DeSoto Falls & DeSoto State Park - Fort Payne/Mentone

DeSoto Falls

While you might not think of the winter as a great time to explore the outdoors, it is actually the best time of the years to see Alabama's waterfalls flowing at their best.

One of the most spectacular and easiest to access of these is DeSoto Falls, part of DeSoto State Park. Located on the outskirts of Mentone and just a few miles from I-85 and Fort Payne, the waterfall is 100-feet high and is both a scenic wonder and a historic site rich in the heritage and culture of North Alabama.

Archaeological evidence indicates that prehistoric Indians frequented the waterfall area long before the first Europeans arrived in North America. Some researchers also say that the famed "Welsh Caves" at the falls date from the Woodland era and are more than 1,000 years old. Others, however, say they were excavated by the Welsh explorer Prince Madoc, who some believe explored Alabama in 1170 A.D.

Azalea Cascade at DeSoto State Park

Legend also holds that Spanish artifacts dating from the Hernando de Soto expedition were found in the waterfall area. This accounts for the naming of the falls after de Soto, although if such artifacts did exist, they could also have originated from the Tristan de Luna expedition of 1559.

Better known is the role of the waterfall area during the Civil War. As the Union army was advancing on Chattanooga during the days before the Battle of Chickamauga, the 20th (XX) Corps) crossed Lookout Mountain at Mentone and cavalry forces are known to have visited the waterfall itself. The waterfall was also the site of one of the earliest hydroelectric plants in Alabama.

While DeSoto Falls is the largest, there are actually a number of other waterfalls in DeSoto State Park and they flow at their best during the winter months. The park also features cabins, camping, picnicking, a boardwalk that leads to a nice little waterfall, restaurant, hotel/lodge and more. Here are some links you might enjoy exploring for history, photos and more information:

• Desoto Falls: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/desotofalls1
• Desoto State Park: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/desotopark1
• Desoto State Park in Winter: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/desotowinter
• Mentone, Alabama: www.exploreosuthernhistory.com/mentone
• Fort Payne, Alabama: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortpayne

Waterfalls of Alabama - History and Scenic Views

Waterfalls probably do not usually come to mind when many people think of Alabama, but the state is actually home to a surprisingly large number of beautiful falls and cascades.

Formed where streams and rivers flow over bluffs or steep hillsides as they make their way down through the state and eventually to the Gulf of Mexico, these stunning natural features have long played an important role in the history of Alabama.

Early Native Americans, for example, frequented the waterfalls. At DeSoto Falls near Fort Payne and Mentone, for example, there are even the remains of unusual manmade caves in the walls of the steep bluff surrounding the huge waterfall. It is generally thought that these were carved out by prehistoric Indians, although some believe they were left behind by Prince Madoc, a Welsh explorer who true believers think reached the New World hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus.

As time passed and the American frontier pushed west, early settlers made use of the strong currents of the falls. At Little River Falls, for example, a water-powered mill once stood. Residents used it to both grind grain and saw the old growth trees of the state into lumber for building homes and businesses.

Today, the waterfalls provide enjoyment for visitors from around the world. Some, like Noccalula Falls in Gadsden and Little River Falls near Mentone are easy to reach and offer paved paths and fenced overlooks. Others, like those around Cheaha State Park in the mountains of the Talladega National Forest, require a hike into the forest but are beautifully preserved in their natural state.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alabamawaterfalls.