With nearly two dozen state parks and plenty of lakes, it’s safe to say that Alabama is a beautiful state. But one particular Alabama landmark received national attention recently. On its website, The Weather Channel named Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, Ala., the state’s “most stunning natural wonder.”
The public park’s 90-foot waterfall, winding trails, aboriginal fort, pioneer homestead and Civil War carvings were some of the traits highlighted by the website. The park is named after the bronze statue of Cherokee maiden named Noccolula. Legend has it that Noccolula jumped from the falls to her death after her father tried to force her to marry a man she didn’t love. Along with the falls, the park also features a covered bridge, mini golf course and petting zoo.
Noccalula Falls made headlines recently when a man proposed on the walking bridge at the park but accidentally dropped the engagement ring into the water while he was slipping it onto his girlfriend’s finger. Etowah County Sheriff’s Office divers found the 1-carat ring yesterday and returned it to the man, who presumably slid it onto his fiancée’s finger more carefully the second time around.
In 2011, three kayakers became the first people to descend the 90-foot waterfall in kayaks. Check out the incredible video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z132Np3ze2E
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