Little River Canyon

[Southlady]

Does anybody know when the weather breaks up in that area? I know it's beautiful in winter with snow but I'd rather check it out without the snow first. Just a flatlander kinda thing ya know?

[Joshua Szulecki]

Do you mean when winter ends, or when it will be snow-free after the recent storm? I've seen snow there before, but I certainly would not describe the area as having regular snow cover. Any snow that fell in the recent storm should be gone fairly quickly. I'd probably just wait for a few solid days above freezing.

The weather there lags the conditions in Birmingham each spring by a week or so and is ahead a week or so each fall.

[SmokeDiver]

Anybody got links to a good guide on Little River Canyon while we're on the topic? I've never checked it out myself.

[Joshua Szulecki]

I don't think there is one.

[grillmastertoo]

I wonder if Bear Grylls would be available to guide in that area? 

[SmokeDiver]

I wonder if Bear Grylls would be available to guide in that area? 

I'm not sure that would be a good idea. Still not sure why he never turned west. There's a scenic drive along the canyon rim I do believe.

[JustADude]

Correct about the drive around the rim.

I don't think you will find a guide because the area doesn't lend itself for guiding. In other words there isn't enough to do or enough places to go that you need a guide. Now it is a beautiful place, so don't let me make you think it isn't. But it is basically a long deep pretty canyon with one road that goes down the west side with 8 or 10 scenic overlooks. Threre are one or two hiking tails that go down the hill but they are real steep and real short.

I do recommend it to anyone who has never seen it. It is beautiful, but you won't need a guide.

[Bahen]

The NPS site has some useful information on it:  http://www.nps.gov/liri/index.htm

[Joshua Szulecki]

If there were a trail running the full length of the bottom of the canyon then I think somebody would have posted an online guide, and there would be at least a small possibility of a book. However, there is not, so there isn't a whole lot to write about beyond the rim parkway.

There is *some* coverage in Waterfall Walks and Drives in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee by Mark Morrison. In fact, it is the entirety of the book's coverage of Alabama waterfalls.

[Southlady]

I'm thinking of going that way when the weather breaks. I'll scope it out if some of you guys haven't beat me to the punch and let you know what I find. Pictures to be included.

[trainspotter]

I asked the same questions to the local outfitter when i first moved up this way. The guy said no such trail exist that goes from end to end but he did pull out the fold out map that the state furnishes and marked a couple of side trails that the kayakers use to get down to certain sections of the rivers. I think the longest is Powell trail but i don't think it was even 2 miles round trip. The outfitter is http://www.trueadventuresports.com in Fort Payne. You could probably email or call them and they could tell you more. I know they do adventure trips down into the canyon via rappelling and i think rafting also.

[Firedog]

Some suggestions were made when the new Little River Canyon Center was opened. A hiking trail from Desoto State Park to Canyon Mouth Park would be awesome. It would be nice to be able to hike that area and camp in the canyon. For now there is no camping in the canyon. This is out of my realm but it would be great for this group of folks could form a committee to explore something like this. The paddlin community has a lot of coordinated efforts with the NPS up there along with Pete Conroy with JSU. Check out the Facebookpage:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-River-Canyon-Center/167992268850#!/pages/Little-River-Canyon-Center/167992268850
 Carl W.

[WolfVanZandt]

I think they intentionally avoid a full-length trail - I don't think they want people camping down there.

But I did hike from the old ski lift down into the canyon and out to the mouth - I think that's about a third of the length of the canyon (from Little River Falls to the mouth being what I mean by "full length".)

[Southlady]

I think they don't want a bunch of people tramping around leaving trash in the canyon either. It's a shame that some people have to ruin things for others. But I wouldn't want the canyon over used and trashed. That would be a waste.

[Joshua Szulecki]

My understanding is that camping is prohibited due to the impossibility of extracting someone from the canyon in an emergency.

I think a hiking trail would solve that problem somewhat, but it would also be extraordinarily difficult in light of the terrain. Those boulders are huge!

[Southlady]

Sounds like some serious scrambling would be in order. But I see no reason that holds could not be placed on the rocks for a little bit of gear to help somebody get over or around the boulders. It could be that they haven't thought about it.