Located in the southern Appalachian Mountains in Alabama, Little River Canyon National Preserve is a unique place to camp and play. RV campers find Little River Canyon an outdoor recreation wonderland, and your budding scientists can learn plenty from this river at the top of Lookout Mountain.
Alabama is proud of its mountain heritage; they’ve created dozens of ways to learn about the people who’ve called the Appalachians home. Get ready to be immersed in the music and art of the mountain people when you visit Little River Canyon National Preserve.
Our El Monte RV location in Bessemer, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, is just a little more than one hundred miles away from the Preserve, making it the perfect place to pick up your motorhome rental. If you’re looking for a mountaintop experience, why not let us help you plan your RV camping trip there today?
Economical RV Camping
Afraid an RV rental is out of your reach? Here’s why it’s not: when you compare renting a car, buying every meal in a restaurant and staying in hotels to the economy and convenience of RV camping, we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
The National Parks Service makes it even easier to afford a vacation by offering the America the Beautiful Annual National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass. It allows free general access for one year to most of their sites, so order yours today for this year’s vacations.
First Trip to Little River Canyon?
The glories of the Appalachian Mountains are in full view in Little River Canyon National Preserve. Waterfalls crash into rocky pools across the top of Lookout Mountain, offering spectacular views and nearly endless photo opportunities. Hardwood forests and rugged gorges with miles of trails are just waiting for eager hikers to visit. The river itself is popular for fishing, and rock climbers will find lots to interest them in the bluffs and overhangs throughout the Canyon.
If your pace is a little more sedate, set up your camera in the woods and wait for grey fox, musk turtles and Great Blue Herons to appear. And don’t forget the picnic basket! Canyon Mouth Day Use Area is a favorite spot for families to soak up the sun along the river.
Backcountry enthusiasts won’t be disappointed with Little River Canyon, either. An extensive wilderness area beyond the Canyon offers hiking and biking enthusiasts a chance to escape into nature. There’s also quite a network of horseback trails in the backcountry region, if you’d like to see the Preserve from a saddle. One more tip: the whitewater rapids here offer plenty of challenges for expert kayak and canoe paddlers.
Highlights of the Preserve
* Canyon Rim Scenic Drive: Highway 176 offers twenty three miles of awesome scenic overlooks as it winds its way through the mountains along the Little River.
* Little River Falls: This wild mountain Falls splashes through boulders forty five feet down the mountain side. There’s a well-maintained trail to the top, so don’t miss the chance for some of the best vacation photos of your trip!
* DeSoto State Park: This incredibly scenic area actually sits within the Little River Canyon National Preserve boundaries. Adventurous hikers will want to visit DeSoto Falls, a one hundred foot waterfall unrestricted by barricades or fences (though not a great choice for families with small children). Even from a distance, though, the site of this mighty waterfall rising from the hardwood forest is awe-inspiring! While you’re in the State Park, be sure to trek the Azalea Cascades Boardwalk Trail to see acres of wildflowers in spring and early summer.
* Canyon Mouth Day Use Area: Pull your RV up to a picnic table and spend the day by the River, hiking, picnicking and exploring in this partially developed area at the mouth of the Canyon.
* Jackson State University’s Little River Canyon Center: This brand new interpretive center is just outside the boundaries of the Preserve, and offers your group the chance to learn more about the natural history and ecological significance of the Little River Canyon area.
Where to Find More Information
You can always depend on the National Park Service website for lots of vacation-planning information. Be sure to check out the Junior Ranger page if the kids are coming along.
For RV campgrounds near the Canyon, try DeSoto State Park, located right on Lookout Mountain! Here’s another listing of RV campgrounds in the Lookout Mountain area.
Wildernet is another helpful site with detailed information and candid traveler reviews.
El Monte RV Locations Close To Little River Canyon National Preserve
Fly into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), and you’re only twenty three miles from our Bessemer location. As we mentioned before, the trip from Bessemer to Little River Canyon is less than two hours, so fly in early and be set up in your campsite by noon! Call us at (888)337-2214 to book your motorhome rental, and get ready to have a great time in Alabama!