National Parks
Little River Canyon
Little River Canyon [Map]
A little less than two hours east of Huntsville is Little River Canyon, one of the deepest gorges east of the Mississippi. Motorcyclists sometimes organize scenic rides on Little River Canyon Rim Parkway, a windy road that follows the west rim of the canyon. Overlooks abound. There is a lot of beautiful scenery you can view right from your car. There’s also canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, camping, and the list goes on. Visit National Park Planner for a pretty comprehensive list of things to do. Check out our Day Trips section for information on nearby attractions, such as adjacent DeSoto State Park, that can make this trip worthy of a weekend retreat. Also visit:
Bankhead National forest (Wikipedia) [M]
An hour and a half southwest of Huntsville is Bankhead National Forest. It is one of Alabama’s four national forests and a natural wonderland with seemingly unlimited hiking, canoeing, bird watching, and other recreation opportunities (you can even hunt feral swine). Inside Bankhead is the Land of a Thousand Waterfalls [M], also known as the Sipsey Wilderness. Check out our “Day Trips” section to see nearby attractions like Natural Bridge. Use our “Waterfalls” page for information about some of the more famous waterfalls in Sipsey.
Interesting Fact: Bankhead National Forest was named after William B. Bankhead, a long-time U.S. Representative from Alabama. His daughter, Tallulah Bankhead, was a famous stage and screen actress who resided in Huntsville. Bankhead Parkway in Huntsville is named after her.
Russell Cave National Monument in Bridgeport, AL [M]
“Russell Cave is an archeological site with one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast.” - source: Russell Cave National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).
Note that access to the cave is not open to the public.
Manitou Cave of Alabama [M] in Ft. Payne
“Manitou Cave of Alabama became many things to many people: an underground spiritual ceremonial location for the Cherokee in the early 1800’s, a salt peter mine in the 1860’s, a Cold War fallout shelter, a tourist attraction in the 1960’s and now a Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Interpretive Center.” - source: Manitou Cave of Alabama (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
List of National Parks, Preserves, Monuments, etc. Throughout Alabama
Don’t forget to visit our State Parks page.