Little River Canyon National Preserve protects a deep river canyon atop Lookout Mountain near Fort Payne in northeast Alabama. Created by Congress in 1992 and managed by the National Park Service, it encompasses about 15,288 acres, including the Little River, often called the nation’s longest mountaintop river. Over geologic time, the river carved one of the Southeast’s deepest canyons, with sandstone walls rising up to 600 feet above the floor. The preserve is known for its clear water, waterfalls such as Little River Falls, DeSoto Falls, and Grace’s High Falls, scenic parkway views, and traces of abandoned recreation projects from the late 20th century.