ALL Alabama State Parks remain open.

Cheaha State Park

I've been receiving quite a few questions about the status of Alabama State Parks as we approach the Fall leaf change.

ALL Alabama State Parks are open and ready for visitors!  This includes Cheaha State Park and DeSoto State Park, both of which adjoin Federal lands.  All state park roads, trails and amenities (lodges, cabins, restaurants, etc.) are open.

Federal lands in Alabama, however, have been closed due to the Government Shutdown.  Areas that are closed include:

• Gulf Islands National Seashore
• Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
• Little River Canyon National Preserve
• Natchez Trace National Parkway
• Russell Cave National Monument
• Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
• Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site

Little River Falls

In addition, all offices, recreation areas and trails in the Talladega and Bankhead National Monument are closed due to the federal shutdown. Even the National Park Service website is shut down.

ALL Alabama state historic sites are open as usual. These include Fort Morgan, Fort Toulouse/Jackson, etc.

There is no plan to close state operated parks and historic sites and no definite reopening date for national park and forest areas in Alabama.

Since you can't visit national park areas, feel free to look at photos and read about them (as well as Alabama state parks and historic sites) at www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

DeSoto State Park - Fort Payne, Alabama

If you are looking for something a little different to do with the family over Christmas vacation, you might be surprised to discover how wonderful of a place Alabama's DeSoto State Park can be during the winter.

This is the time of the year that the park's numerous small (and one huge) waterfalls are often at their best. The spectacular sight of crystal clear water tumbling over rocks and through the ravines and canyons of the park adds sight and sound during the season after the fall leaves are gone.

In addition, the park features miles of hiking trails, a very good restaurant, chalets, cabins and a hotel/lodge. The white lights of the lodge office combine with the beautiful green and red of wild holly to create a nice touch of holiday cheer.

In addition, DeSoto State Park offers easy access to the Little River Canyon National Preserve, a magnificent national park area just a couple of miles away. The canyon is quite picturesque during the winter, as the waterfalls flow well and the reduction in vegetation provides spectacular views.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/desotopark1 and to see photos of the park in winter, be sure to visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/desotowinter.

Ponce de Leon Springs State Park - Ponce de Leon, Florida

One of the most beautiful spots in Northwest Florida can be found in the small town of Ponce de Leon. The Holmes County community is located along Interstate 10 between Marianna and Pensacola and is the home of Ponce de Leon Springs State Park.

The park surrounds a beautiful Florida spring that pours out 14 million gallons of water each day. Rising from two underground flows, the spring maintains a constant temperature of 68 degrees year round. During the winter, the water actually feels quite warm, while during the summer it feels ice cold.

Ponce de Leon Springs has been a popular spot for recreation since at least the 1840s. A log hotel operated there during the years leading up to the Civil War, but was destroyed by Union troops in 1864.

The springs remained a popular place for swimming and picnicking on into the 20th century and became a state park in 1970. The park now features swimming in the spring, picnicking, nature trails and more.

To learn more about Ponce de Leon Springs State Park, please visit our new page at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/poncedeleonsprings.

DeSoto State Park in Alabama

We are kicking off the New Year with the addition of a number of new pages to www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

The first new pages to come online can be seen in our revamped section on DeSoto State Park near Fort Payne, Alabama. This beautiful and historic park is located atop Lookout Mountain. Noted for its magnificent views of the west fork of Little River and its numerous waterfalls - including the 100-foot tall DeSoto Falls (seen here) - DeSoto State Park is one of the finest state park facilities in the state.

In addition to its natural attractions, cabins, motel, restaurant and more, the park is rich in history. Legend holds that the Welsh explorer Prince Madoc and his men built a fort at DeSoto Falls as early as 1170 A.D. and the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto passed nearby in 1541.

To learn more, please visit our new DeSoto State Park and DeSoto Falls pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/desotopark1.