DeSoto Falls

Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto is immortalized throughout this region by having a state park named after him, caverns and this spectacular 104-foot waterfall.

DeSoto came to this region in June 1540 and set up camp for one month to allow his horses and Conquistadors a chance to rest up. During this time he had heard rumors of gold along the rivers and creeks of Lookout Mountain. He sent a scouting party to the area where they came upon these falls. They made base camp here and continued their search for gold throughout the area all the way to the present-day Buck's Pocket State Park. They didn't find gold, but instead a wealth of natural beauty.

The falls themselves are actually three cascades just below Miller Dam. The 20-foot-tall dam was erected in the mid-1920s by electrical engineer Arthur Abernathy Miller to provide power to the Mentone and Fort Payne areas. A large generator was erected at the base of the falls. A cement slab can be seen in the gorge where the power plant once stood.

It is interesting to note that upon completion, the dam would generate power between sunset and midnight, but when the women of the region purchased and began using electric irons, the power was turned on for a few hours every Thursday afternoon so they could get the ironing done.

The best time to view the falls is during the fall when the leaves are golden and there is crispness in the air. The next best time is early spring when the wildflowers are blooming and the spring rains fill the cascade. The falls run year-round because of the lake just above it, but during the summer months the cascade is smaller in volume.

There are two ways to view the falls. The easiest and safest is along the .3-mile-long out-and-back stone footpath and staircase from the parking area. This route has handrails to help you down and to keep you away from the edge of the drop-off. It ends with a breathtaking view from an overlook into the gorge. It is a moderate climb back up to the parking lot.

The second route can be found just prior to the state park parking area. A small sign telling you that you can't camp there marks the trailhead. This small footpath takes you to the bottom of the gorge and along Little River for a view of the falls from the bottom up. It is a steep descent and could be strenuous for you coming back up.

In either case, keep safety in mind. Both trails take you to the edge of some dangerous, slippery bluffs. The state park path is made safer by the addition of hand rails, but don't try to get a better view by slipping under them to the edge.

The Bluff View Trail should not be attempted during or after heavy rain due to flooding at the bottom of the gorge.