MOORE'S MILLMentoneALWest Fork Little River

Mentone

Mentone, Alabama is located in Dekalb County, Alabama atop Lookout Mountain. It has the highest elevation of any incorporated town in Alabama, which is one of the reasons it attracts so many visitors in the hot summer months and snow seeking advernturers in the winter! Mentone was named after Menton France and was incorporated in 1935. Even though the population of Mentone hovers at about 360 permanent residents, this energetic historic small community draws many more visitors as they roam the heavily wooded byways and scenic areas for reasons of adventure or simply seeking peaceful relaxation. Don't let the small town demographics fool you, though. You can enjoy as much or as little as your heart desires.

The Little River

The Little River flows atop Lookout Mountain from it's headwaters originating in Georgia to it's emptying into the Coosa River at Weiss Lake. The main stem of the river is formed by the confluence of the 17-mile long East Fork and the 25-mile long West Fork. There is another 23 miles from the fork, through the Little River Canyon into Weiss Lake. The river is undammed aside from an old hydroelectric project at Desoto Falls and is considered one of the South’s cleanest waterways. The width and depth of the river varies from a trickle to several feet deep and wide. Moore's Mill sits about a half-mile up river from Desoto Falls and features some of the best river front available. It is about 15 to 20 feet deep and 30 yards across in front of the Moore's Mill dock. That provides opportunities for a lot of water activities from swimming, canoeing or kayaking to just floating in the warm sun while dangling a lazy foot into the cool mountain water. The water is indeed cooler than most bodies of water, but it's a very welcome swim in the hottest of summer days! Oh, and for you anglers out there - wetting a hook provides anything from dinner (bass, brim mostly) to just a relaxing day of catch and release!

A great article on the Little River can be found here: Little River: Wild and Free atop Lookout Mountain.

As stated above, the Little River east and west forks joins in the Little River Canyon National Preserve. The canyon is a must see and offers many recreational activities. For more information, please visit The National Park Service website at https://www.nps.gov/liri.

Camps

There is probably no where else in the United States that enjoys more camps in one area than on Lookout Mountain. Once you are here - you will understand why! The rich history and heritage of the many camps in this area is worth exploring all by itself. You know summer has arrived when you start hearing the laughing voices of campers as they treck up and down the Little River in canoes, kayaks and river bikes. And hearing the dinner bell from Camp Laney provides the sound track for the lazy summer days on the river. The cabin is a wonderful excuse to stay close to your first time camper for the first time. Or to take a long weekend yourself when you drop off or pick up your camper. We encourage you to explore the many choices available in the Mentone area. Here are some of the camps in the area:

Girls Camps: Camp Skyline for Girls (Mentone), Camp Desoto for Girls (Mentone), Riverview Camp for Girls (Mentone), Camp Juliette Low (Georgia), Valley View Ranch for Girls (Georgia).
Boys Camps: Lookout Mountain Camp for Boys (Mentone), Alpine Camp for Boys (Mentone), Camp Laney for Boys (Mentone), Camp Comer Boys Scout Camp (Mentone), Cherokee Camp for Boys (Georgia).
Co-ed Camps: Ponderosa Bible Camp (Mentone), Camp Woodmont (Georgia).

Around the Area

If exploring and doing is your thing - there is plenty to discover! Below are some ideas!
Desoto Falls - Desoto Falls is a 107 foot waterfall that is a short canoe ride down river from the Moore's Mill dock.
Desoto State Park - Some of the best hiking trails around. Be sure to check out the Desoto Scout Trail. DST is a 16 mile hiking trail that follows the West Fork Little River beginning at Comer Scout Reservation through Desoto State Park and into the Little River Canyon.
Little River Canyon National Preserve
Cloudmont Ski and Golf Resort
Shady Grove Dude Ranch - Horseback Riding

Shopping and Restaurants

You will want to stock up on your way "up the mountain". Mentone Market is a small grocery downtown Mentone for things you forgot or isolated items you need. But for the majority of your groceries, you should bring them with you, or you can drive back down to Fort Payne, Alabama and shop at Bruce's Foodland (202 Greenhill Blvd. Fort Payne, AL 35967) or Walmart (2001 Glenn Blvd SW, Fort Payne, AL 35968). Both locations will take you about 20-30 minutes to get there from the cabin.
As for other shopping:
Downtown Mentone - lots of quaint shops to explore (mostly open during seasonal hours)
Mentone Market - Standard market food, beer, wine and sundry items.
Little River Hardware and Moon Lake Trading Company - less than a mile east of downtown Mentone. Lots of souvenires and locally made gifts and grocery items.
Miracle Pottery - http://www.miraclepottery.com
Wildflower Cafe -(downtown Mentone) a fun place to eat and explore!- http://www.mentonewildflower.com
Green Leaf Grill -(downtown Mentone) a log-cabin style family friendly place to eat and enjoy!
You will find most major restaurants back down the mountain in Fort Payne, Alabama such as Santa Fe Cattle Co., Cracker Barrel, Wingstop, Dairy Queen, Zaxby's, Ruby Tuesday's, etc. But once most folks get up on the mountain, they have a hard time driving back down "below the clouds" unless they really have to!!

Annual Mentone Events

Rhododendron Festival - third weekend in May
World's Longest Garage Sale - first weekend in August
Colorfest - third weekend in October
Visit Lookout Mountain Website Visit this website for much more information and scheduled events.