Little River Falls
Is it open? Open0.3 mi round tripEasy
No closure posted by Little River Canyon National Preserve (NPS). Source: Little River Canyon National Preserve (NPS), checked October 28, 1:06 a.m.
A 45-foot waterfall at the top of Little River Canyon, seen from the end of a short boardwalk a few minutes from the lot. The park warns that people can be carried over the falls in seconds, and says rescues and deaths have happened here. The park doesn't say whether swimming is allowed. Entry is free, and there are restrooms at the lot.
At a glance
The walk, the climb and how hard it is.
0.3 mi
Round trip to the overlook
The park says it takes a few minutes. This is our measurement on the trail map.
Measured by Chattanooga Falls on OpenStreetMap trail lines, checked October 27, 202640 ft
Climb back up
Our measurement with USGS lidar. The park doesn't publish a climb.
Measured by Chattanooga Falls with USGS 3DEP lidar elevation, checked October 27, 2026Easy
Difficulty
Our rating, from the measured climb. The park doesn't rate this walk.
Chattanooga Falls rating, from our measured climb, checked October 27, 2026The gorge in 3D
The pink line is the boardwalk from the parking lot to the overlook at the top of the falls. Drag to turn it.
Building the 3D view…
Shaded relief: USGS 3DEP lidar. Elevation: USGS via AWS Terrain Tiles. Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The water right now
Live from the National Weather Service and NOAA radar. Check again before you get in.
Flood alerts
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Recent rain
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Water level
The nearest USGS gauge is on the Little River at Canyon Mouth Park, the downstream end of the canyon. The park says its readings may not show what the river is doing up at the falls.
See the latest reading on the USGS page
Source: USGS gauge list, checked October 26, 2026Good to know
The park's rules, fees and hours, each with where it came from.
- Rules
- Swimming: the park doesn't say. You must stay 50 ft back from the edge of the falls. The park warns that the river rises fast after storms upriver and is slow to drop.Little River Canyon National Preserve (page 1, page 2), checked October 26, 2026NPS Little River Canyon, checked October 26, 2026
- Fee
- No fee here (only Canyon Mouth Park charges)Little River Canyon National Preserve, checked October 26, 2026
- Hours
- Sunrise to sunset; no parking after darkLittle River Canyon National Preserve, checked October 26, 2026
- Dogs
- Allowed on a leash of 6 ft or shorter, even in the waterLittle River Canyon National Preserve, checked October 26, 2026
- Restrooms
- At the Little River Falls parking lotLittle River Canyon National Preserve, checked October 26, 2026
Parking and directions
Directions go to the parking lot, never to the falls.
Little River Falls parking lot
Off Highway 35 by the Little River bridge, Little River Canyon National Preserve, AL
100 cars, with spaces for RVs and buses. On late spring and summer weekends it's often full by 11 a.m. Central. No parking fee.
Source: Little River Canyon National Preserve, checked October 26, 2026. Map pin: OpenStreetMap.Weather at the falls
The National Weather Service forecast for this spot.
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Nearby spots
Open and closed labels come from each land manager's own pages.
Photos on Unsplash: Loc Giang