Canyon Rim Drive and Canyon Area map (click to enlarge)

A 23-mile scenic drive through Little River Canyon National Preserve starts at the Little River Canyon Center and ends at Canyon Mouth Park. Along the way are a number of overlooks with great views of Little River Canyon. The drive is made up of Highway 176 and Country Roads 148 and 275. Signs point the way whenever you need to turn onto a new road. The National Park Services refers to all three roads collectively as the Little River Canyon Rim Parkway, though technically this is the name of Hwy 176, the northernmost segment of the drive. From here on out, I’ll also refer to the roads collectively as the Little River Canyon Rim Parkway, and the drive itself, the Canyon Rim Drive.

As with any National Park, the scenic drive and overlooks are the way most people experience a park, which is a shame, but that’s the way it is. I will cut auto-bound visitors to Little River Canyon a little slack, for this is a park more for sportsmen than for the typical “couch-potato” tourist. Most of the hikes are strenuous, the kayaking is for experts, and the steep canyon walls make for great rock climbing. It even takes effort to get to the river to go swimming or fishing. Thus, overlooks will have to do for most people.

There are eight named overlooks along Little River Canyon Rim Parkway, one named rock formation, and a few unnamed pullouts with views of the canyon. In this article I will cover the named overlooks, starting from the Little River Canyon Center. Some overlooks offer better views than others, but even at the best of them you probably won’t spend more than 10 minutes to get your photos, unless you plan to picnic or relax and meditate (there are picnic tables at most overlooks). You can do the entire scenic drive and stop at all of the overlooks in no more than 2 hours.

If you plan to take photos, you’ll want to have a very wide angle lens, like a 20mm, and a telephoto lens ranging from 70mm to at least 210mm. To get canyon walls, river, and the sky into the shot, use the 20mm. If you see something of interest that is far away, use the telephoto lens. However, if you photograph something like rapids from high above, there is no sense of scale, so there’s really no way to know if you are looking at two small stones with water flowing between them or two boulders with a river flowing between them.

Little River rapids photographed on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Little River Falls Overlook

Little River Falls can actually be viewed from two overlooks, though only one is along Little River Canyon Rim Parkway. The best view of the falls is from the overlook at the Little River Falls parking lot that is just down the street from the Little River Canyon Center. This is the closest you can get to the falls (actually right next to it). The view from the Little River Canyon Rim Parkway overlook is farther away. Regardless, this is the best overlook on the Canyon Rim Drive, and it should not be missed.

For comparison purposes, I have included photos taken from both overlooks.

Little River Falls as seen from the Little River Falls parking lot overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Little River Falls as seen from the overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Lynn Overlook

The second overlook on the scenic drive is the Lynn Overlook. The canyon wall directly in front of the overlook is usually in shadow, but you can get a decent view downstream.

View from the Lynn Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Mushroom Rock

The next point of interest on the Canyon Rim Drive is Mushroom Rock, a rock formation that sits in the middle of the road. There is a small pullout parking area next to it if you want to take a photo.

Mushroom Rock on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Mushroom Rock close-up on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Hawks Glide Overlook

The least interesting overlook is Hawks Glide, for you cannot see the river from here. Unless it is the fall and the leaves are changing color, you might as well skip right on by. I visited in December, so my view was nothing but “dead” trees. Ironically, it is one of the few overlooks where the sun hits so there are no sides of the canyon in the shadows. The sun shines down the canyon and lights both sides, just like a light shining down a hallway.

Hawks Glide Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Canyon View Overlook

If the sun would cooperate, the Canyon View Overlook would give up some good photos. I went by in the morning and in the late afternoon and could only photograph down river. Up river, where the better views are, was always in the shadows. You can see the next overlook, the Wolf Creek Overlook, from here.

View from Canyon View Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

View of the Little River from the Canyon View Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

View of the Wolf Creek Overlook from the Canyon View Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Wolf Creek Overlook

Wolf Creek Overlook gets its name from Wolf Creek, which empties into the Little River. However, it is hard to see the creek from the overlook. You do get good views of the canyon and the Little River.

View from the Wolf Creek Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

View from the Wolf Creek Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

I never saw any hawks or other birds at the Hawks Glide Overlook, but there were always birds flying above the Wolf Creek Overlook. Here is a photo of a bunch of turkey vultures stopping to see what humans are always fussing over.

Turkey Vultures at the Wolf Creek Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Crow Point Overlook

While most of the overlooks on the scenic drive are fairly close to the parking area, the Crow Point Overlook is the exception. It’s not a long walk, maybe a couple of minutes, but it is at the end of a steep incline, making it inaccessible to those who have a problem walking. In truth, other than the Little River Falls Overlook, most of the other overlooks offer views very similar to each other. If you were to skip the Crow Point Overlook in lieu of one of the other more accessible overlooks, you won’t be missing much.

View from the Crow Point Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

View of the Little River from the Crow Point Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Grace’s High Falls

Grace’s High Falls is one of Alabama’s tallest waterfalls at 133 feet. However, it only flows during the raining seasons of the winter and spring. When you look across the canyon to the falls, you aren’t even looking at Little River Canyon. The waterfall flows from a river atop Bear Canyon, spills to the bottom and feeds a major tributary that flows into the Little River. None of this is obvious from the viewpoint. It looks as if you could float down the Little River and pass directly under the falls.

View of Grace’s High Falls on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Eberhart Point Overlook

Eberhart Point is located midway on the Canyon Rim Drive. It is home to two overlooks, a decent sized picnic area with restrooms, and the Eberhart Trail starting point. It is another overlook that regardless of when you visit, some part is hidden in the shadows. (Note: The drive from here to the end of the parkway at Canyon Mouth Park (CR 148 and 275) is too steep and winding for RVs and vehicles with trailers.)

View from Eberhart Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

View of the Little River from the Eberhart Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Dee’s Branch Overlook

Dee’s Branch Overlook is not on the park map. It is also the only marked (with a sign) overlook not fenced off to keep idiots from falling into the canyon, which may be why it is not on the map. You have to walk out onto a ledge to see the view, which is blocked by tree branches. It is the last marked overlook on the Canyon Rim Drive. Not recommended for small children, and since the view isn’t that great and partially blocked, not recommended for just about anyone.

Ledge at Dee’s Branch Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

View from Dee’s Branch Overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, Little River Canyon National Preserve

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