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, as one of the finest examples of the ecological and geological features composing our Nation's Natural History - Dismals Canyon was designated a "National Natural Landmark" in 1975 by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior - one of only 586 in the United States and its territories. It possesses exceptional value as an illustration of the nation's natural heritage and contributes to a better understanding of our environment.
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.
We have a new sign that we will soon be installing at the entrance to Dismals Canyon. We are also replacing many other signs throughout the conservatory that will help you find your way around, including trail markers and directional arrows.
Dismals Canyon offers two romantic cabins located at the north end of the conservatory. This location ensures maximum privacy.
Constructed inside and out of Western Red Cedar, with vaulted ceilings, stone fireplaces and hardwood floors.
The details of hospitality are unsurpassed - Polarfleece throws, Tiffany lamps, books, and magazines, and fresh flowers. Everything is furnished from rocking chairs to freshly ironed sheets.
A complimentary wine basket awaits your arrival (wine, cheese, & grapes).
Dismals Canyon has been chosen as one of an elite group of sites and events highlighted in the first-of-its-kind National Geographic Map Guide to Appalachia, featured in the April 2005 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine. . .
In 2006 a Hellbender (giant Salamander) was found in the canyon. It is one of only three specimens that have been found in Alabama 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.
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.
Open 7 days a week
Friday: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Monday through Thursday:
11:00 am to 5:00 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.
Friday & Saturday nights
at 8:30 pm
Note: Due to later and later sunsets throughout the spring and early summer, the night tours will change to a later time at night. So check back here for the current night tour time before planning your visit.
Time-lapse 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.
