Calm section of the Little River in the backcountry of Little River Canyon National Preserve

Within the Wildlife Management Area (aka “the backcountry”) of Little River Canyon National Preserve, the Little River is fairly calm with only Class 1 and 2 rapids. If you were to start farther upriver on the West Fork of the Little River in DeSoto State Park, you will run into Class 3 rapids, which still aren’t bad, but would require a little more experience. Within the National Preserve section of the river, your only concern is knowing where the take-out point is, for if you miss it, you may end up going over the 45-foot Little River Falls.

Little River Falls, Little River Canyon National Preserve

The main launch spot within Little River Canyon National Preserve is the parking lot on backcountry Road 5 known as Millers Branch (northern most parking lot in the park). Road 5 is a rough and rutted road, and while you won’t need a 4-Wheel Drive vehicle (unless it has just rained), you will need a high clearance vehicle such as a pick-up truck or SUV. You can take out at Hartline Ford or Billy’s Ford, but there is nowhere to park a vehicle at these locations, so you would need to arrange for someone to pick you up. Furthermore, both of these spots are very close to Millers Branch, and a trip that short wouldn’t even be worth the effort.

The best take-out spot is Blue Hole, which is roughly a 6-mile paddling trip from Millers Branch. It has its own parking lot just east of the Alabama Highway 35 bridge over the Little River. The water is no more than 20 feet from the parking lot, so it is extremely convenient. There are picnic tables along the shore that serve as landmarks, but you really need to be familiar with the exit point because Little River Falls is only a quarter mile farther downriver. Also, the park does not provide shuttle service, so you must arrange for pick-up or have a way to get back to your car at the launch point.

Calm waters of the Little River at Blue Hole, a popular swimming spot in Little River Canyon National Preserve

If you somehow miss Blue Hole, it is possible to exit the river just after passing under the AL 35 bridge, but you had better know what you are doing. It is imperative that you hug the left shoreline and go under the left side of the bridge. If you go under on the right side, you are most likely going over the waterfall. There are some rapids as you pass under the bridge, but there is calm water at the riverbank immediately afterwards. Do not miss it. The waterfall is just 100 yards farther ahead. Once off the river, there is a stone staircase that leads up to the Little River Falls parking lot.

Kayak exit point on the Little River just after passing under the Highway 35 bridge, Little River Canyon National Preserve

The good thing about paddling down the backcountry portion of the Little River is that you don’t need as much water as you do for a trip through the canyon. The minimum water flow recommended is 200 CFS (cubic feet per second); 500 CFS is recommended for the canyon section. At levels lower than 200 CFS, you may have to get out and drag or carry your watercraft over dry or low water areas.

To find water level information, go to https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?02399200. Scroll down to the SELECT DATA TO GRAPH section and choose DISCHARGE, CUBIC FEET PER SECOND. You can also call 800-525-3711. Press 4 for Flows, then 2 for Coosa River Basin, then 2 for the Little River. The data provided is from the United Stated Geological Survey (USGS) water gauge at Blue Pond (not Blue Hole), which is at the southern end of the park near Canyon Mouth Park.

I visited Little River Canyon National Preserve on May 21st, a day after a torrential rain storm complete with tornado warnings. When driving in the backcountry, I encountered the Little River many times, and it always looked perfect for paddling. I went back to check the discharge rate (data is stored for a year), and it was between 1000 and 1200 CFS. All the photos on this page were taken at this time.

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