Hey Guys!
As you all know, we love to do several short weekend trips throughout the year and this year was no exception!
In August, we decided to go back to Double Springs, AL where we had stayed for my birthday earlier in the year…..you can read about that trip, here.
Our first stop, was breakfast at Chick fil a.…I mean, who doesn’t love Chick fil a?! They have the best breakfast ever!
After breakfast, we started our 3.5 hr drive to our second stop of the day, Dismals Canyon in Phil Campbell, AL.
Dismals Canyon was the reason we decided to come back to Alabama.….this place was closed for repairs when we visited the area back in April.
After arriving, we headed to the country store to purchase our tickets.
Tip: The parking lot is very small so, if you have a bigger vehicle, you will definitely have trouble parking here. Also, the only bathroom available, is located near the parking lot.
From the parking lot, there is a paved path that leads to the country store.
Once you arrive to the store, you will walk through the covered pavilion in order to enter the store.
The pavilion was super nice….
Here you can enjoy a lunch from the soda fountain, watch TV, or just relax by the fireplace.
Tip: You don’t have to pay admission to enjoy the pavilion, country store or eat at the soda fountain.
Entering the country store..
The country store was like stepping back in time….it’s filled with jars of old candy, antiques, souvenirs and much more!
The soda fountain was designed to look like a classic, old fashioned soda fountain from decades past.
See their menu here
Tip: They have cabins you can rent but they are temporarily unavailable
After purchasing our tickets, we were given a map of the canyon and directed to the starting point for our self guided hike…..which is 1.5 miles.
Dismals Canyon is a hidden gem where towering moss covered rock walls, winding streams, and shaded forest paths make it feel like a secret world.
The 85 acre nature preserve features wooden boardwalks and natural trails that guide you past waterfalls, grottos and incredible rock formations.
Dismals Canyon was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1975.
It was used to film a segment for the Discovery Channel documentary When Dinosaurs Roamed America.
We began our hike by walking down a steep set of wooden stairs.
Rainbow Falls is the first thing you will come to after you descend the stairs.
These falls were the source of power for a gristt mill and water wheel that was destroyed by a flood sometime in the 1950s.
As you continue the path, you will approach the swinging bridge.
A shot of the falls from the bridge
Crossing the swinging bridge
Stepping into Dismals Canyon feels like entering another world!
The moss covered canyon walls rise high above the trail keeping the air cool as water flows gently through the rocky landscape.
Tip: At night, the canyon lights up with thousands of tiny bioluminescent Dismalities…an experience found in only a handful of places in the world….book the night tour here. This tour is only available during certain times of the year.
Continuing our walk along the boardwalk
This area is known as the Grotto.
The trail here is absolutely magical. There is amazing rock formations with moss covering almost every inch of the boulders.
There are secret passageways and stunning deadends.
The massive boulders leaned inward, creating the feeling that the canyon itself was closing in on us!
The boardwalk leads you deeper into the canyon…
With every turn, a distinctive rock formation came into view…
Standing among the massive boulders, you couldn’t help but feel small in comparison.
After a few minutes of walking, we arrived to Pulpit Rock.
Pulpit Rock is a winding natural rock stairway.
If you decide to climb to the top, you will be scrambling over large boulders.
At the top you will have a panoramic view of part of the canyon.
At the top
Continuing along the boardwalk
We stopped multiple times to take pictures!
This was called the Kitchen
This covered area was used for cooking and tribal rituals by Chickasaw Indians hundreds of years ago.
Continuing our walk into the canyon floor
Along the way, we spotted this cool looking tree.
At the bottom of the canyon, you are surrounded by woods and a small stream…
It was hard to believe that we were in Alabama….it felt like walking through the mossy forests we’d explored in Washington State!
Exploring the canyon floor
Everything was so green and lush!
About 10,000 years ago this bluff shelter was home to a tribe of Paleo Indians – first man known to inhabit this part of the U.S.
This shelter has never been excavated but samples of Paleo pottery & arrow points have been found in different areas of the Canyon.
Continuing our walk
We spotted so many cool looking trees along the path!
More shots along the canyon wall
We came to a section where we had to walk on rocks to cross the stream.
I just couldn’t get over how every rock and boulder was covered in moss!
Even though there were other people visiting, we rarely ran into anyone else.
There are several points of interest along the canyon floor such as the Witches Cavern, a strange and beautiful labyrinth of moss and fern covered boulders where the largest colony of Dismalites reside.
This place was incredible!
Our walk along the canyon floor took us past moss covered rocks, shallow streams, and towering canyon walls that kept the trail cool and shaded.
I felt like I had been transported to a scene straight out of a fairytale!
Continuing our walk
We passed massive, moss covered boulders.
There have been more than 350 different species of Exotic Flora identified by botanists exploring the canyon.
Walking along the trail
The views from the boardwalk were gorgeous!
We finally arrived to the second falls called Secret Falls.
I really wouldn’t call it much of a falls….more like a trickle.
The water creating these falls flows from an underground mountain stream that opens onto the earth’s surface about 3/4 of a mile upstream.
The area around “Secret Falls” is a natural arboretum. Within 100 feet grow 27 species of native trees.
Our walk led us through narrow cracks and winding crevices carved into the canyon wall.
Like, Fat Man’s Misery…
This narrow opening (16” wide) between the two big boulders was the original entrance to the Canyon floor.
After getting through the tiny opening, you were surrounded by huge, moss covered boulders!
Looking back at Fat Man’s Misery.
Exploring the different twists and turns through the rocks.
Every path led to another breathtaking rock formation.
We kept discovering hidden corners of the canyon….
Arriving back to the main entrance around Rainbow Falls.
Another shot of Rainbow Falls
Heading back upstairs to the country store
Read reviews here
After spending about 1.5 hrs here, we headed to our next stop called, Rattlesnake Saloon, which was a 45 min drive from Dismals Canyon.
After arriving, we had to get in line at the “Saloon taxi pickup” where we were loaded in the back of the “Rattlesnake taxi” and driven about a half mile to the restaurant.
This was definitely a new experience for us! 😉
This is a super unique restaurant as it’s built right under a massive natural bluff.
The setting feels like something out of an old west movie, with swinging saloon doors, hitching posts for horses and rugged rock walls towering overhead.
The name “Rattlesnake” came during construction, when workers uncovered a rattlesnake den nearby.
Before it was a saloon, the shelter was actually used as hog pen, and a 33 ft hole drilled through the rock to feed the hogs, now serves as a convenient place for running utilities into the restaurant.
The restaurant has been featured on national TV shows such as the Food Network’s Craziest Restaurants...it draws visitors from across the US and beyond.
Since we arrived at such an odd time (3:00 pm), we were seated right away….tbis place does not take reservations.
After getting seated, we took a few minutes to look over the menu.
The food here is your classic Southern and pub style fare — such as burgers, sandwiches, fried appetizers, etc.
Tip: Be sure to check out their website before you go because they are closed the months of Dec & Jan.
We both decided to order a burger….they were pretty good.
We didn’t go inside the “saloon” so I have no idea what the inside looks like….
On weekends, the saloon features live music and line dancing.
They were setting up for music as we were getting ready to leave.
Besides the restaurant, they also offer lodging, horseback riding, a campground, hiking trails, all kinds of events, a gift shop and more.
After finishing our meal, we headed to the line for the “taxi” to take us back to our vehicle.
Read reviews here
We then headed to our Airbnb …..the drive would take 1 hr 15 mins.
Tip: This area has no cell service so be sure to download offline maps! You can watch a YouTube video on how to do it, here.
We had stayed in this same Airbnb property for my birthday earlier in the year and we loved it so much that we decided to book it again.
This beautiful tiny home is located in Double Springs, AL and overlooks the Sipsey River..
The Sipsey River winds through the Sipsey Wilderness portion of the William B. Bankhead National Forest just outside of Double Springs.
The Sipsey Wilderness is the largest designated wilderness area east of the Mississippi River and is often called the Land of a Thousand Waterfalls.
Heading inside the house
The house has one king bed, a kitchen, a huge shower, a bathtub and a huge deck overlooking the river.
After getting settled in, we headed back outside to check out the small dock that extends out into the river…..it was closed off for repairs when we visited in April so we were excited to be able to use it during this trip.
However, we were so disappointed when we saw how muddy the river was because this is what it looked like when we visited back in April!
The area had received a lot of rain, which had clearly affected the river.
We came prepared to spend time in the water, but there was no chance we were getting into that muddy river!
So, we decided to admire it from the dock instead. 😉
Later that evening, we called it a night!
Stay tuned for Day 2!
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