DeSoto State Park adds 157 acres along river
DeSoto State Park in DeKalb County, Alabama, expanded its footprint with the state’s completed purchase of 157 acres of land along the Little River near DeSoto Falls to protect critical habitat and help preserve the beauty of the park.
“The Alabama State Parks system is dedicated to preserving natural areas of our state, and that’s exactly what this land purchase accomplishes,” Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship said in a news release about the acquisition. “DeSoto Falls is one of Alabama’s true natural wonders, and we keep it that way by preserving the area for future generations to enjoy.”
DeSoto State Park, near Mentone, was ranked Alabama’s fifth-most-visited natural destination in 2020, according to the state Department of Tourism.
State officials said the acquired land, known as the Little River West Fork Tract, secures more than 1,000 feet of frontage along Little River, giving people better access to the waterway above the falls and supporting the park’s mission to enhance public recreation and interpretation of the natural environment.
The addition complements Alabama’s ownership of land at DeSoto Falls, as well as those of the nearby Forever Wild property acquired along the West Fork of the Little River and continues efforts to secure more land for the park along the river, while serving a broader interest to improve recreational features at the DeSoto Falls area, officials said.
Structures at the 3,500-acre park are a mix of wood and stone buildings built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers in the 1930s and other additions mostly built in the 1970s. Seven of the log cabins were built in 2006.
Recent upgrades to park restrooms add to improvements to the swimming beach and the parking lot, which will get new pavement in 2022, officials said.
A tornado swept through the park on March 18, 2013, heavily damaging a cabin, half the guest rooms at the lodge and the park restaurant. The storm was one of two hitting areas of DeKalb County that day. The damage led to unexpected updates to facilities damaged by the storm.
Facilities were upgraded in 2015 with the addition of a pioneer-style cabin, new appliances in existing cabins and guest rooms at the lodge.
Limiting development along the river’s west fork also helps nearby Little River Canyon National Preserve, downstream from the park, and protects the natural scenery on Lookout Mountain.
The recent land acquisition is “definitely good news for this land to become part of DeSoto State Park,” Little River Waterkeeper Executive Director Angela Shugart said. “Our organization is dedicated to promoting clean water, air and healthy communities. Thousands of visitors come to Lookout Mountain every year because of Little River, and this is another step in protecting it for generations to come.”