North Alabama
Wander an hour southwest of Chattanooga, into North Alabama, and you’ll discover scenic back country roads and overlooks, Desoto Falls, camping, hiking and biking trails at Desoto State Park and backpacking along the Pinhoti Trail.
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DeSoto State Park
Desoto State Park is nestled atop Lookout Mountain in Northeast Alabama. The 3,502-acre Alabama State Park features waterfalls, abundant spring wildflowers and stunning, historic facilities that were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
DeSoto’s improved campground has 94 full hookup tent and RV sites. For the more adventurous, there are also primitive camping sites for tents as well as two backcountry campsites with shelters.
Other amenities include a restaurant, meeting rooms, pavilions, picnic area with playground, Olympic-size swimming pool (seasonal), an ADA accessible boardwalk trail, a nature center featuring interpretive programs and live animals, a Civilian Conservation Corps museum, and more than 30 miles of hiking trails and 11+ miles of mountain biking trails that vary in terrain from easy to strenuous.
Trail maps can be found at the Lodge, Country Store, & Nature Center. All mountain bike trails are marked silver on the trails and by diamonds on the trail map.
Desoto Falls is located 7 miles North from Desoto State Park in Mentone Alabama. It's definitely worth the drive to see in person. Paddling options are available upstream of the falls on the Little River.Directions
Difficulty
Hiking
Running
Biking
Paddling
Hours and Cost
Open Daily
Cost: Varies based on campsite amenities and length of stay.
Pet Friendly
Yes, on a leash
Contact
DeSoto State Park 7104 DeSoto Parkway NE Fort Payne, AL 35967 256-845-5380
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Horse Pens 40
Horse Pens 40 is a premier bouldering destination in northern Alabama. Known for its heinous slopers and hard mantle top outs, Horse Pens 40 (HP 40) often humbles the first-time visitor. If one project spits you off, you don't have far to go to find the next. HP 40 is one of the most concentrated boulder fields in the world. The staggeringly beautiful sandstone formations will test the strength of your forearms and your sense of balance.
Horse Pens 40 offers camping and cabin rentals. For those who don't climb, the boulder field is a great place to wander and a few boulders even have steps allowing access to the top for a spectacular view.Directions
Difficulty
Rock Climbing
Hiking
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Day pass, October 1-May 30: $8
Day pass, June 1-September 30: $6
Camping, October 1-May 30: $15/night
Camping, June 1-September 30: $13/night
Pet Friendly
No
Contact
Horse Pens 40 3525 Co Rd 42 Steele, AL 35987 256-538-7439
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Pinhoti Trail
The Pinhoti Trail (Pin-hoe-tee) is a 335-mile backcountry trail that runs northeast from the Talladega National Forest in Alabama to Springer Mountain in Georgia, where it joins the Benton MacKaye and Appalachian Trails. With 164 miles of trail contained in Georgia and the other 171 miles in Alabama, the Pinhoti Trail is maintained by trail clubs and associations in both states. The closest trailhead to Chattanooga is in Fort Mountain State Park, near Dalton, GA. Through hikers will find designated campsites and shelters. Day hikers can access multiple loops through lush native forests and rocky southern terrain. The Pinhoti Trail in Northwest Georgia is a mountain biker's paradise offering hours and days of two-wheeled trail riding. Mulberry Gap, a Mountain Bike Getaway, offers a ride in/out options with cabins, tent camping, hot showers, home-cooked meals, and shuttles. Other sections of the long-distance trail in Georgia are designated for horseback riding. There is no horseback riding allowed on the trail in Alabama.
More than 25 miles of horse trails offer loop rides varying from 3 to 16 miles. Riders must bring their own horses and register at the Fort Mountain Park stables, or visitors can take guided trail rides. The trail contains several ecosystems and includes canopied hardwood forests, endangered eastern hemlock, brooks, lakes, rocky trails, country roads and segments of highways. The north terminus is approximately 70 miles west of Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, near the Benton MacKaye Trail. The trail's southern terminus is on Flagg Mountain, near Weogufka, AL.Difficulty
Hiking
Running
Biking
Hours and Cost
Open 24/7
Cost: Free
Pet Friendly
Yes, on leash
Contact
Talladega National Forest 45 Highway 281 Heflin, AL 36264 (256) 463-2272
Fort Mountain State Park 181 Fort Mountain Park Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 Park 706-422-1932 Reservations 800-864-7275