Little River Canyon National Preserve
Little River is unique because it flows for most of its length atop Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama. Forested uplands, waterfalls, canyon rims and bluffs, pools, boulders, and sandstone cliffs offer settings for a variety of recreational activities. Natural resources and cultural heritage come together to tell the story of the Preserve, a special place in the Southern Appalachians.
About 2 hours from Atlanta by car.
Alerts
- ClosureCanyon Mouth Parking lot closed October 20-21, 2026
Canyon Mouth Park will be closed to the public on October 20–21, 2026. We apologize for any inconvenience.
- ClosureLittle River Falls Overlook Parking Lot closed October 22-23, 2026.
Little River Falls Overlook parking lot will be closed on October 22–23, 2026. We apologize for any inconvenience. Parking will be available at the Canyon Center, and you can take the Bridge Trail to reach Little River Falls Overlook and Little Falls Trail.
- ClosureSEASONAL SAFETY MESSAGE
Be careful and safe while out in the canyon! Be cautious of your surroundings, don't cliff jump, don't stray off of the main trails, and don't get too close to Little River Falls or the canyon rim. These activities could result in injury or death.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Private VehicleAdmits all persons traveling in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van/motorcycle) into Canyon Mouth Park for one day. The pass is non-transferable. Insert cash only (no bills larger than a $20) into the fee machine to gain entrance. Place the receipt on the dashboard of your vehicle, making sure the face of the receipt is visible. | $15 | |
| MotorcycleValid for 1 day. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. The pass is non-transferable. Insert cash only (no bills larger than a $20) into the fee machine to gain entrance. Place the receipt on the dashboard of your vehicle, making sure the face of the receipt is visible. | $15 | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkThe Canyon Mouth Park Annual Pass is valid for unlimited visits for one year from the month of purchase. The pass admits the pass holder and occupants of a single, private non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van/motorcycle), and is non-transferable. Pass must be signed to be valid, ID required with pass. Insert the pass into the fee machine to gain entrance and wait for the lift arm to open. | $35 | |
Entrance passes are only required for Canyon Mouth Park. No checks accepted, only cash and card (no bills larger than a $20). Passes are available to purchase from the automatic machine located outside of the fee booth or from the fee booth itself, if it is staffed. The fee booth is only staffed during peak seasons.
Hours
| Little River Canyon National Preserve | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
| Canyon Mouth Park | Daily · 8:00AM - 7:00PM |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Jacksonville State University Little River Canyon Center ↗Passport stamp
The Jacksonville State University Little River Canyon Center is located adjacent to Little River Canyon National Preserve. National Park Service staff and Volunteers and Jacksonville State University staff will greet you and help you plan your visit.
No campgrounds, no webcams or things to do in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Sun Print Art - Cyanotypes10/1610:30 AM · freeAddress: 4322 Little River Trail NE Fort Payne, AL 35967
- Run with a Ranger10/1707:30 AM · free · registration requiredLittle River Canyon Center Address: 4322 Little River Trail NE Fort Payne, AL 35967
- Migration Station Pop-Up Program10/2210:30 AM · freeLittle River Canyon Center
- Bike with a Ranger10/2608:00 AM · free · registration requiredLittle River Canyon Center
- After Dark: A Night Hike10/2806:30 PM · free · registration requiredLittle River Canyon Center
- Desoto Scout Trail: Hike With a Ranger10/3109:00 AM · free · registration requiredDesoto Scout Trail
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Forest Service trails nearby
These trails are outside the park on National Forest land, within 15 miles of Little River Canyon. Each one opens on Trailhead Atlas.
Distance is measured from the park's reference point to the nearer end of the trail.
Guidebooks for the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthAmerican Black Bear 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 147 birds, 35 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barred Owl · Black Vulture · Broad-winged Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Eastern Screech-Owl · Golden Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Merlin · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Osprey · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersBlue-winged Teal · Canada Goose · Great Blue Heron · Green Heron · Sandhill Crane · Wood Duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Woodcock · Killdeer · Spotted Sandpiper · Wilson's Snipe
Gamebirds & dovesMourning Dove · Northern Bobwhite · Rock Pigeon · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Also on the checklistAcadian Flycatcher · American Crow · American Goldfinch · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · Bachman's Sparrow · Baltimore Oriole · Barn Swallow · Bay-breasted Warbler · Belted Kingfisher · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-billed Cuckoo · Black-throated Green Warbler · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Blue-headed Vireo · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Brown-headed Nuthatch · Canada Warbler · Cape May Warbler · Carolina Chickadee · Carolina Wren · Cedar Waxwing · Cerulean Warbler · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chipping Sparrow · Chuck-will's-Widow · Cliff Swallow · Common Grackle · Common Nighthawk · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Dark-eyed Junco · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Meadowlark · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Towhee · Eastern Wood-Pewee · European Starling · Field Sparrow · Fox Sparrow · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Gray Catbird · Gray-cheeked Thrush · Great Crested Flycatcher · Hermit Thrush · Hooded Warbler · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Kentucky Warbler · Least Flycatcher · Louisiana Waterthrush · Magnolia Warbler · Mallard · Marsh Wren · Northern Cardinal · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Parula · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Waterthrush · Orchard Oriole · Ovenbird · Palm Warbler · Philadelphia Vireo · Pine Siskin · Pine Warbler · Prairie Warbler · Purple Finch · Purple Martin · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Scarlet Tanager · Song Sparrow · Summer Tanager · Swainson's Thrush · Swainson's Warbler · Swamp Sparrow · Tennessee Warbler · Tree Swallow · Tufted Titmouse · Whip-poor-will · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed Vireo · White-throated Sparrow · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Wood Thrush · Worm-eating Warbler · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-rumped Warbler · Yellow-throated Vireo · Yellow-throated Warbler
Small mammalsbeaver · eastern chipmunk · eastern cottontail · eastern gray squirrel · eastern mole · eastern woodrat · golden mouse · hispid cotton rat · house mouse · northern short-tailed shrew · southeastern shrew · southern flying squirrel · white-footed mouse · woodland vole
PredatorsAmerican Mink · black bear · bobcat · coyote · gray fox · raccoon · river otter · striped skunk
Hoofed mammalswhite-tailed deer
Batsbig brown bat · eastern red bat · evening bat · gray bat · northern bat · tri-colored bat
Also on the checklistVirginia opossum · domestic dog · feral cat · feral pig · nine-banded armadillo · woodchuck
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Horseback riding in the national parks · Rock climbing in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Little River Canyon?
Entrance is $15 per private vehicle and $15 per motorcycle. Admits all persons traveling in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van/motorcycle) into Canyon Mouth Park for one day.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Little River Canyon?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Little River Canyon-only annual pass is $35.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Little River Canyon takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Little River Canyon free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Little River Canyon?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Little River Canyon. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Little River Canyon?
Standard hours are Sunrise to Sunset, every day.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Little River Canyon right now?
3 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Canyon Mouth Parking lot closed October 20-21, 2026; Little River Falls Overlook Parking Lot closed October 22-23, 2026; and more.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Little River Canyon?
781,518 recreation visits in 2025, number 82 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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