#96 Dowdell's Knob at Pine Mountain, Georgia (100 Natural Wonders of the South)

FDR's grill atop Dowdell's Knob

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's favorite picnic spot is #96 on our list of 100 Natural Wonders of the South!

Please click here to see the entire list as it is unveiled.

Dowdell's Knob is a rocky projection that extends from the gently sloping sides of Pine Mountain, Georgia. Taking its name from a farmer that once owned this part of the mountain, the knob was often visited by President Roosevelt during trips to his Little White House at nearby Warm Springs.

Statue of President Roosevelt

The top of Dowdell's Knob offers a beautiful views of Pine Mountain and Pine Mountain Valley. One of the southernmost mountains in the South, Pine Mountain is located between Atlanta and Columbus. It is perhaps best known as the home of Callaway Gardens.

Pine Mountain is certainly not the tallest mountain in the South, but its terrain is quite unique. Dowdell's Knob, for example, offers views comparable to many higher elevations and the fall leaf change can be quite beautiful. The hiking trails leading from the knob along the slopes of the mountain can be strenuous and the surrounding forests are vast and beautiful.

The views from Dowdell's Knob, in fact, are one of the reasons that FDR encouraged the development of a state park at Pine Mountain during the 1930s. Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park now covers some 10,000 acres and is a landmark of the Civilian Conservation Corps park development efforts during the Great Depression.

Please click here to learn more about Dowdell's Knob: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/dowdellsknob.

#97 Look and Tremble Falls in Calhoun County, Florida (100 Natural Wonders of the South)

Look and Tremble Falls
Calhoun County, Florida

Florida is not known for its whitewater, but one small stretch called Look and Tremble Falls makes our list of the 100 Natural Wonders of the South.

Please click here to see the entire list as it is unveiled.

Look and Tremble Falls (also called Look and Tremble Shoals or Look and Tremble Rapids) is located near the town of Altha in Calhoun County, Florida. Formed by the passage of the beautiful Chipola River over a stretch of rocks, the falls can barely be seen during times of high water but when conditions are right reach Class I and sometimes even Class II levels.

The rapids are a result of Florida's unique karst topography. Where the Chipola flows from the hills of Jackson and northern Calhoun Counties onto the coastal plain, it has carved a channel down to the limestone that rests beneath much of the region. This has created a rocky bed that the river is slowly eroding. The passage of the spring-fed water of the Chipola over these rocks create Look and Tremble.


Look and Tremble Falls

As noted above, the beauty and power of the falls vary greatly through the year depending on water levels in the river. When the water is high, they cause barely a ripple on the surface. When the Chipola is at normal levels, however, the rapids because quite scenic.

Paddlers often enjoy shooting the rapids and then carrying their kayaks or canoes back around to repeat the ride. The Northwest Florida Water Management District maintains a picnic area and launch on the riverbank just above the falls.

To learn more about the history and how to visit Look and Tremble Falls, please visit: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/lookandtremble.

The page includes video of the falls running at Class II level.

#98 Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama (100 Natural Wonders of the South)

Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama

Oak Mountain State Park in Alabama is #98 on our list of 100 Natural Wonders of the South.

Please click here to see the full list as it is unveiled.

Located in Pelham on the southern outskirts of Birmingham, Oak Mountain State Park protects nearly 10,000 acres of beautiful mountain scenery. The park features waterfalls, hiking trails, lakes, overlooks, equestrian trails, picnic areas, camping and more.

Peavine Falls at Oak Mountain

Among other key points of interest in the park is the Alabama Wildlife Center, the state's oldest and largest animal rehabilitation facility. Workers and volunteers there care for more than 2,500 sick or injured wild animals each year. The center is open to the public and can be visited daily from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The real attraction of Oak Mountain, however, is the incredible scenery so close to a major metropolitan area. The mountaintop picnic area provides a place for family outings with incomparable views. During the autumn leaf change, the hills and valleys come to life with displays of gold and red. The road up to the top becomes a tunnel of color and the picnic area turns into a place of incomparable beauty.

Visitors to the park also love Peavine Falls. Part of a 65-foot cascade, the waterfall is reached via the Green or Peavine Falls Trail. The staff at the park entrance station can update you on how well the waterfall is flowing before you make the hike. Like many Southern waterfalls, it usually flows best in the winter and early spring.

Please click here to learn more about Oak Mountain State Park!

#99 Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton, Oklahoma (100 Natural Wonders of the South)

Robbers Cave State Park
Wilburton, Oklahoma

Robbers Cave State Park, a scenic wonder in the Sans Bois Mountains near Wilburton, Oklahoma, is #99 on our list of 100 Natural Wonders of the South.

Please click here to see the entire list as it is unveiled.

The park takes its name from the legendary Robbers Cave, a true landmark of the Old West. Outlaws including Belle Starr and Jesse James are said to have used the cave as a hideout during the decades following the Civil War. This country was the setting for the classic "True Grit" and the real lawmen that provided the inspiration or "Rooster" Cogburn once scoured the hills and valleys of the Sans Bois.

Cave at Robbers Cave State Park

The cave is more of a rock shelter than a true cave and is one of many remarkable natural features in the park. It is located on the side of a rocky bluff and commands an impressive view of the surrounding countryside. A short trail leads up to the cave but longer trails wind for miles through the stunning mountain scenery of the park.

Spectacular Views

In addition to trails for hiking, the park also offers equestrian, mountain bike and multi-use trails. Other natural features include mountainsides, bluffs, lakes, forests and a creek. Trout fishing is available in season while bass, perch and catfish can be caught the rest of the year. The colors of the fall leaf change are spectacular, thanks in part to elevations that range from 300 to 1,500 feet.

Campsites, cabins and a lodge/hotel are available for stays in the park.

To learn more about Robbers Cave State Park, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/robberscave.

#100 Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon, Florida (100 Natural Wonders of the South)

Rainbow Springs State Park

Our series highlighting 100 Natural Wonders of the South begins with Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon, Florida.

This magnificent natural spring flows at an average rate of more than 490 million gallons of water per day. Once the centerpiece of a unique nature-themed amusement park, it is now part of a 1,470 acre state park.

Natural springs are not uncommon in Florida. There are more springs in the Sunshine State than anywhere else in the world. Despite its magnificent size, Rainbow Springs is only the fourth largest in Florida, but its beauty is unsurpassed.



Waterfall at Rainbow Springs

Even more remarkable is the fact that this place of such phenomenal natural scenery was once the center of a phosphate mining district. Called Florida's "white gold" during the early 20th century, phosphate was mined using picks, shovels and eventually mechanical equipment. The time-softened pits of the mining operations can still be seen in areas of the state park.

The mining days gave way to the era of what could best be described as Florida's first commercial eco-tourism amusement park. There were boats with "submarine" viewing windows, monorails running through the forest, manmade waterfalls, a zoo and more. Holiday Inn was a co-owner at one point.

Azalea Garden at Rainbow Springs

The amusement park days are over, but the State of Florida stepped in to save the spring from private development. The manmade waterfalls still flow and azalea gardens still bloom, but much of the land around Rainbow Spring has been carefully returned to its natural state. The result is a beautiful landmark that ranks as #100 on our list of 100 Natural Wonders of the South.

For more information and to see great video from below the surface of the spring, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/rainbowsprings.

100 Natural Wonders of the South

This fall we are publishing a special series on 100 Natural Wonders of the South!

This series features waterfalls, mountains, natural springs, canyons, forests, caves, geological features, rivers, gardens and more. If you love the outdoors and the wonderful scenery of the South, you will enjoy browsing through the articles.

In addition to details and photographs, each includes a link or links for more information.

The list will be updated here as it is unveiled:

• #96 Dowdell's Knob at Pine Mountain, Georgia
• #97 Look and Tremble Falls in Calhoun County, Florida
• #98 Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama
• #99 Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton, Oklahoma
• #100 Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon, Florida

Look for more updates soon!

Welcome to Southern Highways!

Historic Russ House & Visitor Center
Marianna, Florida

Welcome to Southern Highways, a new blog that gets off the beaten path to explore the back roads of the American Southeast!

The goal here will be to tell you about great places that you might not have heard of, but shouldn't miss. Our focus will be unique small towns, scenic highways, points of interest, historic sites, great outdoor locations and eco-tourism opportunities, events, festivals, unusual places and more.

I think you will enjoy it and I hope it leads you to get off the interstate and learn more about what makes the South such a great place to live and visit.

New posts will start coming tomorrow. Until then, learn more about great places in the South at www.exploresouthernhistory.com

Dale Cox