DeSoto Falls & Desoto State Park, Alabama

34°32'56.99"N
85°35'24.15"W
About 100 miles NE of Birmingham

Alabama seems obsessed with the explorer Hernando DeSoto. His name is on signs, plaques, and places. Undoubtedly, he would be pleased. He was ruthless, cruel and had a huge ego--which is why he succeeded. The journey through Alabama must have been largely unpleasant for his companions--endless travel, deprivation, illness, and a difficult boss. Perhaps a more benevolent pioneer--or better, a Native American--should have given their name to the lovely falls and park on Lookout Mountain.

When we visited DeSoto Falls last summer, the water flow was disappointingly low. However, the Huntsville Cave Rescue Unit was setting up a Tyrolean traverse above the falls as a fundraiser. We spent an hour watching the preparations, a few heart-stopping test rides, and, finally, the stream of thrill seekers. As usual, we enjoyed watching and listening to the audience of HCRU members and family sprinkled with a few tourists. In the fall, bountiful rain kept our focus on the water. Now it is difficult to imagine the attitude of Arthur Miller, who, back in the 1920's, looked at this gorgeous spot and thought of generating electricity. He is responsible for the dam above the falls. Although I'm sure the women of Fort Payne were grateful to have power for their irons every Thursday afternoon, I long to see the falls in its natural state.

DeSoto State Park has a lodge, camping, and hiking and biking trails. We like to take the Azalea Cascade Boardwalk and then wander through the maze of trails that branch out from there. (A map is available at the store along the main road.) We always walk down to Indian Falls, as well. In a typical juxtaposition for Alabama, the trail to this pretty little spot circles around the park's sewage treatment plant.

Little River Canyon, Alabama

34°21'8.18"N
85°40'27.52"W
About 86 miles NE of Birmingham

We happened on Little River Canyon by accident a decade or so ago while on a Sunday drive to Desoto State Park. The canyon's beauty took our breath away. We couldn't believe we'd never heard of it. Our visit on a misty Sunday morning last fall was a sweet end to a few days on Lookout Mountain.

The National Park Service has remedied the potholes, crumbling cement, and wrecked cars on the cliff that slightly soured our first impression. We met a friendly photographer at Little River Falls near the north end of the reserve. He showed us his portfolio, including a bob cat he'd seen on the canyon rim. In summer the falls is crowded with swimmers.

I heard a rumor that large alligator gar can be seen swimming in the pools below. I have checked at every overlook on every visit, with no success. We did see some deer, turkeys, and many other birds. We spent some time watching doves (or pigeons?) swirling off the cliffs into a few wispy cloudlets.

At one of the overlooks we were puzzled by crime scene tape strung among the trees. Later we read that a pickup truck with a body had been spotted on the cliff below that morning. That makes our enjoyment of the scenery seem frivolous somehow.

There are picnic tables at several spots along the main road. There is a hiking trail to the bottom of the canyon which we have never ventured on. The Little River is very popular for kayaking.

Update 04-18-2007: An article by Jennifer Bacchus indicates that Jacksonville State will build a field school in the park that would be "a place where students and professors could study and do experiments, a lab facility with offices for the park officials and room for visitors to learn about Little River Canyon and the ecology of Northeast Alabama."