The Lookout Mountain Parkway Drive — Alabama Road Trip

Distance	~50 miles in Alabama (a 93-mile parkway)
Best season	October for color; spring for the waterfalls
The route	Noccalula Falls, Gadsden → Little River Canyon rim drive → DeSoto Falls → The town of Mentone

Distance

~50 miles in Alabama (a 93-mile parkway)

Best season

October for color; spring for the waterfalls

The route

Noccalula Falls, Gadsden → Little River Canyon rim drive → DeSoto Falls → The town of Mentone

This is Alabama’s great mountain drive: a ridge-top route down the spine of Lookout Mountain, stringing together waterfalls, canyon overlooks, and one genuine mountain town. The full parkway runs 93 miles from Gadsden all the way to Chattanooga and has been named one of America’s great scenic drives; this route covers the spectacular Alabama stretch.

Drive it north, ending in Mentone for a late lunch, and go on a clear October weekday when the color’s up and the traffic isn’t. Give it a full day — rushing this drive defeats the entire purpose.

Bucket Rating: Non-negotiable. The single best day of driving in the state. Waterfalls, a canyon, and a mountain town on one tank of gas.