Falling Rock Falls in the Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area, Near Alabaster, Alabama

Only a short trip from Birmingham, Falling Rock Falls is a little-known wonder hidden in the Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area. To reach the falls, take Highway 119 from Alabaster, AL, heading towards Montevallo. When Highway 119 intersects with County Road 22, turn right. This road proceeds through the town of Dogwood, just past Dogwood, you should start seeing the blue Management Area gates. The second gate on the right is the path to take - if you pass Macedonia Church, you've gone too far.

The gate will usually be locked, so you will continue on foot from here. Follow the gravel Management Area road for about half a mile, and the road will fork: take the left road, and continue on to the next fork: you'll go right here, and continue on. Once you take the right fork, be on the lookout for a small ridge of piled dirt on your left. This ridge is in place to stop vehicles. Climb over the ridge or go around it, and take the path down: soon, you'll come to a stream. There's two paths here: one, across the stream, and one to your right, which leads to the top of the falls. Take the right path.

Be very careful here: the falls are estimated to be about 90 feet high, and a fall from that height will mostly kill you. To reach the bottom of the falls, take a path to the right. You'll have to use your own judgment to pick a good way down the slope - there are lots of rocks and trees to use as hand- and foot-holds, however. Be extremely careful - even under the best conditions, the climb down can be a precarious one.

At the bottom, you can explore a fairly large cavern behind the falls. This is a great place to camp: the surface is fairly flat, and the area stays dry - even after heavy rains and the proximity to the falls, I've found leaves in the cavern that were perfectly dry. There's a campfire ring left by previous hikers to the area, as well as some other interesting pieces of stonework: in one spot, water seeps through the rock and some previous visitors built a small basin for it out of flat stones, and nearby, there's a short man-made wall built of the same stone.

You can follow the stream from here and continue along to the second waterfall: when the stream forks, head to the left. This second fall is slightly smaller, but there are some really interesting rock formations in the area to explore.

While not particularly remote, Falling Rock Falls is a nice escape, and relatively easy to get to. That said, some precautions can help ensure your visit is a safe one: never go to the falls alone, and be sure to take cellphones to call for help if there's an emergency - I've never lost reception at the falls. Be sure to wear good shoes or boots with a nice tread: slippery shoes can mean a nasty fall or even your death. In summer, watch out for snakes and ticks.