Little River Canyon National Preserve>DeSoto State Park (PIC HEAVY)

My dad and I took the pups out on the trail to have a nice hike and test out some gear close to home. We started at the Miller Branch Backcountry Trailhead and we hiked into DeSoto State Park to Camp.

We started along the DeSoto Scout Trail>CCC Trail>Green Trail>Orange Trail>Neverland Trail to a backcountry shelter on the Neverland Bypass. It was a great hike! The waterfalls were pouring due to recent rains, and the weather was unseasonably warm. (so much for the cold weather gear test)

DeSoto State Park is hammock friendly, due to some of the staff being hangers. We are even starting a hammock camping class this fall here, and I am teaching the kids how to make hammocks in a backpacking class this spring. They have a nice big improved campground, a primitive group area, and several backcountry sites, one of which has a shelter.

Little River National Preserve only has 3 campsites, but they are awesome, free, and right on the river. They are first come first serve. Most folks do not even know there is a backcountry area, as LRC is mostly known for it's many roadside overlooks and world class whitewater. ( I added a couple of shots from the canyon rim overlooks too)

It is worth checking out. It is a hidden jewel. Here are some pics and a silly video that describe the area better than I can ramble about it.

more pics...

camp photos. (neverland shelter)

Wow wish we had places like that in Florida!! Its pretty flat here lol Looked like a greaat time !Nice place

that is beautiful! how have i never heard of this place?! i live in chattanooga i will have to make a trip down there sometime soon.

Thanks for sharing the pics.

DeSoto sounded familiar, so I looked it up. I drove through there while on a long weekend to Huntsville. I will definitely have to make DeSoto the destination of a long weekend now.

STinGa

Been there several times...great pics!!

Great pics. Love the pole mod on the tarp for the bridge. How do you have all of that rigged? Looks like you all had a great time.

Impressive place that I didn't know existed!
Great job of capturing it on camera.
I love the perch you found in the 1st hammock photo!

Thanks to for taking us along. Great Pics!