Intentionally private, Dismals Canyon - in keeping with its pristine surroundings - offers a quiet and unspoiled oasis in Alabama’s last secret hiding place. A secluded wilderness filled with natural phenomena tucked deep within the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Dismals Canyon - located in Northwest Alabama - is an 85 acre Natural Conservatory privately owned and operated. It is not a State Park or National Park. However, it was designated a "National Natural Landmark" in 1975 by the National Natural Landmarks Program. NNLs are administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
"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."
Rainbow Falls
by Brent Holman
Through the heart of the canyon flows "Dismals Branch", a winding stream that enters the canyon with a roar through "Rainbow Falls".
A 1.5 mile hiking trail on the canyon floor follows the stream through skyreaching boulders, past thundering waterfalls, into a secret world of mossy-green and pearl gray filled with ferns and giant trees.
Bluff by Daryl Forester
Summertime finds Dismals Canyon cool and inviting. The temperature on the canyon floor runs some 14 degrees below Alabama's summer average. There are no mosquitoes, flies, or poison oak.
Along with hiking the canyon floor, and swimming - Romantic Cabins can be rented, Secluded Campsites are available, and a Country Store offers supplies and Indian wares.
Guided night tours allow visitors to view the glow-in-the-dark creatures known locally as Dismalites.
Sleeping Water campsite
by Ronnie Harris
Development has been designed for tranquility and serenity and does not include big concrete RV pads/parking, man-made swimming pools, or Goofy Golf Courses, etc. Recreation is exploration of the natural environment.
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.
Don't miss the upcoming seven-part series produced for Discovery Channel by Wild Horizons Ltd., with team members from their other critically acclaimed nature series like "Planet Earth" and "Life". The project was five years in the making, and the footage is absolutely breathtaking.
From snow-capped mountains to arid deserts, and all the lush forests in between, Discovery Channel has a gorgeous new series premiering Sunday, May 19, 2013 that zooms in on some of the most exotic nature in the world -- and it's all in our own backyard.
Emmy award winning cinematographer Gavin Thurston and his crew from Wild Horizons were at Dismals Canyon from April 25th to May 17th, 2011 to capture footage for the series.
Join our Mailing List (in the right hand column) to receive a notification when it airs.
Gavin Thurston filming at Dismals Canyon with his remote controlled cable dolly. More videos here.
photo by Sean Graham
In 2006 a Hellbender (giant Salamander) was found at Dismals Canyon. It is currently the most recently encountered hellbender in Alabama, and one of only three specimens that have been found in the state in the past twenty years. It's about 2 feet in length.
The organization Alabama Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (www.alaparc.org) has initiated a conservation effort (Alabama Hellbender Initiative) to assess the status of hellbenders in Alabama.
26 miles of the best canoeing in Alabama. Only 3 miles south of Dismals Canyon. They open on Memorial Day weekend. Canoe rentals can be obtained through Dismals Canyon. Call now to book your trip 205-993-4559.
Caney Falls
at Sipsey Wilderness
photo by Andra Smith
Located about 30 miles east of Dismals Canyon in Bankhead National Forest. The Sipsey Wilderness area is one of only two designated wilderness areas in the state of Alabama. It covers approximately 25,000 acres, making it the third largest east of the Mississippi River.
Schedule changes regularly
Open 7 days a week
Friday: 12 noon to 7 pm
Saturday: 9 am to 9 pm
Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm
Mon ~ Thurs: 12 noon to 5 pm
Memorial Day Weekend
Friday: 12 noon to 9 pm
Saturday: 9 am to 9 pm
Sunday: 9 am to 9 pm
Memorial Day: 9 am to 5 pm
Cabin rentals and group tours available 365 days a year.
Past twilight the canyon lights up with tiny bioluminescent creatures we call Dismalites. Guided night tours allow visitors to see these unique insects.
Saturday nights at 8:00
Beginning Memorial Day weekend:
Night tours will be
Friday and Saturday nights
With a special Night Tour
Sunday night (May 26th)
Night tours can be arranged by reservation for other nights for groups of 10 or more.
Note: Night tour time changes throughout the year. So check back here for the current night tour time before planning your visit.
Long exposure photo of flashlight trails from a Dismalite tour. Photo by Ronnie Harris
Dismals Canyon, is located in northwest Alabama, about 30 miles west of the Sipsey Wilderness, 12 miles south of Russellville, Alabama off US-43/AL-17 between Russellville and Hamilton on Hwy. 8.
34° 19' 38.00" N
87° 46' 57.00" W
If you have a flickr account, we invite you to post your photos to the Dismals Canyon flickr group.
