Little River Canyon National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located near Fort Payne, Alabama and nearby DeSoto State Park. Created by an act of Congress in 1992, the nearly 14,000 acre (57 km²) preserve protects the nation's longest mountaintop river, the Little River.

The Little River flows for almost its entire length down the middle of Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama. Over eons of geologic time, Little River has carved out one of the Southeast's deepest canyons as it winds its way from headwaters in Georgia before exiting the mountain and emptying into Weiss Lake near Leesburg, Alabama.



Because there are no dams to regulate its flow and few man-made developments to pollute its waters, the river is among the cleanest and wildest waterways in the South. Sandstone cliffs tower up to 600 feet (300 m) above the narrow canyon floor, providing a rock climber's paradise and eye-popping vistas from overlooks along the 23 mile (37 km) scenic drive known as Little River Canyon Rim Parkway (AL 176, Dekalb C.R. 148, Cherokee C.R. 275) on the canyon's western rim.

There are currently very few visitor facilities operated by the National Park Service within the preserve. DeSoto State Park, operated by the Alabama State Park System, is located within the preserve boundaries and has a lodge, restaurant, several campgrounds, and other facilities.