Mentone is a small town located on Lookout Mountain in the southern Appalachians. The community has the distinction of being the only place in Alabama with regular snowfall during winter. Although Mentone's land has never been suitable for agricultural use, the geographical features make the region a prime vacation destination for outdoor recreation enthusiasts. A local state park and nature preserve offer many options for experiencing Lookout Mountain's waterfalls, canyons and scenic vistas.
Summer is Mentone's busiest time of year. Children from around the country come to Mentone to stay at the many summer camps in the area. Some of these camps, dating back to the 1920s, are specifically for developing sport skills, such as soccer and football, while others promote religion and spirituality as a path toward personal development. Juliette Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of America, created a girl's camp in Mentone, which is still in operation. Although summer can be filled with throngs of children, visitors can still find miles of solitary hiking trails and peaceful retreats alongside the mountain streams surrounding Mentone.
Visitors who want to fully experience the rugged countryside of Lookout Mountains have a variety of cabins and rustic getaway shelters to select for their lodging needs. Adams Outdoors runs Cherokee Camp, a pet-friendly getaway on top of Lookout Mountain that features solar-powered cabins. The owners also offer rappelling instruction, and mountain explorations for groups. Another destination, Get-Away-Cabins, offers historic cabins with furnished living areas including gas fireplaces and hot tubs. These cabins are within walking of historic Mentone.
There are many bed and breakfasts in and around Mentone that offer visitors a completely catered experience. The Mentone Inn is an historic inn located in the center of Mentone. The building dates back to the 1920s and features a wide sitting porch with hand polished wood paneling throughout. There are 12 rooms, all of which have their own private bathroom and queen- or full-sized beds. Another inn, the Mountain Laurel Inn Bed and Breakfast, is situated in the heart of the forest, on the canyon below DeSoto Falls. Each rooms has an individual theme and each has a private entrance and bath, heat and air. Guests are served a full breakfast each day with a variety of menu items to choose from.
Mentone's residents pride themselves on their unique landscape, which is lacking in the usual chain hotels, retail stores and fast food franchises seen in most other American towns. Instead, visitors looking for a Mentone hotel will find unique, family-owned and operated establishments that offer a personal touch. The closest nationally-known hotels are located in nearby Fort Payne and include a Days Inn, Hampton Inn and Econo Lodge.
