I bet you didn’t know that one of the most well-preserved pieces of nature in Alabama is just down the road near the Franklin County town of Phil Campbell.
It is a small nature conservatory known as Dismals Canyon.
The attraction’s website describes the preservation of the 85-acre park: “Your visit is a step back to a time when the earth was clean and the water was clear. Aside from the necessary clearing of the trails, the canyon is now – as it has been for centuries – completely natural.”
Canyon Hike
Dismals Canyon, which is privately owned and open to the public, was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1975.
The goal of the National Landmarks Program is to “Encourage and support the voluntary conservation of sites that illustrate the nation’s geological and biological history, and to strengthen the public’s appreciation of America’s natural heritage.”
The main attraction of Dismals Canyon is naturally the canyon itself, which offers hikers a 1.5-mile jaunt along the banks of Dismals Branch, which is the stream that runs through the canyon.
As hikers exit the country store and go into the canyon, they are descending alongside Rainbow Falls, which begins the stream’s winding journey.
Exploration
The hike through the canyon offers many things to explore, including:
- Indian Head Rock – A rock formation that looks like the head of an Indian
Temple Cave – An almost cave-like outcropping where Paleoamericans and Native American’s of the Chickasaw and Cherokee tribes were known to reside.- Fat Man’s Misery – A tight squeeze between rock walls, which was the original entrance into the canyon.
- The Champion Tree – A 138-foot-tall Eastern Hemlock Tree, which is the largest of its kind in Alabama.
- The Witches Cavern – A strange and beautifully haunting labyrinth of moss- and fern-covered boulders.
- Burr’s Hideout – A part of the canyon where outlaws were alleged to have hidden out. It was originally thought this was named after former Vice President Aaron Burr, but it was actually named after legendary outlaw Rube Burrow.
The Swimming Hole – an old-fashioned, spring-fed swimming hole carved from rock above Rainbow Falls.- Dismalites – Small insects that live on the canyon walls and emit a blue/green bioluminescent light. Dismals Canyon is one of only a few environments on earth that will support the creatures. (The Dismalites can only be seen on the guided night tours).
World Famous Slug Burger
These are only a few of the things to see during your day trip to Dismals Canyon but no trip would be complete without a stop at the new Soda Fountain & Grill inside the Country Store.
Here you can try a world famous Slug Burger – a concoction of meat, pork, and grits ground and formed into a patty, fried and then served on a bun with onions and mustard. Slug burgers were a staple in the diet of many Southerners during the great depression.
In addition to day trips, Dismals Canyon offers night tours, camping, and various events throughout the year. You can learn more about Dismals Canyon by visiting their website, including admission rates and hours of operation.
Wil Elrick hails from Guntersville, Alabama where at an early age he developed a love for both trivia and history. He has spent the last 20 odd years, fine tuning the art of communication while working in law enforcement, writing, television media, historical research, and public speaking. He lives in North Alabama with his two boys, and a neurotic German Shepherd Dog. He one day hopes that Bigfoot is proven real. Wil’s new book Alabama Scoundrels is available from History Press.
