Noccalula Falls Park – on the Edge of the Blue Ridge

by Larry Watford on July 20, 2010

 

Walking the rocky grounds of Noccalula Falls Park takes me to a very special place in time.  I grew up just a few blocks from the park, attended  R. A. Mitchell elementary school across the street. (Mitchell donated the land for the park)  Over the years its been a treat to watch this gem of North Alabama develop and grow for the enjoyment of all.  Now with over 400 ac. of land on both sides of Black Creek, the park includes the one of the highest single drop (90’) water falls in Alabama, a large 130 site RV Park with full hookups, a group camp ground, a Children’s Zoo, Grist Mill, historic Gilliland covered Bridge, a pioneer village, botanical garden, a world class miniature golf facility, Rental Cabins, a Wedding Chapel, large meeting facilities – open and indoor,  and memorials to all of Etowah Counties veterans.  And, there’s a narrow gauge train, replica 1863 C. P. Huntington, for getting around the park to see it all!  Best of all, while there is a modest fee to enter the gardens and pioneer village, the Falls itself is open to public, no charge. The RV park is a steal at less than $30 a night for full hookups – including WIFI.  All this at a City funded and maintained park – only minutes from downtown.

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Best Kept Secret in the Smokey Mountains

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Most folks know about Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but few know about a place in the southeastern part of the park known as Cataloochee. Settled in the 1830’s, Cataloochee Valley was home to over 1,250 people, who built schools, churches, and large homesteads, and was the largest and most prosperous [...]

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The Blue Ridge Wine Trail…

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Roxie – New member of the BRP Family!

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We lost our Dobie, Mattie a few months back. Left a big hole in our hearts … so when this little girl showed up at the vets, nothing would do but to give her a place to call home. Roxie is 11 week Standard Poodle – already showing me just how smart she really is. [...]

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Blue Ridge Underground…

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Back in the early 60’s, several friends and I began to explore caves in north Alabama. While my brother, Larry, was learning to fly an airplane, I was crawling into holes in the ground. I don’t know how my mother survived. Most of the first caves we explored were small, well-known and heavily vandalized caves, [...]

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