Copyright: - Alabama State Parks
Little River Canyon
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Description
- The preserve protects the natural, scenic, recreational, and cultural resources of the Little River Canyon of northeast Alabama. Little River flows atop Lookout Mountain for most of its length. Erosion has created a variety of superlative rock expanses, benches, and bluffs that create a unique environment for several threatened and endangered species.
Attractions include the Little River Falls/Overlook, Canyon Rim Scenic Drive/Overlooks and Canyon Mouth Park Trail.
Recreation - Recreation opportunities include photography and sight-seeing from overlooks located along the Canyon Rim Parkway. The preserve offers picnicking, hiking, wading, white water paddling(recommended only for experts), canoeing, mountain biking, horse back riding (you bring the horse) and rock climbing are popular activities. Hunting, fishing, and trapping are permitted in designated areas. A day use area, ideal for family picnics, is located at Canyon Mouth Park. At this
time overnight backpacking is not permitted in the canyon. ATV's are required to have a permit. Climate - The climate is described as mild, having four distinct seasons with an average temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Average annual rainfall for the Little River region is approximately 54 inches. January is the wettest month (6.7 inches) with more than twice as much rain as October--the driest. Snowfall averages about 3 inches per year.
It is humid, mild and temperate but there has been a fairly wide range in temperatures over a period of years. The summers are usually long and have moderately hot days and fairly cool nights. In general the winters are mild and pleasant. The temperature frequently falls below freezing during the night and occasionally remains below freezing for 1 to 3 days or more.
Snow is not common. Usually the snow melts quickly but at times the ground is covered for more than a week. Location -
The park is located on Lookout Mountain in Cherokee and DeKalb Counties, east of Fort Payne, Alabama. From Chattanooga take I-59 south to Alabama Highway 35, Fort Payne Exit #218 and proceed east to the Preserve and Little River Falls. From Birmingham take I-59 north to the Fort Payne Exit #218 at Alabama 35 and proceed east to the Little River.
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