Alabama's DeSoto State Park Boasts One Of America's Best Campgrounds Offering Waterfalls And Wildflowers

A gorgeous state park in the rugged Appalachian foothills of northeast Alabama offers a sterling natural retreat for families and adventurers hoping to reconnect with nature and take in some of the most dramatic scenery in the state. DeSoto State Park near Fort Payne, Alabama, is located less than an hour by car from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and only two hours by car from Atlanta. It features everything from tree-lined hiking trails and stunning waterfalls to a host of lodging options ranging from campgrounds to perfectly appointed mountain chalets. Throw in fly fishing, paddling and mountain biking, and this out-of-the-way state park is an incredible destination for anyone in the Southeast looking for a little time away from the city.

DeSoto State Park was a Civilian Conservation Corps project built atop Lookout Mountain in the early to mid-1930s. The CCC was part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, which was meant to put America back to work during the Great Depression by tackling ambitious federal infrastructure programs. Thanks to the CCC, Americans have access to some of their most-treasured public lands, particularly in the East and Southeast, where many projects like the one constructed at DeSoto State Park were completed. As a testament to the Corps, many of the original structures constructed nearly 100 years ago are still standing, and the CCC Museum at DeSoto State Park is a cool stop for park visitors who have a penchant for history. There's so much to do at the park — it rivals another wildly underrated Alabama state park with a massive cave network, giant pool and serene campsites.

At just over 3,500 acres, DeSoto State Park really does offer something for everyone, particularly on the lodging end. Visitors to the park can choose among remote backpacking campsites that require hikers to carry their supplies into the park's backcountry a couple of miles, or they can choose a relatively luxurious experience by booking a mountain chalet that comes equipped with a fireplace, a full kitchen, air conditioning, cable TV and complimentary access to the park's seasonal swimming pool. There are several options that fall somewhere in the middle, from wall-tent campsites, to more rustic log cabins and even motel rooms. Regardless of how visitors like to spend their time at DeSoto State Park, finding the right option when it comes to putting their heads on the pillows at night shouldn't be a problem.

When they're not sleeping, guests at the park have lots of options. The aforementioned pool is open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, and is nestled into the trees near the park's picnic area and close to the park's country store and its information center. For those who might like to get away from such gentrified amenities, DeSoto State Park boasts 35 miles of hiking trails and 11 miles of shared mountain bike trails. Difficulty levels on the trails range from easy to difficult for both disciplines, but the park's trail system is the best way to get into the park's interior, particularly in the spring, and see its famous spring wildflowers, including flowering redbud and dogwood trees. It's here, in the park's backcountry, where visitors can take in a beautiful stretch of wild Alabama, not unlike the experience they might find at Cheaha State Park, known as Alabama's "Island in the sky" with unmatched mountain beauty.

While hiking and biking can get visitors to many of the park's scenic vistas, the park's waterfalls are perhaps its main attraction. The most dramatic — and most-visited — waterfall is DeSoto Falls. Here, the Little River plunges 107 feet over limestone rocks. Visitors can drive to the falls, and there is a developed picnic area and a designated parking area for guests. Another beautiful, but more subtle waterfall is Laurel Falls that requires a short hike to reach. Visitors can take the Orange Trail that starts near the park's country store. The hike, which is under a mile, leads to Laurel Creek as it tumbles about 6 feet over a limestone drop. Because it requires a short hike, it doesn't see the crowds that DeSoto Falls gets. Both falls are in the same Little River drainage as Graces High Falls, which is in Alabama's only national preserve that holds waterfalls, overlooks, and one of the Southeast's deepest canyons.

Watching the water is one thing. Getting in it is another thing altogether. At DeSoto State Park, visitors can rent a sit-on-top kayak and paddle the Little River near DeSoto Falls for a 4-mile, round-trip experience. The Little River and Laurel Creek are excellent streams for fly fishing. Anglers can walk and wade both waters, where red-eye bass, bluegill, and green sunfish will hit poppers and small streamers. The park offers an excellent fly fishing story map that gives anglers some great ideas for access, patterns and the fish species they'll be chasing. It's easy to see why DeSoto State Park is rated as one of the 50 best campgrounds in the country. There's so much to do and see that a long weekend may not be long enough to take it all in.