Little River is unique because it flows for most of its length atop Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama. Forested uplands, waterfalls, canyon rims and bluffs, pools, boulders, and sandstone cliffs offer settings for a variety of recreational activities. Natural resources and cultural heritage come together to tell the story of the Preserve, a special place in the Southern Appalachians.

Little River Canyon National Preserve was established and made a unit of the National Park System by Public Law 102-427 on October 21, 1992. According to the legislation, the Preserve was established to protect and preserve the natural, scenic, recreational and cultural resources of the area and to provide for public enjoyment of those resources.

In 1967 the State of Alabama and the Alabama Power Company finally entered into an agreement for a cooperative wildlife management and public hunting area, whereby, the State of Alabama leased approximately 10,000 acres of land from Alabama Power Company for $1.00 per year.