Picnic table by the Little River at Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Canyon Mouth Park is located at the southern end of Little River Canyon and is part of Little River Canyon National Preserve. Here you will find a large picnic area, a soccer field, a playground, and one of the few swimming holes within the park on the Little River. It is also home to the Canyon Mouth Trail.

Playground at Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Canyon Mouth Park opens daily at 8 AM, but closing times vary per season. It is open until 7 PM in the summer, 6 PM in the spring and fall, and 5 PM in the winter. The gates are locked promptly at closing time, and any cars remaining in the parking lot will be ticketed and / or towed, and may possibly be locked in for the night. Operating hours can always change, so before making travel plans, be sure to check the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for Little River Canyon National Preserve.

There is a fee to enter Canyon Mouth Park, and this is paid at the entrance station. During the summer an attendant will take your payment, otherwise use the fee machine that is also at the entrance. The machine accepts National Park annual passes, Little River Canyon National Preserve annual passes, credit and debit cards, and cash (no bills larger than $20). The machine does not give change, so be sure you have the correct amount if using cash. You will be issued a pass that must be placed on the dashboard of your vehicle. For the current entrance fee, be sure to check the National Park Service’s official Fees and Passes web page for the park.

Canyon Mouth Park has dozens of picnic tables and grills, a modern restroom, a water fountain, an outdoor rinse-off shower, a pavilion, a playground, and a soccer field. The pavilion can be reserved in advance for group events, but all other facilities are taken on a first come, first served basis. Call (256) 845-9605 to inquire about reserving the pavilion.

Canyon Mouth Park picnic area, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Soccer field at Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Canyon Mouth Park offers easy access for swimming in the Little River. The park marks the end of Little River Canyon, and by this point the cliffs have tapered away and the rapids have calmed. You can wade into the river just as easily as a swimming pool.

Swimmers in the Little River at Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

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