The county has active athletic programs for both boys and girls in many sports. Most communities provide outdoor activity complexes.

The DeKalb County area offers one of the largest summer camp programs in the nation. Several nationally known boys' and girls' camps including the B.B. Comer Boy Scout Reservation offer opportunities for spelunking and hang-gliding.

There are five golf courses in DeKalb County; three public courses and two private, maintained by country clubs located in Fort Payne. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail courses are located in nearby Gadsden, Huntsville and Birmingham.

DeKalb County is located between two of the nation's top bass and crappie lakes. Lake Weiss and Lake Guntersville are both about thirty minutes away. They offer fishing, boating, skiing, sailing and excellent locations for homes. Each of these areas is patrolled by the Alabama Department of Conservation. Lake Guntersville is part of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The county's waterfalls, hiking trails and the annual Colorfest in Mentone are a delight to visitors from all over the world. DeSoto State Park features cabins, campgrounds, fishing, restaurants, etc.

Bucks Pocket State Park is located approximately 36 miles from Fort Payne. Little River Canyon National Preserve is the nation's newest national preserve. This preserve consist of approximately 16,000 acres. Both parks provide camping, hiking and other activities.

The Little River Management area provides thousands of acres of hunting land featuring quail, deer, turkey and other small game. Nearby Jackson County also has thousands of acres of management area for hunting.

Centrally located between Chattanooga (TN), Atlanta (GA), Birmingham (AL) and Huntsville (AL), all the amenities offered in these cities are easily accessible. One day you can drive to Six Flags over Georgia in Atlanta and the next you can drive to Opryland in Nashville. Atlanta, Chattanooga, Huntsville and Birmingham offer a wide range of cultural activities. From a Boston Pops performance to a country or pop concert, DeKalb County is just around the corner from it all.

Huntsville is the home of the US Space and Rocket Center. This world-famous attraction features tours of the NASA facilities, a museum, an OMNIMAX theater and the US Space Camp. The Von Braun Civic Center is also located in Huntsville and offers a chance to see an exhibit or catch a concert.

In or near Chattanooga, less than an hour away, one can find the Tennessee Aquarium, the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Parks, Rock City, Ruby Falls and many other attractions.

A six-hour drive from the Gulf Coast beaches and a four-hour drive from the ski slopes of western North Carolina, DeKalb County offers virtually unlimited opportunities for recreation.