Under 3: Free
Age 3+: $10 per person

Open Nov 23rd – Dec 30th (Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day)

Santa’s underground workshop was a blast! They decked the caves with “snow”, lights, and decorations. Along the way, you get to meet your favorite Christmas characters like frosty, the grinch and of course, Santa!!

Other Activities

There is plenty to do at Rickwood Caverns State Park! A list of a few

  • Hike
  • Swimming Pool
  • Camp
  • Gem Mining
  • Playground
  • Picnic Areas
  • Santa’s Underground Workshop (December 1 – 23)

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DeSoto Falls

DeSoto Falls

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.5 Miles total
Fee: $4 per vehicle

Desoto Falls is a very short hike to one of the tallest waterfalls in Alabama! Parking is right next to the very top of the falls and you can follow the steps down to view the entire waterfall.

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Desoto Falls is an hour and a half drive from Huntsville.

Google Maps Desoto Falls or look at our map above!

Parking

There are 2 parking areas. The dirt parking lot pictured is the parking for the bottom of the waterfall and the view of the waterfall. If you continue down the road, you can find the asphalt parking lot for the top of the falls.

Top of the Falls Asphalt Parking: Location
Bottom and view of the Falls Dirt Parking: Location

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View of the Waterfall

The hike to the view is fairly easy though it gets tight towards the end of the hike. There is a sign that points you down the correct path. The path splits and comes back together several times. As long as you are following the ridgeline, you will eventually find views of the waterfalls.

Park Here

Hike to the Bottom of the Falls

This is a short but tough hike. There are markers to point you in the right direction. Follow your way down to the river, and follow the river up to the falls. The hike is fairly difficult and is only about a mile. 

Park Here

Waterfalls

It is a very easy hike down to the falls. You can get a great intimate view of the upper falls (Pictured) and get a beautiful view of the main falls (Main Picture).

Kayaking

Kayaks are available for rent at the top of the dam. 

Single Kayaks: $15/hr
Tandem Kayaks: $25/hr

Swim and Picnic

Right next to parking there is a picnic area where you can swim in the Little River. Take some time to get a bite to eat while enjoying nature!

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Cherokee Rock Village

Cherokee Rock Village

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Difficulty: Easy to Difficult depending on the area you are exploring
Distance: This is more of a place to explore or climb than hike

Cherokee Rock Village is a small park in Leesburg, AL

To get to Cherokee Rock Village, Google Maps Cherokee Rock Village or look at our map above!

Hike

Cherokee Rock Village isn’t well known for their hiking. There aren’t long trails and every trail is there to lead you to a route for rock climbing. However, it is a fantastic place to explore.

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Climb

Cherokee Rock Village is known for their climbing and is called “Sand Rock” by the climbing community. There is plenty of bouldering, Sport Climbing, and Trad Climbing at Sand Rock. This is a great place to get out and try your climbing skills! Make sure you have experience climbing, have an experienced partner, and bring the right equipment. Check out the routes on the Mountain Project.

Camp

Camp with a view! Camp sites are first come, first serve and are right next to the road for easy access. There are several amazing camping sites along the ridgeline right next to the entrance and several more farther down the road. Each site is marked with a primitive fire pit. The camping along the ridgeline can get very windy so be sure to stake your tents the best you can.

View

The views on Cherokee Rock Village are spectacular. Safely maneuver around on the rocks to get amazing colorful view of Weiss Lake!

Map of Views

Star 4 on Map

Star 1 on Map

Star 2 on Map

Star 3 on Map

Star 5 on Map

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Hippie Hole – Little River Canyon

Hippie Hole – Little River Canyon

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 0.5 miles (Round Trip)
Cost: Free

Hippie Hole is a beautiful swimming hole in Little River Canyon. The trail is very short and the canyon offers a beautiful place to swim. The trail is heavily trafficked and the canyon can get very busy.

Find nearby swimming holes:
Little River Falls
Desoto Falls

Summer hiking is hot. Find out what you need.

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More Swimming Holes

Hippie Hole is an hour and a half drive East of Huntsville in Little River Canyon.

Update: As of Summer 2020, Hippie Hole Parking is closed. In order to get to Hippie Hole, park at Little River Falls.

Google Maps Little River Falls Parking or look at our map above!

Trailhead

The old trailhead and parking lot is now closed. You will need to park at the parking lot for Little River Falls. There are restrooms available for use.

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Trail

The trail is mostly easy. You will follow the boardwalk until its first switchback. There is a dirt path you will follow into the woods. Continue down this dirt path until you reach stone-cut steps that will descend into the canyon. At the bottom of the steps is the Hippie Hole.

The Canyon

The canyon is a great place to relax, swim, and jump from the cliffs. Take some time to explore the area. 

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Caney Creek Falls Trail

Caney Creek Falls Trail

ATTENTION: (Update 8/9/2021) The guide underneath the attention section is for the old parking, which has had issues with being towed. I HAVE NOT been to the new location, but several people have suggested to park at a home here. Please note that this is PRIVATE PROPERTY and you are only allowed to park their if the owner is still allowing it. PLEASE respect the property as they are allowing you to go onto their land to get to Caney Creek Falls.

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.7 miles
Entrance Fee: Free

Caney Creek Falls is a beautiful waterfall located in Bankhead National Forrest Southwest of Huntsville.

This area is part of dispersed recreation in Bankhead National Forest. There is NO MAINTAINED TRAIL. Please note that dispersed recreation sometimes has a "social trail" that you can follow. Some of these are easy to follow and some of them you cannot follow. Please note that these trails can change very quickly and may be easy to follow one season and completely overgrown the next. Always bring a map, compass, and GPS with you while hiking Bankhead National Forest.

If you are still using your phone for navigation. You should at least buy a power bank.

Bankhead Map
Buy a printed map here.

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Caney Creek Trail is an hour and a half drive from Huntsville and is on the Southwest side of Bankhead National Forest.

Google Maps Caney Creek Falls Trailhead or look at our map above!

Trailhead

GPS coordinates mark this trailhead well, but the trail is not physically marked well. If it wasn’t for GPS we would have driven right past the parking spots. The trailhead is a logging road. The road is blocked off to vehicles, but it makes the hike very easy.
NOTE PLEASE READ: Bankhead National Forest does not have any recommended parking here. Bankhead does not own the property that we have tagged for parking, but the road is theirs and the waterfall is on Bankhead National Forest property. Typically roadways have 5ft on each side that are a part of the road owners that is your best bet for parking, but we are not sure if this would actually hold up in court if you are towed/ticketed. Please know that you are parking at your own risk.

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Trail

The trail is well marked and easy to follow without any forks right until you get close to the waterfall. At that point you should be able to hear the falls and make your way down to the waterfall. If you can’t hear the falls, just head straight until you reach the top of the valley/short cliff face. You should be able to find an easy trail down to the waterfall.

Waterfall

The waterfall is at the bottom of the trail. Feel free to play in the waterfall and swim around. Be careful and look for snakes. When you get done, follow the trail back to the trailhead.

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Walls of Jericho

Walls of Jericho

Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 7 Miles Roundtrip
Entry Cost: Free

Suggested footwear: Hiking Boots (please don’t wear “hiking” sandals) and preferably pack water shoes
Suggested water: 2.5 liters per person unless you are carrying water filters/water purification tablets (you can find this in our summer hiking guide)
Suggested food: Enough for lunch and 2 light snacks

Walls of Jericho is a heavily trafficked trail leading down into a beautiful valley where you can relax, swim, cave, or camp. It is a difficult hike back out, so bring some solid hiking boots!

Find nearby hikes:
Russell Cave National Monument
Cathedral Caverns
Sauta Cave

This is not an easy hike: Here’s the gear we suggest for hiking during summer.

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Walls of Jericho is located North of Scottsboro. We typically drive straight down highway 72 and turn left onto highway 79. It is not the shortest way, but definitely the easiest way and only takes about 2 minutes longer than taking the winding back roads.

Google Maps Walls of Jericho or look at our map above!

Hiking to the Walls of Jericho involves several switch backs that make going downhill/uphill a much milder incline. You can find several trails that are shortcuts but are much steeper and have several obstacles like downed logs in the way. Pretty much every trail going downhill before you hit Hurricane Creek takes you to the Walls of Jericho. The only major exception is the horse trail that crosses the hiking trail. This horse trail is wide enough to fit a car. If you find yourself on this path, you are on the wrong trail.

Parking

There are 2 parking lots for the Walls of Jericho. One is the parking lot for the horse trails and one is the parking lot for the hiking trails. We have made the mistake of hiking from the horse parking lot and never made it to the falls. Be sure to park in the hikers parking lot.

Trailhead

The Walls of Jericho Trailhead is clearly marked in the back left corner of the parking lot. There is a bathroom in the back right corner of the parking lot as well.

Trail Markers

The trail is clearly marked on the trees the entire way with a red rectangle. In some places, the trail is marked with reflectors. These reflectors make it easier to find your way when using a headlamp in the dark.

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First Bridge Crossing

When you arrive at the bottom of the mountain, there is a bridge to your left to cross over the river. After you cross the river, go straight. 

Second Bridge Crossing

After the first bridge, you will follow a trail going straight. You will come to a fork with a path straight into the woods or a path to your right. Continue on the straight path into the woods. Follow this path and you will find the second bridge crossing. Cross the bridge and follow the path.

Rocky River

The second bridge leads you to the Primitive Campground. These campsites are free of charge and first come first serve. After you pass the campsites, you can choose between 2 paths. One of the paths leads straight to cross over the rocky river. This is great if the water level allows it. Or follow the South Rim Trail to the left next to the barbed wire. The South Rim Trail is a little bit longer and takes more time, but is available even when the water level is high.

The Walls of Jericho

When you first arrive at the Walls of Jericho, there is a place to rest and relax. This is a great time to put on your water shoes or go shoeless. You can swim in the water, rest on the rocks, or nap in a hammock if you brought one. Look right of the swimming hole and there is a path that will take you farther upstream. 

Upper Walls of Jericho

Hiking upstream to the top side of the falls leads you to a rock bowl. From here, explore your surroundings! Continue to climb upstream to discover a waterfall, find the cave of to the left to explore, or find a path uphill to find views from above!

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