View print version The Grand Canyon of the South: The Walls of
Jericho July 06, 2005 The Walls of Jericho in Jackson County,
Alabama, is being called “The Grand Canyon of the South.” More
than 10,000 hikers, amateur photographers, birdwatchers and
horseback riders have explored this natural marvel since it
opened in August 2004. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley officially
dedicated the area in April 2005. “On a nice weekend, 300 people
a day visit the Walls,” says Greg Lein, assistant director of
the State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources. “The response has truly
exceeded our expectations. It’s one of the most popular
properties we’ve ever had.” In the late 1700s, Davy Crockett
explored the area since his family owned land there. A traveling
minister came upon the Walls of Jericho in the late 1800s and
was so captivated by the cathedral-like beauty that he declared
it needed a biblical name and the name stuck. Today, visitors
continue to be drawn to the grandeur of the narr