Little River Falls

Little River is the nation's longest mountain top river, beginning 1,900-feet above sea level atop Lookout Mountain, then plummeting to 650 feet above sea level at the head of the largest canyon east of the Mississippi River, Little River Canyon. The 45-foot-tall Little River Falls is the perfect "curtain up" for any visit into the canyon.

This 14,000-acre tract of land was designated a National Preserve by Congress in 1992 and placed under the supervision of the National Park System. In all, the 12-mile-long, 600-foot canyon is an outdoor lover's dream, providing excellent rock climbing and whitewater kayaking (by permit only), birding, hiking into the canyon (see the "Eberhart Trail" section), breathtaking panoramas, and, of course, Little River Falls.

The National Park Service tells us that this is one of the few free-flowing rivers left in the region (no dams) and, because of this and the fact that development has been kept in check, the river is one of the cleanest in the South and one of the wildest.

The walk to the falls is a short .2-mile out-and-back along an asphalt walkway. The walk can be moderate in difficulty back up to the parking lot from the falls if you are not in shape. Signs along the route remind you to keep back from the river's edge and the falls itself. Heed the warnings!

While not necessarily a "seasonal" waterfall in that it only flows during certain times of the year, the summer months are not the best times to visit since the water flow is substantially less. Try this trip between fall and spring when the seasonal rains bring the level of Little River up and the falls fill the gorge.

If you do happen to visit during the summer, you can actually walk a short distance onto the sandstone that has become smooth over the millennia by the action of the river. But again, keep safety first and foremost by staying clear of the falls and the river banks.

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Trail Type:: .4-mile (total) out-and-back
Difficulty:: Easy to Moderate
Hours:: Open year-round – sunrise to sunset.
Maps:: Maps available through the Preserve office
Fees:: No fees to hike.
Events:: Jacksonville State University's "Little River Canyon Field School" provides many activities throughout the year in the region. Visit their Web site for the current schedule at www.jsu.edu/depart/epic/LRCFS.html or call (256) 782-5681.