Little River State Forest

472 AL Hwy. 35
Fort Payne, AL 35967

A little secret hideaway tucked away among the rolling hills near Atmore, AL, Little River State Forest is the perfect weekend family getaway. Located just north of the Gulf of Mexico, Little River encompasses over 2,000 acres of forest and sports features that you normally wouldn't find in the Gulf region when it comes to hiking, such as rock outcroppings.

Not too long ago, the center of the forest was known as Claude D. Kelley State Park. Constructed in the 1930s by the CCC, their stone handywork can still be seen in the abandoned cabins and culverts that dot the landscape. The 900-acre property was surrounded by the Little River State Forest, but when Hurricane Ivan all but leveled much of the area in 2004 the state turned the park over to the state forest – which is good for hikers. Plans are in the works to extend the current trails to cover the entire forest, visiting some of those unique features mentioned earlier.

But for right now, Little River is a great family destination. Tent camping is available near Little River Lake, a dark-forest lake dammed at one end that makes a fantastic swimming area during the hot summer months.

The Gazebo Trail described here is a beautiful loop up the rolling hillsides to its namesake gazebo atop the hill. For being in the Gulf region where there aren't many hills, the view is very nice from here at about 300 feet above sea level, especially in the winter when the leaves are down. The trail will be extended shortly to encompass many of those unique features we mentioned earlier by the state forest service and the Alabama Hiking Trail Society.