It's a unique place in Northeast Alabama, a campground and public park with magnificent waterfalls, creek, and gorge upon beautiful scenery all around. Noccalula Falls Park and Campground is located at 1500 Noccalula Road, Gadsden, Alabama, where the gorgeous falls are not the only attraction. Noccalula Falls Park and Campground is popular with locals, as well as visitors, who go there to spend the day or to attend one of the many year-round events. The campground overlooks the Black Creek Gorge and Noccalula Falls. And a stunning view of the cascading falls plummeting 90 feet into the ravine is peaceful and just not something you will see at every campground.
Some 120 campsites are available and the variety of amenities would make any resort-style RV campground owner blush with envy where campers may tent and where the largest RV's are accommodated. The campground offers picnic pavilions, a swimming pool, playground, clean bath houses and laundry facilities, a souvenir shop, rental cabins, and even a library. Campsites are situated along Black Creek Gorge, near the Falls.
The wide variety of special year-round events that attract visitors and campers to Noccalula Falls include the start for each year's “World's Longest Yard Sale”, beginning in Gadsden and ending in Michigan. This year, the yard sale will begin Aug. 2 and last through Aug. 5. It is also known as the Highway 127 Sale. Yet this is only one of a number of outstanding events, such as the June 8-10 “Wheels on the Hill” featuring 300 vendors and hundreds of vintage cars, car parts, historic auto memorabilia, and other automobile accessories, sold and traded. This has been a Noccalula Falls Park and Campground event for the past 25 years with proceeds going to a local pet rescue and adoption center. A more recreational event that is geared towards both young and skilled archers is that of the “Black Creek Archery Tournament”, which was held in April.
“Noccalula Falls Park & Campground Hostess Jessica Teems and employee Jhamaya Cooper.” [Photo Credit: Dollie Goldman]
Kicking off summer, each mid-June, comes the Barbarian Challenge in which athletes from throughout the country arrive in Gadsden to take part in a several-mile obstacle course which includes mud pits, rope climbs, hill climbs, creek crossings and other obstacles to challenge outdoor enthusiasts. Participants ages 12 and up take part. Parent-signed waivers must be signed and submitted for those under age 15. There are 25 natural or manmade obstacles to be run both by individuals and teams. A Charity Pig Roast is a mid-September event. There will be barbecue, live entertainment and other foods, along with a Motorcycle Charity Ride. “Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition”, another BBQ festival, features not only some of the best barbecue in town, but fun for children with other kid’s food and music.
A Halloween Super Bash on Oct. 6 will see everyone invited to come dressed in their best Halloween costume, to take part in ‘trick or treating’, bobbing for apples, and a Pumpkin Toss, along with “fearsome fun for all the family,” according to vivacious Jessica Teems, part-time campground hostess. Jessica tells The Buzz, “There will be fun and games for all ages with fun inflatables, many vendors, a petting zoo and train ride.” A 'G' Tractor Show will be held Oct. 12-13 with vintage Allis-Chalmers tractors on view that were once built in Gadsden. The Weiss Lake Power Squadron and City of Gadsden will co-sponsor this event, which presents a “'G' Tractor Roundup: Antique Tractor Show” at Noccalula Falls Campground. Finally, beginning in mid-November, the annual “Christmas at the Falls” event gets underway where millions of Christmas lights, decorations and displays are open to the public until Christmas Day.
Noccalula Falls Park prominently displays a statue of American Indian Princess Noccalula. The folk tale is that Noccalula reportedly jumped from the top of the Falls to her death because her chieftain father refused her marriage to a local tribal youth, instead attempting to force her marriage to another from an outside tribe. The princess reportedly waited until the time of the wedding before her grief ended in her death as she jumped off the cliffs. This history is according to a legend written by Mathilde Bilbro, who states that the Falls, until this time, had been known as Black Creek Falls. Upon the princess's death, her father renamed them after his much loved daughter, Noccalula. The bronze statue of Princess Noccalula stands overlooking the Falls, and was created by sculptor Dr. Suzanna Silvercruys.
At other times of the year not mentioned, there is still plenty to do at Noccalula Falls Park and Campground. At the campground is the miniature train which wends its way through the park. Train-master Jimmy Kay cares for the venerable miniature Huntington train which provides rides for visitors of all ages around the park. A 1.7 mile crushed stone trail also passes through beautiful rock formations and gardens, past a Pioneer Village and petting zoo; through the beauty of the hillside area rich in birdlife where there are sightings of rare black squirrels. A Veterans' Memorial and Kiwanis picnic pavilions offer added interest.
Camping at Noccalula Falls Park Campground provides both activity and serenity. Pets on leash or in carriers are welcome and all kinds of RV's and tents are welcomed as well. There are numerous campground and park trails for walking, bird watching, hiking, running and biking. Because there is so much to see and do here, parents of young children often bring with them personal miniature transport for the kids in the form of wagons, strollers and specialized wear gear designed for helping to carry younger children. There is even a Wedding Chapel that can be rented, situated near the falls. A lovely arched bridge across the falls' headwaters, providing the perfect place for wedding pictures where the chapel can be glimpsed in the background. The Noccalula Park is ADA accessible with paved and crushed stone walks offering ease of transport around the park. Paved roads provide ease of movement throughout Noccalula Campground.
“Noccalula Falls cascades over 90 feet into the Black Creek ravine.” [Photo Credit: Dollie Goldman]
When asked what improvements and/or additions have been done recently to the campground, Hostess Jessica Teems notes, “We are proud of our new lender library, located in the swimming pool bathhouse, where books have been garnered from book sales, library donations and guest book swaps.” In addition are other bathhouses, also with clean restrooms, showers and laundry. Teems also points to an extremely popular campground feature: the large pavilions for picnicking and relaxing, both near the waterfall. Directionally, Noccalla Campground is located just up the hill from Noccalula Park, owned and operated by the City of Gadsden with the help of local Kiwanians and veterans groups. For more information on campground rates and reservations, visit NoccalulaFallsPark.com or call (256) 549-4663.