Exploring Little River Canyon’s Top Hidden Wonders

Little River Canyon is home to some of Alabama’s most amazing sights. Every year, several thousand tourists see Little River Falls and Canyon Rim Parkway’s panoramic overlooks, both easily accessed and well-known. But the canyon also contains extraordinary sights fewer eyes have seen.

Follow Wolf Creek to Hidden Falls

With its waterfalls, cascades, and hardwoods, this easy-to-get-to creek bed is its own destination. There is no official trail, but enough hikers and other mammals travel the east side of the creek to the hidden Greg’s Two Falls that a trail of 450 to 500 feet in length does exist before it fizzles at the lower waterfall.

Explore the creek bed below the twin waterfalls, with its tall, layered rock face and other sandstone formations. The upper waterfall is 20 to 25 feet high, while the lower one is a little shorter, depending on the depth of the turquoise pool below.

Continue downstream to where the creek empties into the river. Hike the north side of the river in either direction. To enjoy the wonders of Wolf Creek, park on the side of the road in the wide grassy area near the bridge where the creek goes under the road.

Experience the “jungle” along Bear Creek

A hike along Bear Creek conjures the feeling that you’re in a jungle. The creek curves sharply through its narrow gorge and sheer rock walls rise on both sides, where thick vegetation thrives. Passage is difficult unless it has been dry for several days. If the water is above a certain level, forget it.

Bear Creek is good for spotting woodland birds and small fish. Dropping from 1,150 feet to 785 feet above sea level, the 2.6-mile-long section of Bear Creek that’s inside the preserve is flatter than the canyon’s other creeks and streams. But the terrain is still difficult. The simplest routes to Bear Creek are from Eberhart Point Trail on the south end, or by sliding down a mild spot in the slope near where the Canyon Rim Parkway crosses the creek on the north end.

See bluff overhangs near Lynn Overlook

Less than 2,000 feet from Lynn Overlook, dramatic overhangs look like a peculiar family of rock behemoths. Nearby waterfalls and cascades are great if there has been enough rainfall. Part of the easternmost stream is a trail used by kayakers to exit the Suicide Section of rapids, almost directly under Lynn Overlook.

Park in the small gravel area and head west along the bluff. Parking is also plentiful in the nearby gravel lots at Beaver Pond Trail and Lynn Overlook.

Listen for the stream near Lower Two-Mile Trail

Many hikers hear but don’t see the cascading stream parallel to the steep Lower Two-Mile Trail. The short trail provides an easy path to the river’s edge for rewarding canyon-floor views. But, although the stream is only a few yards from the trail, few attempt to travel upstream along its precipitous, rocky ramp. If you try it under wet conditions, you’ll see spectacular cascades and waterfalls of 5 to 10 feet along the way. A 15-foot waterfall is at the point where vertical rocks make travel impossible for anyone except experienced rock climbers.

Rugged and wild, Little River Canyon is one of Alabama’s top attractions for good reason. Few places offer such tranquility, mystery, and adventure all in one place. For more details on these hikes, plus links to maps, visit bit.ly/canyonwonders.

(Editor’s Note: When exploring the outdoors, use extreme caution, know your limits, be aware of your surroundings, and never hike alone if possible.)

By Tim Eberhart

Tim Eberhart is an outdoor enthusiast whose writing and photography can be found at SouthernOutings.com. Visit to learn more about the natural wonders and historic places of the Southeastern U.S.