Lookout Mountain Scenic Parkway by John Dersham

We have one of the most beautiful and fun drives to be found anywhere, right here at home. Lookout Mountain Parkway which runs on top of Lookout Mountain from Noccalula Falls at the south end to Ruby Falls on the north. The parkway is comprised of 93 miles of scenic beauty and visitor attractions… all along the route. Reader’s Digest named the Parkway as one of America’s top Scenic Drives. The Parkway is one of 11 Alabama Scenic Byways and can be viewed on state and national maps as a scenic route. For us it makes a fantastic Daycation and is host to many tourists visiting our area and it is the site of our areas largest annual event, the World’s Longest Yard Sale.  I know many of you use parts of the parkway on a fairly regular basis to go to local attractions like Little River Canyon N.P., DeSoto State Park or Mentone. Maybe some of you live along the route or drive on it to get home. Right now I am not talking about the parkway in those terms but instead as a fun family day trip or weekend trip.

In an era of time starvation and high gas prices a fun trip close to home is just the remedy to fulfill that need we have to get out there and enjoy a mini vacation.

 To make a daycation out of it I suggest starting at the beginning and going the whole route to the end. My suggestion is to drive I-59 to the Noccalula Falls exit and go up the mountain to Noccalula Falls. Start your daycation with a visit to Noccalula Falls Park. Here you will find the beautiful 90 ft Noccalula waterfall. Sit back and enjoy a train ride through a native animal habitat and botanical gardens. You will find hiking trails, a campground and miniature golf. When you are done at Noccalula Falls take a right onto Tabor Road to begin your drive on the Lookout Mountain Parkway. This scenic drive will take you through some beautiful mountain top farmland with fantastic vista’s and quaint towns and villages along the way like Dogtown, home of legendary Akins Furniture Store. In Dogtown I recommend you take a right on H-176 and take the alternate Parkway route which takes you along the Canyon Rim drive at Little River Canyon N.P. You can visit the Canyon Center and Little River Falls on that leg of the trip.  You will take H-35 toward Fort Payne to rejoin the regular route of the parkway. At the flashing yellow light just before heading down the mountain take a right onto the parkway and from then on follow the signs that keep you on the Lookout Mountain Parkway as it meanders through the wilderness through DeSoto State Park and Waterfalls to the quaint artisan village of Mentone . Here you will find restaurants and lots of artsy gift shops, B&B Lodges and Rental Cabins. Once finished in Mentone follow H-117 to Cloudland, GA where you will take a left onto H-157 and travel up the east side of Lookout Mountain for awhile before crossing back to the west. You will follow the Lookout Mountain Parkway wayfinder signs as you travel north toward Chattanooga. Along the way you can visit Lookout Mountain Flight Park and look out over some scenic valley vistas from the mountain. You can drop off the parkway and visit nearby Cloudland Canyon State Park before heading toward Rock City Gardens, the town of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee where you find famous Point Park from the Civil War. You can eat and shop there or ride the famous incline railroad down Lookout Mountain at Chattanooga. Don’t miss beautiful Ruby Falls at the end of your Lookout Mountain Parkway drive. From here you can drive down the mountain and head home to our area on H-11 or I-59.

Have a fun journey.

If you need more information and a map of the parkway visit us at our information center on H-35 across the street from Hardees, or call us for other options at 256-845-3957.