Little River Canyon

In northeast Alabama is the Little River Canyon - deepest canyon east of the Mississippi and a National Preserve. Little River Canyon runs 11 miles down the spine of Lookout Mountain. It's a bit strange to find a river canyon this size on top of a mountain, but nature has its twists and turns. During the Little River's descent, it has carved a beautiful gorge.

On the way to Atlanta today I took time to stop at Little River Falls (the beginning of the canyon) and make some photographs. The drought has affected the river. It is indeed little right now. The river bed above the falls is the multilayered rock of Lookout Mountain. There is a large, beautiful pool at the base of the falls where several people were swimming. I'd like to come back someday and do that myself. It looked so refreshing.

Here are the falls today - 45' straight down.


A view with the top of the falls in the upper right and the pool below with swimmers.


In many spots today the river was narrow enough to easily step across. Here it's about a foot wide.


Much of the river bed is dry.


You can see by the dark marks at the base of the bridge pilings where the river runs higher in wetter times.


In several spots in the riverbed, some larger pools have formed.


A view down the canyon. The top of the falls is about 15' and slightly to the right in front of me.


I definitely want to photograph this spot again after the spring rains. From pictures I have seen the differences are incredible.