Winter is Mentone, Alabama's quiet season: the waterfalls run fullest of the year, the park and canyon stay open daily, and cabins book on short notice.
That is the short version. Here is what it actually looks like on the ground, from what stays open to why this is the best time of year to see water moving over rock.
What's Open in Mentone This Winter
The mountain does not shut down in winter, but a few things run on a different clock than the summer season.
- DeSoto State Park: the lodge front desk runs 24 hours a day, year round, and the Country Store keeps its regular 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours seven days a week. Trails and picnic areas are open dawn to dusk, same as always, and none of the park's more than 35 miles of hiking trails or 11-plus miles of mountain biking trails close for the season. There is also an ADA-accessible boardwalk trail for anyone who wants an easier walk to the falls area.
- Little River Canyon National Preserve: the scenic drive, overlooks and trails stay open daily, sunrise to sunset, at no cost. The Little River Canyon Center (the visitor center) keeps shorter hours than the drive itself: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Mondays.
- Canyon Mouth Park, the day-use area at the base of the canyon, runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter (it stays open later the rest of the year). A day pass is $15 per vehicle, or $35 for an annual pass.
- Restaurants and shops in town are the one place we would tell you to call ahead. Hours in Mentone shift with the season more than the park's do, and we were not able to confirm current winter hours for every kitchen on the mountain. If you have a place picked out for dinner, a quick call before you drive over saves a wasted trip.
Why the Waterfalls Are Best Right Now
This is the part people do not expect: the waterfalls around Mentone are at their weakest in summer and at their strongest in winter. DeSoto State Park says it plainly on its own waterfalls page: "the best times to see the most water flow are usually in the Spring, late Fall, and Winter," and that "most of our waterfalls and streams are dry in the summer."
DeSoto Falls follows the same pattern. The park's own description notes that "the water level is high in the winter and early spring," while summer and fall often leave it "much lower and sometimes dry." If you have only seen photos of DeSoto Falls from a July visit, a January one will look like a different place. It is about a 10-minute drive from the cabins.
The falls area is open daily during daylight hours and closes at dusk. Parking is limited at both the picnic area and the trailhead and fills on weekends, so an early start helps. There is no overflow parking along the road, and the lot does not accommodate RVs or trailers. A $5 per-vehicle day-use fee applies, or $50 for an annual pass to the picnic area.
Little River Canyon in Winter
The Canyon Rim Parkway, the 11-mile scenic drive on Alabama 176 along the canyon's western side, is free to drive and open daily, dawn to dusk, in any season. It is narrow and curvy, so plan for a slower pace than the highway, but nine named overlooks sit right off the road, including Little River Falls Boardwalk Overlook, Canyon View Overlook and Grace's High Falls Overlook, and most require only a short walk from the car. DeSoto State Park is about 15 minutes from the cabins, and the canyon itself is about 30.
Winter is also when the canyon's bones show. With less leaf cover, the rock walls and the shape of the gorge are easier to see from the overlooks than they are at the height of summer green.
Snow Is Not Guaranteed, but It Happens
Winter on Lookout Mountain is mild more often than not. Fort Payne's 30-year averages put a typical December day at a high near 55 and a low near 35, January close behind at 52 and 32, and February back up slightly to 57 and 36. Most winter days are cold-jacket weather, not snow-boot weather.
But the mountain does get the occasional cold snap that brings real snow and ice, the kind that turns the roadway and the woods around Mentone white for a day or two, and that is worth planning around rather than against if you want to see it. Part of the reason is elevation: Mentone sits at roughly 1,686 feet, while Fort Payne down in the valley is closer to 1,079 feet, and that difference is often enough for the mountain to hold snow and ice a day or two longer than the towns below it. It will not happen every trip. When it does, it is a reason to stay in rather than a reason to cancel: the cabins have covered porches, firepits and hot tubs built for exactly that kind of weekend, so pack layers and warm socks along with whatever you brought for the trails.
Cloudmont, the Area's Small Ski Hill
Mentone is also home to Cloudmont Ski and Golf Resort, one of the few places to ski in the Deep South. It is not a Colorado-sized mountain, and it depends on cold enough air to work: snowmaking starts once overnight temperatures drop to 28 degrees or colder, with machine-made snow and grooming used to build and hold a base through the season. When conditions allow, the resort runs daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 6 to 10 p.m. for night skiing. Cloudmont also offers chalet and cabin rentals that run well beyond ski season, since the mountain itself, not just the hill, is the draw.
Where to Eat When It's Quiet
The same handful of kitchens that get a wait in October have plenty of tables in January. It is still worth calling ahead, since winter hours can run shorter than the rest of the year and a few places take a weekday off in the slow season. If you want a fuller rundown of where to eat on the mountain, our local experiences guide is a good place to start.
Planning a Winter Trip
Winter days are short. By early December, sunset on the mountain comes around 4:30 in the afternoon, so if you want to catch the light at an overlook or at Brow Park, plan to be there well before dinner rather than after it. It also means evenings at the cabin start early, which a lot of guests end up preferring: more time by the fire, less time trying to fit in one more stop before dark.
If this is sounding like your kind of weekend, the three cabins, Bear Cave, Owl's Nest and Wolf Den, sit just outside Mentone and are often easiest to book on short notice in winter. For current dates, see availability. For more on what else is nearby, our post on the waterfalls within an hour and our guide to Little River Canyon National Preserve both make good winter reading before you go.
Warmly, Camille
Co-Host, Wild Wood Cabins, Mentone
On behalf of Edward & Bethany