We stopped here for one night on our way from Alabama to Florida and were pleasantly surprised how much we liked this part of southern Alabama and how nice the park was. After a long days drive it was a perfect place to take our dog for a walk to stretch our legs and settle in to a great campsite. The lake adjacent to our campsite made for a beautiful backdrop for our evening campfire.
Turns out this 2,050-acre park is a hot spot for anglers which cruise the 1,000-acre Lake Jackson looking for hungry fish. The ranger told us the lake is stocked bass, bream, crappie and catfish and holds numerous tournaments. We really liked the setting of the campground with many sites being directly on the lake. Our gravel site was a long back-in right on the water and perfectly level for our RV. The park recently added primitive tent sites which offer more privacy and a nice setting away from RVs. Our campsite was set under large trees and we had nice privacy on one side by the other side had a neighbor pretty close. Luckily for us when we were there the park was not crowded and the lack of campers made for a quiet setting. (Tip: Site #1 has a great view of the water and set off by itself and is probably the best in the park.)
For a state park this differs from many in that it has lots of modern features. The 32 RV sites have electric, sewer, water and Wi-Fi and cable! You can even stay for a whole season, if you want. Prices vary widely depending on whether you want a primitive tent site, site on water, or off water. Additional fees of a reservation fee ($4), 3% resort fee, and 12% lodging tax are added to the cost and really add up.
Amenities include a large playground, swim beach, boat launch, laundry, and restrooms with showers. There are miles of hiking trails winding through the woods and a boardwalk that takes you over to trails on an island. You know you are in the south when the swim beach has a sign that says “Beware of alligators and snakes, Swim at your own risk.”
During our stay the park was hosting its annual “Scarecrows in the Park” function. For this event, walking trails are lined with decorative scarecrows made by local individuals, businesses, organizations and school groups. The scarecrows and scenes they depict are quite creative but some are a little creepy.
Overall, this is a good place to stay in southern Alabama if you are looking for a nice full hook-up site that is in a pretty setting. The price was on the high side because of all the added fees but it was the perfect location for us to stop on our route.
