DeSoto State Park — Attraction in Fort Payne

Perched atop Lookout Mountain, DeSoto State Park is a nature lover's paradise and a true jewel of Alabama's state park system. With a rich history rooted in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the park offers a perfect blend of rugged wilderness and comfortable amenities, making it a great destination for all types of travelers.

DeSoto State Park is synonymous with waterfalls, and the main attraction is the magnificent DeSoto Falls. Plunging 104 feet into the West Fork of the Little River, it is one of Alabama's tallest and most popular waterfalls. While the main falls are located about seven miles from the park's main office, they are a must-see. A short, easy walk from the parking area leads to an overlook of the main falls, and a more challenging trail takes you to the bottom for an even more impressive view. Beyond the main falls, the park is home to a series of smaller, but equally beautiful, waterfalls and cascades, including Laurel Falls, Lost Falls, and the Azalea Cascade. These are accessible via the park's extensive network of over 30 miles of hiking and biking trails.

For those who love to hit the trails, DeSoto State Park is a dream come true. The trails wind through a diverse landscape of forests, streams, and unique rock formations. The trails are well-maintained and range from easy, paved paths like the Talmadge Butler Boardwalk Trail—which is perfect for all abilities—to more challenging, backcountry routes. The DeSoto Scout Trail, a historic trail that runs through the park, offers a longer and more strenuous hiking experience. The park provides maps and trail information at its visitor center and country store, which are a great resource for planning your adventure.

DeSoto State Park offers a variety of lodging options to suit every need. The improved campground features 94 full-hookup sites, with clean bathhouses, laundry facilities, and a variety of sites that can accommodate everything from tents to large RVs. Many sites are spacious, level, and offer a good deal of privacy. For those who prefer a more rustic experience, the park also has primitive and backcountry campsites. If camping isn't your style, the park also provides rustic cabins, modern chalets, and motel rooms at the main lodge. The CCC-era lodge and cabins have a charming, historical feel, and many of the accommodations are situated along the creek, offering peaceful views and the soothing sound of running water.

While hiking and waterfalls are the main attractions, there's more to do at DeSoto State Park. The park has a seasonal swimming pool, a playground, and picnic areas. The Civilian Conservation Corps Museum and the Benefield Interpretive Center offer a chance to learn about the park's history and the natural environment. The park also features a restaurant with a stunning canyon view, and it's a popular spot for mountain biking, fishing, and geocaching.

DeSoto State Park is a top-tier destination that truly has something for everyone. Its stunning waterfalls, vast trail system, and variety of well-maintained accommodations make it an ideal spot for a weekend getaway or a longer vacation. Whether you're a family looking for a fun and active trip or a solo hiker seeking solitude in nature, DeSoto State Park delivers an...

UPDATE - Second Visit: DeSoto State Park Two night stay at site 28. Gravel, pull through with picnic table, e/w/s and fire right on driver’s side/. Second stay at this nice park. Reservation gets you a free parking pass for DeSoto Water Falls, plus there are quite a few smaller water falls that are all connected by walking trails. Very dependent on time of year whether these are water falls or just water falling off rocks, but regardless the walk and trails are nice. Country store was well stocked and there is a Dollar General about 10-miles away. We inquired about the Zip Line course but opted out since it was almost $67 per person. Fire wood is available at the Country Store and at a Pay Honor point in the actual camp site for $7 a bundle. Entry into the camping area is by automatic gate - code provided on your check in sheet. Restrooms were clean. Cable hooks up are available and we got 5 channels. There is WiFi but it was hit/miss depending where your site was in the Park. AT&T had one bar and with our weboost two - three. Sites are well spaced and main roads are paved and there were no overhanging branches so easy movement for the larger rigs.

We had reservations for two nights but extended a third. Tons of PROs, first the staff were very nice at check in and again when we opted to extend one night. We did have to change sites, but were able to on our second day which was nice. Sites are well laid out - we were on the loop in the 80-90s with a back in gravel site. Lots of space between sites and lots of trees. Our site had E/W/S and cable. Wifi is available at the bath-house and from our site we were able to connect using our weBoost. We spent the majority of our first day hiking to the various water falls. While the trails are marked they aren't great so highly recommend a paper map (you can purchased a detailed trail map for a $1 at the store). We thought the provided map at check in was poor quality and for us unreadable. There are a number of trail apps that you can download to help on the trails. We used our Garmin GPS and the AllTrails app and had no issue. Verizon was very weak while on the trails, so download all of your maps before-hand. There is a small store but it's not well stocked but hopefully that will change as the Park gets busier. There is a Zip-Line tour and it looked fun but it was a bit expensive so we opted to just watch one group having fun zipping between the trees. Since this is a park we'll definitely visit again, we may try the...

We have held the Johnson family reunion here for 40 something years now where most of our family from all over the southeast US converges to enjoy a long weekend together. We always enjoy our time here whether we're in an A-frame chalet or a rustic cabin. They have two dog friendly cabins which we always take advantage of, as well as a fire pit (bring camp chairs), a front porch that used to be screened (but is no longer screened and that is something I do miss). There is a fully equipped kitchen, although I always prefer to pack my favorite easy-clean pans, skillets and utensils. The cabins have a wood-burning fireplace indoors as well so the cabins typically do smell a bit like campfire indoors-something to note if you were sensitive to that. Their front desk is always helpful with information regarding the local hikes available. There is a park, a volleyball court, and a swimming pool, on site as well as a store with basic food and camping supplies and gifts. You can buy firewood there as well as fire starters, lighters etc. at the country store they have also subtracted the screaming eagle zip line and that's something you can also pay to do. It's about $70 per person which is a little bit steep considering the zip line but our two teenagers had fun doing this. There's also a kayaking tour available nearby and that something a big group of our family did together that was fun. There are trails right from the state park as well as numerous local trails and things to do. De Soto Falls in Indian River, Falls and Little River Canyon scenic Drive, and Little River Canyon Center are also something I'd recommend along the way. The country music group Alabama has a museum about 20 minutes away since they are from Fort Payne as well.

Because there is bear activity, you have to take your trash to the front desk to dispose of it and dumpsters. We have over the years, found a dead scorpion between our sheets, and this particular year ticks are extremely active and have had multiple people with ticks on them, even not being in the woods just walking through the grass so just a heads up to remember to check for ticks! This is a state park that we...