Located in Gadsden, Alabama, this beautiful city park and campground (pronounced KNOCK-uh-loo-luh) has earned the title of the best campground in Alabama. We have, of course, little experience, but it certainly earned an “A” rating from us.
According to oral history, Noccalula was a Cherokee princess in love with a member of her own tribe. But her father was unimpressed with the suiter, drove him from the camp, and promised her to a chief from another tribe. The wedding was to take place at the site of these falls on Black Creek, a tribal and trader meeting site. The princess, distraught, slipped away from the wedding party and jumped to her death at the bottom of the falls. The heartbroken chief named the falls after her.
The city park is quite developed, with a playground, meeting facilities, kiddie train, mini golf, iconic (and ironic) wedding chapel, and miles of complex walking trails, some with a high degree of difficulty, like the one which led to the suspension bridge shot below.
I can’t imagine this area in the summer. It was 83 degrees and very humid when we were here in late October. But I can certainly see why it earned its reputation. Oh, and did I mention that the campsites were level, full hookup sites with the cheapest prices of our entire trip so far? What’s not to like?
In addition to the photos, here is a very short video panorama of the falls and the valley below.
A local squirrel mounts his little stage to perform for hikers along the trail. This park also has some unusual black squirrels.
