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Little River Canyon National Preserve
Draft General Management Plan\Environmental Impact Statement

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ACREAGE:
Authorized October 21, 1992. Acreage 14,000 (Federal 10,338.15, Nonfederal 3,661.85)

VISITATION:
Approximately 300,000 primarily between April and October. Visitation is the highest April through June, September and October, lowest in January.

ADDRESS:
Superintendent
Little River Canyon National Preserve
2141 Gault Avenue North
Fort Payne, Alabama 35967

TELEPHONE:
(256) 845-9605

E-MAIL:
Superintendent, Little River Canyon National Preserve

OPERATING HOURS AND SEASONS:
The park is open year round. The Canyon Mouth Park Unit is a day use area. At this time, there are no federal facilities within the Preserve. For more information contact the Park Headquarters at 2141 Gault Avenue North, Fort Payne, Alabama 35967. (256)845-9605.

CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
Warm, humid summer, wet, cool winter. Mild spring and fall.

DIRECTIONS:
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.

TRANSPORTATION:
No public transportation available. Nearest commercial airports are in Chattanooga and Birmingham.

FEES:
None.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
Canyon Mouth Park is a day use area located along the riverside. It is accessible from Cherokee County Road 273. Camping and lodging facilities are available at DeSoto State Park (1-800-568-8840) and other private campgrounds located all around Little River Canyon. For a list of all the available campgrounds surrounding Little River Canyon, please write or call our office. (256)845-9605. 2141 Gault Avenue North, Fort Payne, AL 35967. We also have a listing of hotels and bed and breakfasts' located in the general area.

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:
Photography and sight-seeing from overlooks located along the Canyon Rim Parkway. 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 we DO NOT allow overnight backpacking in the canyon.

RESERVATIONS/PERMITS:
ATV's are required to have a permit. Permit's are free and are issued to anyone with a valid drivers license by any NPS Ranger or at the Superintendent's office at 2141 Gault Avenue North, Fort Payne, Alabama 35967.

BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:
Sight-seeing and hiking down and around Little River Falls on Alabama Highway 35. The falls has a 50-car parking lot. You can take some fantastic waterfall pictures, especially when we have just had rain. Drive down and stop at the overlooks along the Canyon Rim Parkway. The drive starts at the top of the mountain and ends at Canyon Mouth Park. It's approximately 23 miles, the drive takes about one to two hours. Canyon Mouth Park offers barbeque grills, picnic tables, a pavilion, bathrooms, wading, hiking, fishing (if you have a license). This area is shady with a sandy beach area that is perfect for a family outing. It's absolutely free and a great place to spend a summer day. Eberhart Point has a three-quarter mile trail that leads down into the canyon. Bathrooms are available at the top of Eberhart Point, Little River Falls and Canyon Mouth Park.

ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:
DeSoto State Park, DeSoto Falls, Lake Weiss, Russell Cave National Monument and Sequoyah Caverns. For more information contact the DeKalb County Tourist Association (256)845-3957.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Email us for an information packet
 

URL - http://www.nps.gov/liri/index.htm

Last Update: April 06, 1999