The best things to do in Guntersville, Alabama, revolve around Lake Guntersville, the largest lake in the state: rent a pontoon or book a bass guide, hike and zipline at Lake Guntersville State Park, and spend an evening on Gunter Avenue for dinner and a local beer. From there, northeast Alabama climbs onto Lookout Mountain, where Mentone, DeSoto Falls and Little River Canyon make one of the best fall drives in the South.
This guide covers the lake towns of Marshall County, Guntersville and Albertville, and the mountain country of DeKalb County around Mentone: what to do, where to eat, where to stay and when to go. Every business linked below is locally owned and listed in our directory, where you can check hours before you go.
Lake Guntersville and northeast Alabama at a glance
- Where: Northeast Alabama, along the Tennessee River in Marshall County and up on Lookout Mountain in DeKalb County.
- The lake: Lake Guntersville is a 69,000-acre TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River and the largest lake in Alabama. The town of Guntersville sits on a peninsula with water on three sides.
- Nearest airports: Huntsville International (HSV) is about 45 minutes from Guntersville. For Mentone, Chattanooga Metropolitan (CHA) is about an hour away.
- Getting around: US 431 runs through Guntersville to Huntsville (about 40 minutes north) and Albertville (about 15 minutes south). I-59 runs along the base of Lookout Mountain toward Fort Payne and Mentone.
- Best months: May through September for boating; late October and early November for fall color; January and February for bald eagles.
- Don’t miss: A day on the lake, Lake Guntersville State Park, downtown Guntersville, DeSoto Falls, Little River Canyon and a sunset from Mentone Brow Park.
Why is Lake Guntersville worth a trip?
Lake Guntersville is worth a trip because it combines big, open water with a small, walkable lake town and a mountain state park on the shore. It stretches about 75 miles along the Tennessee River, so there is room for bass boats, pontoons, kayaks and sailboats without the crowding of smaller lakes.
Guntersville, the Marshall County seat, has the laid-back, boat-in-the-driveway feel of a true lake town. Water views come from almost everywhere on the peninsula, trucks towing bass boats roll through downtown on any weekend, and the lake regularly hosts national fishing tournaments. Our Guntersville area guide lists every place in town, and the Guntersville things to do page has the full set of activities.
How do you get out on Lake Guntersville?
The easiest way to get on the water is to rent a pontoon, jet ski or kayak from a marina in Guntersville; for fishing, hire a local guide who supplies the boat and tackle.
Boat, pontoon and kayak rentals
- Guntersville Boat Rentals: Based at Spring Creek Marina on the US 431 frontage road, open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with six pontoon models, jet skis, kayaks and paddleboards. Its listing shows jet skis from $99 an hour on weekdays and pontoons from $449 a day.
- Islands Boat Rental: A family-owned company renting pontoons and kayaks from Alred Marina in Guntersville and from Jackson County Park in Scottsboro at the north end of the lake. It also runs guided boat and sunset tours, from $320.
Book weekend rentals well ahead from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and ask for a lake map. Ask the rental staff about shallow areas before you head out of the main channel.
Fishing guides
Lake Guntersville is one of the best-known largemouth bass lakes in the country, and a guided trip is the fastest way to learn it. Guntersville Bass Guides has a team of five USCG-licensed captains and has guided on the lake since 2013, Guntersville Fishing Guide is run by Captain Shane Ellis, who lists more than 50 tournament wins, and Myles Murray Guide Service fishes the lake and the Tennessee River. Expect to pay from about $400 a trip. Our guide to Lake Guntersville bass fishing covers seasons, techniques and how to choose a guide.
On foot along the water
If you would rather stay on land, walk the paved Sunset Drive trail along the water. As the name suggests, it is best in the evening.
What is there to do at Lake Guntersville State Park?
Lake Guntersville State Park is a 6,000-acre park on the ridges just east of town, with a resort lodge, 36 miles of hiking and biking trails, an 18-hole golf course and a zipline. It is the best single stop in the area if you have one day.
- Trails: 36 miles of hiking and biking trails through hardwood forest, with weekly guided hikes.
- Golf: Eagle’s Nest, an 18-hole championship course on the ridge.
- Zipline: The Screaming Eagle Zipline runs canopy tours through the trees.
- Swimming: A beach complex with pool access is open from May through September.
- Lodging: A resort lodge with long views over the lake, plus lakeside cabins, mountain-top chalets and a campground.
- Dining: The lodge’s Pinecrest Dining Room is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The park is also the center of eagle watching in Alabama. On weekends in January and February, it hosts Eagle Awareness programs with guided field trips to see bald eagles that winter around the lake, plus live bird programs. Our guide to seeing bald eagles at Lake Guntersville covers how to plan a winter trip.
What is there to do in downtown Guntersville?
Downtown Guntersville is a few walkable blocks along Gunter Avenue and Blount Avenue, with a free history museum, antique shops, boutiques and some of the town’s best restaurants. Give it an afternoon.
Guntersville Museum
The Guntersville Museum, at 1215 Rayburn Avenue in the town’s historic rock armory, covers Native American artifacts, local history and the watercolors of Frank Nelson. Admission is free. It is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., and closed Monday.
Shopping on Gunter Avenue
- Bakers on Main: A multi-vendor marketplace in a vintage brick building at 336 Gunter Avenue since 2011, with dozens of small shops under one roof.
- King’s Row Antiques: A multi-dealer antique mall at 368 Gunter Avenue in the old King’s clothing store, open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Blossom Boutique and True South Boutique: Two locally owned women’s boutiques on Gunter Avenue; True South is veteran owned.
- Guntersville Outfitters: A locally owned outdoor store at 534 Gunter Avenue with gear for the lake and trails.
For an unusual afternoon, The Soak House & Soapery on Blount Avenue is a day spa built around private mineral soak tubs, a short walk from the courthouse square.
Where should you eat in Guntersville?
For a special dinner, book Old Town Stock House; for a lake-town classic, go to Crawmama’s Steaks & Seafood on a Thursday through Saturday night. Our full guide to where to eat in Guntersville covers more.
- Old Town Stock House: Elevated Southern cooking with a seasonal menu that changes often, on Old Town Street since 2015. Reservations are recommended.
- Crawmama’s Steaks & Seafood: A Guntersville institution since 1987, open for dinner only, Thursday through Saturday. Call ahead; the lot fills early.
- Simmons BBQ: A family-owned pit on Gilbreath Street smoking pork, ribs, ham and turkey since 1986, with a drive-thru.
- Rock House Eatery: A Southern gourmet kitchen on Gunter Avenue that grinds its own beef for burgers and hand-cuts its steaks, with a full bar.
- Cafe 336: A lunch-only cafe inside Bakers on Main with a seasonal menu and homemade desserts.
- Jonica’s Bakery: Scratch-made baked goods, custom cakes and a lunch menu on Gunter Avenue.
- Hola Michoacan Ice Cream and Coffee Shop: Homemade ice cream, aguas frescas and coffee on US 431, a good stop after a hot day on the water.
Where to get a drink
Main Channel Brewing Company, named for the boating channel through the lake, has its flagship taproom on Gunter Avenue. Downtown, Cash Allen’s Pub on Old Town Street has pool tables, live music and late hours.
Where should you stay at Lake Guntersville?
Stay on the water if you can. Guntersville’s locally owned options range from a 1910 bed and breakfast within walking distance of downtown to waterfront suites, tiny-home cottages and a full lake house with a boat slip. Our guide to Lake Guntersville cabins, cottages and B&Bs compares them in detail.
| Stay | Type | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Guntersville Bed and Breakfast | Historic 1910 home with eight rooms and a wraparound porch | Couples who want to walk to downtown |
| City Harbor Suites | Waterfront suites with kitchens and balconies | Families and longer stays near City Harbor |
| Highland Cottages at Lake Guntersville | Tiny-home cottages with hot tubs | A quiet couples’ getaway |
| River Ridge Retreat | Tiny homes, a cabin and RV sites on 670 lakefront acres | Groups, campers and events |
| Guntersville Getaway | Single-level waterfront house with a private boathouse | Anglers and families bringing a boat |
What else is near Guntersville?
Two of the best side trips from Guntersville are underground at Cathedral Caverns and up on Sand Mountain in Albertville.
Cathedral Caverns State Park
Cathedral Caverns State Park in Woodville, north of Guntersville in Marshall County, has a cave entrance 126 feet wide and 25 feet high, which the park calls a world record for commercial caves. Inside, Goliath is one of the largest stalagmites in the world at 45 feet tall, and the cave stays at 60 degrees all year. Guided tours run through the day (reservations are recommended), and there is gem mining for kids. It is a good rainy-day or hot-day plan.
Albertville and Sand Mountain
Albertville, about 15 minutes south of Guntersville, is the largest city in Marshall County and calls itself the Fire Hydrant Capital of the World, thanks to the Mueller Company plant in town. Visit the chrome hydrant monument, then stop at Main Channel Brewing in Albertville, play a round at Big Spring Lake Golf Club or taste wine at Jules J Berta Vineyards. Our Albertville and Sand Mountain guide has the full story, and the Albertville area guide lists everything in town.
Golf
Besides Eagle’s Nest at the state park and Big Spring Lake in Albertville, Gunter’s Landing Golf Club in Guntersville is an 18-hole public course in the Appalachian foothills, with a driving range and pro shop.
What is there to do in Mentone and on Lookout Mountain?
Head up Lookout Mountain to Mentone for waterfalls, canyon overlooks, cabins and the best fall color in Alabama. Mentone began in the 1880s as a mountain resort, and with fewer than 500 year-round residents it still feels like a getaway. Plan on a long day trip from Guntersville, or better, a night or two in a cabin. Our Mentone area guide lists every place in town.
DeSoto Falls and DeSoto State Park
DeSoto Falls, just outside Mentone, drops 104 feet into a gorge below the A.A. Miller Dam on the West Fork of the Little River. A few miles south, DeSoto State Park covers 3,502 acres on top of Lookout Mountain, with more than 35 miles of hiking trails, 11-plus miles of mountain bike trails, a lodge, cabins, chalets and a campground. Trails and picnic areas are open dawn to dusk.
Little River Canyon National Preserve
Little River Canyon National Preserve, about 30 minutes from Mentone near Fort Payne, protects more than 15,000 acres around a canyon whose sandstone cliffs rise up to 600 feet above the river. The Little River flows for most of its length on top of Lookout Mountain, which makes it unusual among Southern rivers. Drive the canyon rim drive on Highway 176 for a string of overlooks, starting at Little River Falls. Most of the preserve is free; Canyon Mouth Park at the south end requires a $15 day pass. Our day-trip guide to DeSoto Falls and Little River Canyon covers the route stop by stop.
Around Mentone
- Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel: A small stone chapel built in 1937 around a huge boulder, which forms part of the back wall.
- Mentone Brow Park: The town’s favorite sunset spot, on the brow of Lookout Mountain.
- Mentone Arts Center and Little River Art Gallery: Two nonprofit galleries showing work by artists from the mountain.
- Coming Up Violets: An artist’s studio and shop in Moon Lake Village selling original art, books and handmade goods.
- Mentone Market: The town’s general store on AL 117 for more than 80 years, with a deli and wood-fired pizza.
- The Possum Emporium: Antiques, consigned art and curiosities on County Road 642.
Eating and staying in Mentone
For dinner, Elevation Bistro on AL 117 has a fireplace, a small bar and craft cocktails. For breakfast and lunch, The Hatter Cafe serves Southern comfort food in an Alice in Wonderland setting. To stay, Bee on the Brow is a bed and breakfast on the brow with sunset views, from $290 a night; The Hatter Country Inn has two themed suites next to the cafe, from $179 a night; and Mentone Log Cabins rents two hand-built cabins with hot tubs, from $130 a night. Cottages of Mentone, Mentone Cozy Cabins and Andiamo Lodge round out the choices.
When is the best time to visit Lake Guntersville and northeast Alabama?
Visit in summer for the lake, in late October and early November for fall color on the mountain, and in January or February for bald eagles. Spring is the quiet sweet spot, with waterfalls running full and wildflowers on Lookout Mountain.
| Season | Lake Guntersville | Lookout Mountain |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (March to May) | Spawning season for bass; Art on the Lake brings artists downtown | Waterfalls at full flow; rhododendron and mountain laurel |
| Summer (June to August) | Peak boating and swimming; HydroFest powerboat races in June | A few degrees cooler than the valleys; swimming holes |
| Fall (September to November) | Quieter lake, good fall fishing | Peak color, usually late October to early November; Mentone’s fall festival in October |
| Winter (December to February) | Bald eagles and Eagle Awareness weekends at the state park | Bare trees open up the canyon views; quiet cabins |
A three-day northeast Alabama itinerary
- Day 1, Guntersville: Morning on the water with a pontoon rental or a fishing guide, lunch at Cafe 336, an afternoon at the Guntersville Museum and Gunter Avenue shops, and dinner at Old Town Stock House.
- Day 2, the state park and Sand Mountain: Hike or zipline at Lake Guntersville State Park, lunch at Simmons BBQ, then a drive up to Albertville for the hydrant monument and a beer at Main Channel Brewing.
- Day 3, Lookout Mountain: Drive to Mentone, see DeSoto Falls, hike at DeSoto State Park, drive the Little River Canyon rim, and end with sunset at Mentone Brow Park and dinner at Elevation Bistro.
FAQ
What is Guntersville, Alabama, known for?
Guntersville is known for Lake Guntersville, the largest lake in Alabama and one of the country’s best-known bass fisheries. It is also known for its bald eagles, which winter around the lake and are the focus of Eagle Awareness weekends at Lake Guntersville State Park.
How big is Lake Guntersville?
Lake Guntersville covers about 69,000 acres and stretches roughly 75 miles along the Tennessee River, from Nickajack Dam near the Tennessee line to Guntersville Dam. It is a TVA reservoir and the largest lake in Alabama.
Can you swim in Lake Guntersville?
Yes. Many visitors swim from boats and docks, and Lake Guntersville State Park has a beach complex with pool access open from May through September. Watch for boat traffic, and stay in designated areas when you are not on a boat.
How far is Mentone from Guntersville?
Mentone is roughly an hour and 15 minutes from Guntersville by car, crossing Sand Mountain and climbing Lookout Mountain from the I-59 corridor. It works as a long day trip, but an overnight in a Mentone cabin lets you see DeSoto Falls and Little River Canyon without rushing.
When can you see bald eagles at Lake Guntersville?
January and February are the best months. Lake Guntersville State Park hosts Eagle Awareness weekends during those months, with guided field trips and live bird programs; check the park’s calendar for the current year’s dates.