From its humble beginning as a 940-acre park atop Double Oak Mountain established by the Alabama State Lands Act of 1927, Oak Mountain State Park has grown to 9,940 acres making it Alabama’s largest state park. With the largest land-area, one of the widest varieties of outdoor activities of any state park, and its proximity to Birmingham, Oak Mountain is a perfect stop while traveling to and from the state’s largest city. Topping it all off is the park’s stunning physical landscape, which alone makes for an unforgettable experience.

Oak Mountain State Park has once again been awarded the coveted "Certificate of Excellence" from Tripadvisor!

Oak Mountain State Park Campground

This state campground in the Birmingham AL metro area is a quick getaway for city and suburban dwellers. We were looking for continued warm fall weather on a slow trip north; this met the warmth and fall criteria in late October. The proximity to the city made it a good choice for exploring Birmingham.

**Campground as Hotel**

We left in the morning and came back in the evening. Using the campground strictly for accommodations worked out well; it wasn't a place where we would have wanted to hang around the campground all day. The large RVs crammed on sites that weren't very large gave us a closed in feeling. We pulled down the shade in our teardrop to avoid the light pollution from the campers who leave ground lights and other decorative lights on all night. (Do they leave their outdoor holiday lights on all night at home?)

**Tent Only Sites**

- The tent only sites are the best feature of this park. You can pitch your tent among the trees away from the RVs packed together in the rest of the park. 

- There's no power or water at these sites.  

- These sites are listed as tent only, but the park office attendant told us there were a few where we could fit our vehicle and teardrop. We declined because we thought we'd be too close to the road although we later saw several that would have been fine

- Site 42B is the BEST SITE IN THE PARK! You walk down to the site from the parking area, and then there's a great view of the water. I took a photo looking back at the site from the beach area.

**Other Sites**

- All sites not designated tent only have electricity and water. There are some sites with sewer hookup as well as 50 amp power. See site map photo.

- Loop A's sites are more spread out than sites in Loop B.

- Loop B: B33 was ok. I recommend sticking to the outside of this loop because there are two roads down the center where you'll have sites on both sides, across the road and behind you. Inside the loop seemed crowded because there were large RVs.

**Restrooms**

Several restrooms are spread throughout the park. They each have a couple toilets and a shower along with hot and cold water in the sinks. Restrooms are clean and a checklist indicates they're inspected 2 or 3 times per day. Everything works fine, but they could use an update inside. If the usage at the end of October is any indication of overall usage, this park is heavily used. It's close to Birmingham which has over a million people, one-fourth of Alabama's population. The state of Alabama should step up and do some renovation.

**Site Taxes are HIGH**

Be prepared for a significant jump to the cost when taxes are applied. Our campsite fee was a reasonable $22.65/night which included a 15% senior discount. Regular price is $26.65. Taxes and a $4.50 one-time fee were added for a grand total of $85.62 for 3 nights. If you're counting, that's 20+% in taxes.

**Things To Do In The Park:** boating, fishing, swimming, hiking. You can purchase a detailed hiking map for $1. If you aren't from the area and want to take in some Birmingham history, there are options.

- Red Mountain Park has hiking trails along with old iron ore mines. There's an adventure park with zip lining, climbing, etc.

- The base of Vulcan, Alabama's entry in the 1904 World's Fair, is the best place to see Birmingham. The museum next to the statue was well done; it provides a history of this steel city.

- The park across from the 16th Street Baptist Church (site of the bombing on 9/15/1963 that killed 4 young girls) is a window into the sad part of Birmingham's history. There's also a civil rights museum nearby.

- The craft breweries (Good People and Avondale) were good. And great barbecue at Saw. Pizza was good at Post Office Pies but they need to put more basil on a pizza advertised as a white basil pizza, not 5 little scraps.

Close to Birmingham; close quarters

The campsites at Oak Mountain are fairly well travelled and can get pretty packed though they provide all the necessary amenities for camping. Most of the tent sites have a level gravel area with a picnic table and fire pit to set up your site. However, the water pumps are often a little bit of a walk and shared between several sites. They are also very strict about the number of cars and this can make it tricky with a larger group. Overall it is a ok campsite but in a great park with awesome hikes. I would still recommend a visit to anyone who is willing to deal with camping close to your neighbor.

Packed Tight

I hiked the red trail loop. The trail is used for hiking and mountain biking. Easy trail to follow with good signs. Overall the trail was moderate and was a fair distance a little over 10 mile hike. Not difficult and pet friendly. 

Moderate hiking

very nice park, nice bathrooms and tent pad. called about a noisy group and rangers were helpful. 

march 2017

This is one of our favorite places to go camping on a regular basis because of how close it is to Birmingham. The campsites are pretty spaced out and have a nice sized space for tent setup. The have a gravel area that makes it easy to keep everything level. This past trip we did something new and camped out in the backcountry. It was amazing since the views in the park are really amazing. When you visit the park make sure to hike up to the overlooks. And if you are willing to get up early you can get one of the most amazing sunrise views.

Great Local Site

**Campground Review:**

Although I have camped at this park many times this was my first night at one of the backcountry sites and it was a HUGE improvement. I already love this park because of the many trails and wide range of terrain along with the lake where you can swim or boat. Usually the campgrounds however are crowded and close together so you don’t get the privacy that I usually want out of tent camping. This was a totally different experience. The site we stayed at was only a short walk, maybe 15 min from the road but it felt like a totally different world. We had a huge area to set up our tents (we actually ended up sleeping in [Tentsiles](https://www.tentsile.com/)) and there was a small stream that we could pump water from. We couldn’t hear a single car and it felt very secluded from the rest of the park. Another major advantage to this site is that it is located along one of the trails in the park so you could set up camp and go on a hike straight from there. You aren’t allowed to have campfires at these sites but this wasn’t an issue this time of year since it was already so hot out and additionally it seems that people sometimes don’t follow this rule since there was a firepit that appeared to have been used recently. 

While in the park this visit we also took a hike to Pevine falls which I would highly suggest. There is a 5.5 mile roundtrip hike that starts near the beach area and ends at the falls. On a hot summer day you can take a dip to cool off before you hike back out. You can also rent boats from the marina and get out on the water. We actually got [Oru Kayaks](https://www.orukayak.com/) recently as a wedding gift and took them out on the water to test them out.

Overall, if you are planning on tent camping at Oak Mountain State Park I highly recommend checking out these sites over the traditional camping area sites. They provide more interesting scenery and are more secluded. It costs $6 a person to stay at the sites but you don’t have to pay the park entrance fee if you are camping. You can’t reserve the sites so you just have to go check in at the camping area the day of and get a site but there are usually several available, even in peak season.

............................

****﻿Product Review:****

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground, I tested the Beyond Clothing [Aether Crew base layer shirt](https://beyondclothing.com/collections/a1-baselayers/products/a1-aether-crew?variant=34006265805) and [Brokk Capris](https://beyondclothing.com/collections/clearance/products/a5-brokk-capri?variant=35023578701). Since the weather is so hot in Alabama these days and we were doing some pretty steep hiking I was excited to put these clothing items to the test. Some of the things I really loved about the Beyond Clothing items are:

1.  Material: These items are all made of incredible quality materials. The capris are tough but also stretchy and light. The pants material made them super comfortable and the stretchy fabric made it easy to move around and they were able to keep up with my flexible movements. Additionally, the shirt base layer material was incredible in the hot weather. Even though I was wearing a backpack and sweating like crazy it pulled the moisture away from my body and the ridges helped to keep me cool. I can’t fully describe just how comfortable both of these items were.
2.  Compartments/Pockets: The pants have several different pockets with a variety of closures and throughout our hikes I used all of them. The side pockets are deep enough to hold keys or a phone but sit close to your body and don’t get in the way. They are also lined with really soft material the I was able to use to clean my phone screen. The pockets on the lower part of the pants were deep and wide giving you storage for larger items you might need to carry. 
3.  Style: I am a smaller guy and often struggle to find outdoorsy tough clothes that fit me well and also look good. Beyond really hit the spot and made some durable but also good looking items. I loved how the pants were cut short and allowed my legs to breathe while still being long enough that I didn’t scratch up my knees while moving around our campsite. 

Can't wait to try these clothes out more in a variety of other camping situations.

Ranger Review: Beyond Clothing Aether Crew and Brokk Capri at Oak Mountain Backcountry Campground 4

Oak Mountain is a great camping spot for people that want to have a quick escape from the city of Birmingham. It is located only about 20-40 min outside downtown. Oak Mountain has several of options of things to do away from just camping and hiking (which of course are also great to do here). The roads offer a great opportunity for a nice long bike ride. There is a huge lake which is perfect for swimming and family picnics, especially on a hot and humid Alabama summer day. We had a fantastic time camping at Oak Mountain and will definitely be back!

Great camping close to Birmingham

I've been here a lot over the years and always find something new. There are cabins, RV and tent camping available. There is a bmx area, an aviary, kayaks, canoes, paddle boats. You can fish, ride horses, golf, swim and hike. They have an amphitheater and have lots of concerts, too.

Huge park

There are tons of things to do at Oak Mountain - there are hiking trails, mountain biking trails, water sports like kayaking and swimming, plus the camping is great! Very easy to navigate and perfect for a weekend or weeklong trip!

Tremendous Park!

We stayed at Oak Mountain for a mountain bike competition. We didn't have sewer or shade, but we really enjoyed the hiking, biking, and playground. We'd love to go back to enjoy the beach and boats/kayaks. Friends had a wooded site where we hung out, cooked, and served community meals. We met some lovely people who were there for horseback riding and they gave our little a free horseback ride! Made his day!

Beautiful and fun

Campsite is super close to hiking trails and there are no other sites near you so it’s super quiet. Only issue we had was that we went when there was a burn restriction which means no way to scare off predators. Once the sun went down our campsite was surrounded by coyotes that didn’t care about how much noise we made to scare them off, causing us to squeeze 3 people into a one person tent (the other two were hammock camping). Great story to tell though! Definitely would recommend camping here just know what you might be signing up for.

Cold with coyotes

My friends and I stayed here and it was so lovely. There were quite a lot of other people there but it was still a fun place to primitive camp! It is a beautiful and clean site.

Great for Primitive or Camper sites

stop at office and ask for map of park. Ask about all the well marked trails and things to do

Beautiful, we’ll kept, huge state park with awesome well marked trails

This campground was a great place to get away! There are a lot of tent sites that are back in the woods for quiet and solitude. The swimming area and dock were a short walk from our campsite. The kids loved it. There are many beautiful trails for hiking. We did the hike to peavine falls! Beautiful!

Great place to camp lots of things to do!

We went to Oak Mountain for a boy scout weekend camping trip. They have a bmx trail, nice places to fish and swim, shower houses, walking trails, you are able to build campfires. Our scouts and parents had so much fun.

Well kept, beautiful, family fun

Update for most recent visit: This is by far the best place to camp near Birmingham and has many different options. I was just there this past weekend and it was so beautiful to see all the fall colors starting to show. My wife and I hiked up to the King’s Chair lookout on this visit and it was such an amazing sight. I would definitely recommend this time of year to visit the park. Make sure to check out my videos that show off some of the great features of the trails. The campground here has several different types of sites including walk in (tent only), RV, and even horse camping. Just make sure to check in advance if they have space since it can fill up in the busy season.

Great camping near Birmingham

Update for recent visit: Check out my other reviews of Oak Mountain to get an idea of some of the amazing hiking and places to see views. This site is one of four backcountry sites that the park offers. I have been to this one twice now since it is the closest to a parking area so is the most forgiving if you get a late start. The major thing to be aware of is that they do not allow fires at any of these sites so keep that in mind and you will need to either bring in your own water or purify it from one of the small seasonal streams that runs near the site. Overall this is a nice large site and you will definitely have your privacy since they closely regulate who stays at these backcountry locations and only a single group is allowed at each at a time. It is a wonderful place to get away for a night and see the stars.

Backpacking near Birmingham

I was very excited to visit Birmingham for my first trip. I didn’t know what to expect out of the city although I have heard several things about it’s long standing history.

One of the most attractive things about this location was that it was close to the Botanical Gardens which I had seen raved about and a lot of top magazines. Southern Living had featured them as one of their southern living gardens and I was very interested in seeing exactly just what that had in store.

Since I am a tent camper finding a location close to a city is sometimes somewhat difficult. However Birmingham location and proximity to this park are very close and that made for the best of both worlds.

While I was at the campground I enjoyed a wonderful tent site that was primitive. They have both primitive and improve sides at the campground and you can pick and choose from either. I enjoy the primitive sites simply because it does save a little bit of money while on one of my budget blog trips this stretches my dollars further and helps me go a little bit farther to the next location. I noticed that the RV sites were plenty long and could accommodate almost any size rig and still have space. There were both pull through and back and sides for both tent campers and RV campers.

The shower house although it was not the most improved our house I have been to was nice and the water pressure was strong. I enjoyed several hiking trails while out at the park during the day and then made my way into Birmingham for the evening.

The community of Birmingham it’s a wonderful place and I truly enjoyed this stop I only hope that I can explore it more on my next trip there. So many things to do while here it was hard to not have a bit more time here.

close to Birmingham attractions

We've lived in AL most all our 50+ years, but have never camped at this jewel of a park. Checking in was efficient and organized. All the staff was super helpful. Everything was great until we needed to use the facilities. They were clean, for the most part, but so very old and outdated. Why? This park and campground is outstanding - just need to desperately update the bath houses. 

Super park, but those bath houses are another story

\*It's been a while since my last visit, but since I camp there every year, several times each summer, I figured I'd go ahead and do a quick review anyway.

Every summer for the past few years I've traveled to Oak mountain, typically going several times each summer (July and August) to run the Southeastern trail series. Although there are numerous back country camp sites, I've always stayed at the campground due to its convenient location, and always stay at the same campsite (B6) each visit. The campground is divided into two sections (A &amp; B) and each campsite has parking right at the site itself.

Although the first few tent sites on the B-side are located right off the road, they're set back far enough that they feel pretty secluded with plenty of trees to give a slight sense of privacy. These first few sites have no electrical hookup or water, but are located a short walking distance from the front bathhouse (bathroom and shower). The bathhouse directly across from my site is rarely busy, and the single shower is clean with plenty of hot water.

Each site has a cinderblock retaining wall, a picnic table, and a steel fire ring with a flip-top cooking grate. If you're tent camping, the pad is dirt with a layer of pea-gravel, so a sleeping pad is a must. Firewood is easy to find in the surrounding woods if there hasn't been a lot of people thru the area. Otherwise, wood is available at the store at the entrance to the campground. The campground is easily accessible from the parks back gate entrance, which is only a short driving distance to pretty much anything you could need (restaurants, gas, groceries, etc).  There's even a small beach area at the back of the campground exclusive to campground guests. The staff is always friendly and reserving a campsite online is easy.

One of the great things about Oak Mountain State Park is that there's plenty to do aside from the camping; hiking, mountain biking, horse stables, a BMX track, an archery range, canoeing, paddle boats/ paddle boarding, several lakeside beaches with playgrounds, a wakeboarding course, a wildlife rehabilitation center, and a treetop nature boardwalk which features several enclosures where you can view birds of prey up close. Also, if you're into trail running or mountain biking, there are several race series held at the park each year.  

All in all, I love this park and already have my reservations made again for this summer!

Beautiful Park - Plenty to do!

My 3 kids and I pitched a tent at the camp ground and then took a dip in the lake. Lake was a short walk from our tent, we stayed an hour and all enjoyed the refreshing water. Beach area was not crowded but me most enjoyed the doc where my kids could jump off. I swam as well and loved it. View of the mountains was very nice. 

We cooked dinner at our tent and scored a spot very close to the bath house which included a utility closet with a sink for cleaning dishes, etc. Tent site was well marked and orderly. Including a fire pit with grill attachment. Beautiful canopy of trees making for great shade. Beautiful evening, very quiet and orderly.

Enjoyed cooking breakfast the next morning followed by hiking and a trip to Peavine Falls. Very nice and highly recommended.

Staffing at Oak Mtn was great. Plenty of folks patrolling and looking after the camping community ☀️⛺️

I’m a new camping Mom, so far starters it is clean and safe and lots of fun!

We stayed in 2 sites over 3 days.  One in each loop.  Absolutely a place will would stay at again.  The B loop is more packed in and your view may be of other campsites.  The A loop is more spread out but your site will be right on the main road.  The park is very well kept and the staff was more than friendly.  There is something for everyone to do within the park including a golf course.

One of those places you hope for

Oak Mountain State Park is  Alabama’s largest state park. Located just outside of Birmingham, it’s easy to escape to nature without being too far off the beaten path. This park is HUGE! There’s so many things to do here, we plan to return when we have more time to explore! 

We saw several hiking trails, a horseback riding area, a golf course, a lake with a beach and swimming area, plus kayak and boats, we also saw some kind of skiing tow rope area! It was really cool, I’d never seen one of those! I read the park is known for mountain biking also, and I noticed a few road bikes in the bike lane driving in. 

We originally booked a tent site without electric, but it was blazing hot, so we decided to move to a site with electric so we could have fans in our rooftop tent and ended up in site A06. The site was shaded and there was no one in that area so we had great privacy. Our site backed up to the woods, so it was nice. 

The tent (no electric) sites are the best in my opinion. Most are back in the woods and shaded. I don’t believe you can reserve a specific tent site, as they assign you one when you arrive, but there were so many great tent sites, i don’t think it would be a problem unless it was a super busy weekend. Most of the tent sites are walk in also, so if you have a rooftop tent, or car camping, these won’t work. 

A loop seemed to have larger, wooded, sites with more privacy. B loop was wide open. The tent sites were great in both loops though. 

The restrooms were ancient. They could use some updates, but they were clean and functional, and there were multiple facilities throughout the campground. 

There’s a camp store at the check in area, they have the essentials, and they do have ice. The ladies working in there were really nice and helpful too. 

Oak Mountain is a great spot to camp, just go when there’s not a heat wave in Alabama, and you have time to explore the park!





Huge park, lots to do!

If you are looking for a place with outdoor activities for any and all, this is your spot! The campground itself is fairly large with options for all types of camping. The camp store has just about anything you could need and extremely friendly service. Bathrooms were clean and sufficient as far as availability for use. My biggest complaint was privacy as far as sights being very close together. Tent sights seemed to be fairly spacious and secluded but we drove around the loop 3 times before I found an electric sight where I felt we had some privacy. This campground and park itself is extremely beautiful and so worth the stay to get to explore it. Whether it is hiking, fishing, boating, kayaking, horseback riding, sight seeing, nature exploring, photography or whatever it is you like to do outside, this place will give you plenty of options to keep you busy or just relaxing at peace out in nature. I highly recommend this as a stop on your list of campgrounds to go visit. 

Amazing State Park w/ countless outdoor activities!

I love coming to this park. The hikes are challenging, the camping is good and the employees are wonderful. The only downside I have to this campground is while it is technically "car" camping, you have to park either down the hill or up the hill from your site, which is just a little irritating at best. Otherwise, the staff is phenomenal and the scenery is spectacular. I have only been here in the fall/winter, but plan to come back in summer at some point to see all the green and wildlife out and about.

Fun weekend hiking getaway

Very large park with lots to do within the park including golf, archery, several lakes, and hiking. We had hoped to hike to Peavine Falls, but since we arrived on the first day after Daylight Savings, we ran out of daylight and needed to get an early start the next day. As with other parks we have been in this fall, the lake was closed for swimming for the season. 

  

The campground is more than five miles from the entrance to the park and is quite large. It was surprisingly crowded for the first Sunday in November. We did not have reservations but were able to secure an electric site (a frost warning was in effect, so we wanted to be able to use our heater). We could have had our pick of tent (no hookup) sites. Many of the sites had the feel of an RV park. There was no privacy/separation between the sites and the sites vary significantly in size and quality. Some are pull-through, some are paved, some are gravel. Site 9 was level but not all of them were. Each site had a very large picnic table and fire ring. Check-in is at a small store that has some basic supplies but you are within 20 miles of Birmingham and the surrounding suburbs so you can easily stock up on groceries and other needed supplies before arriving. 

  

The bathrooms and showers were a little worn but serviceable. It was appreciated that they were heated. 

  

What is it about trains and campgrounds? As soon as we settled in for the night, we started hearing the very loud trains throughout the night and into the next morning! 

  

An ok campground but unless we were going to take advantage of some of the activities available, we probably would not camp here again.

OK campground in a very large state park

We went camping for 2 nights stayed on lot A14 it’s my personal favorite (it’s a pull through level lot) it was $68. It was close to the bath house and the little beach area and fishing pier. The bath house was heated so nice and toasty in there. There was only one shower stall so don’t know if that would be issue when it’s busier. It had ok shower with super hot water be careful. The bathrooms were clean. We did some geocaching that was nice there was some good ones! Trees for hammocks not a lot of shade on the site but some behind the site. We went ahead and booked for some other future dates to make sure we got that site. Fire bundles were $8 it was quiet and peaceful when we went. Just the getaway we needed. ❤️

Love this place! 

This place is great. The campsites are pretty spaced out, especially for a state park. Plenty of trees for shade and privacy. The restrooms are fairly clean, but a little run down. Showers and utility sinks are available though and there seemed to be plenty of restrooms throughout. The store is well stocked and staff friendly. Miles of trails for horses, bikes and hiking. Beaches, lakes, and small bird of prey exhibit. Plenty of bird feeders around so lots of opportunities to see birds. My only complaint was that the “community” water spigots were hard to find, and usually on someone’s campsite. In one case I experienced, this lead one camper to believe that the spigot belonged to him. Small issue and didn’t ruin a great experience. 

Easy to spend a week here

I've been wanting to visit Oak mountain and we booked last minute May 1st-3rd. They were booked completely except for an equestrian pull through site. I had already made plans with my family and another (both first timers with our own young families). I asked about pitching tents on the gravel and they said people do it. We had two tents on complete gravel and had enough tarp and mats that it really didn't bother us. The stables were right in front of our eyes, and we could hear the peacock next door, which was lovely actually. Their horses on their farm were roaming around and it was beautiful! Bathrooms were absolutely perfect and cleaned what seemed twice a day from the cleaning logs. They were maybe 300 feet from us and since the RVs all have hook ups we seemed to be the only ones using them, really. Everything else was basically closed down, but when we went to hike the water fall trail, it seemed so crowded that I wasn't surprised when we saw the ranger show up to send people out of the falls, so we didn't waste our time. I'd go back to enjoy the beach and trails, with a bike definitely! 

First time with my family

Oak Mountain State Park has a great campground. Our site was A5 and was a full hook-up, pull-through site. A5 was not the greatest site in the campground, but it was still good. The sites are spaced well apart and all are shaded. The state park has a golf course, stables, 2 beaches, kayak/canoe rentals, bike lane through the park, and lots of trails. 

  

We liked our experience so much that we stayed there on the way home!

Amazing campground with tons of stuff to do!


Beautiful park with lots to do! Oak Mountain is a big state park with lots to do (golf, biking, archery, lots of trails that are very well marked, petting zoo, very neat trail with rescued owls, turkeys and red hawks, and more). Great camping area for RV’s or tents. Big lakes for fishing, swimming or canoeing.

Beautiful park with lots to do!

A quick stop, convenient and easy.  We were able to get into the primitive section without any reservations which is always wonderful.  Sites are beautiful and the lake near our site was a nice place for a dip. 

On our way to Michigan

We stayed here overnight and it was a nice campground.  Sites are a bit randomly dispersed.  Sites for tents all the way up to motor homes.  The tent sites here were really neat.  They were back in the woods but marked very well.  Lots of trails and activities.  We did not receive any local channels with our antenna, but we didn’t try to adjust it since we were only there for one night.  Several full hookup sites.  Nice and shaded in most places.  Very clean and quiet.

Great state park camping

This park and campground is one of my favorites for sure. The park is full of things to do such as hiking, horseback riding, a petting zoo, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming, bicycling, etc. The campsites are awesome with both primitive and powered sites. The one I stayed at was close to a small lake in a good shaded area and plenty of good trees to tie up a hammock. Campers beware do not leave any food in totes outside of your camper or tent the squirrels will chew a hole in the lid trying to get to the food lol... The bathhouses are nice and plenty located throughout the campground. Due to covid-19 you may want to check in with the front office and see what activities are available before booking. When I went it was at the early stages and even then some of the activities were closed. 200 Terrace Dr, Pelham, AL 35124

(205)620‐2527

One of my favorites 

The campground is very acceptable. Some RV sites with FHU and some without sewer. Tent sites also. We have camped here many times on many different sites in the B section. Sites mostly level and drain ok when it rains. Campground registration is easy and painless and staff is great. There is a dump station on the way out of the campground. They sell firewood and fill propane. Some sites near/on lake. This campground stays crowded most of the year. FHU sites go first. Campground is 5.5 miles from main entrance. 

  

The rest of the park is amazing. Probably 50 miles of hiking trails. Over 30 miles of biking trails and most are maintained regularly. Also horse/hiking trails and stables. Cabins on semi private lake. 

18 hole golf course and is enjoyable and easily walkable. 

Marina with kayak,canoe,sup and pedal boat rentals. This has been closed due to covid19 though. You can still rent these at the cable skiing area near back entrance. Picnic tables everywhere. 

Archery area with targets and elevated shooting platform.

Pump track and BMX track.

Costs 5$ per person to enter park but included if you are camping. 

Will visit again.

Campground is 4 star, Park as a whole is 5 star

We spent the weekend in site A59 with two tents and three people. It is a nice, level site with plenty of room for everything we needed. Most tent sites in the campground have cinder block retaining walls build in that make the sites level and are very convenient for setting up your kitchen area.  The picnic table was old, but large and quite serviceable. There was a sturdy fire ring with grill at every site. NOTE: ALL tent sites in this campground are considered walk-in only, meaning that you can't drive right into the site with your car. Some are closer to the road than others, and it is hard to tell this from map. A59 was maybe 75 yards uphill from the parking spot on the road. Not a problem for us to carry our gear up, but it might be for some. We really liked this site because it backed up to the woods and was nice and shaded. Other tent sites were visible, but not close enough to feel crowded at all.

Check in was easy. You do not have to pay the park entrance fee if you are camping over night. Maps are available at the store. Staff was very nice and friendly. Firewood is available for $8 a bundle, but it was green and would not burn. I will take the propane fire pit next time.

The bath house was fine. Not luxurious, but not bad at all. As always, take your own toilet tissue - better safe than sorry. The bath house was warm and cozy, the toilets worked, and there was hot water (very hot) and soap. The hand dryer in the men's side was broken. As far as COVID precautions, there is a sign asking that only one person go in the bath house at a time, but that is not really practical, so a mask is a good idea.

The activities in the park are fantastic. We hiked for 5 hours and never had to cover the same ground. Views are glorious. There are dozens of other things to do, also. The kayakers seemed to be having a great time, as did the mountain bikers. People are friendly here. Lots of dogs, all responsibly leashed.

Nice campground in a fantastic state park

Oak Mountain has plenty of activities for everyone including a demonstration farm, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, swimming and fishing. The campground is conveniently located to the lake with it's own beach area. There is also a pier to fish or swim from. Our campsite had a major ant problem and the bathhouse was subpar. Still Oak Mountain is my favorite Alabama state park thus far

Great state park, campground could use improvements 

Well wort the little extra drive to get to the campground in the middle of the park. Beautiful sites. Some spread out some near each other but still lots of room. Park has lots of stuff to do or just relax in nature.
Watch our video showing Oak Mountain Park.
https://youtu.be/Kw3BTjl8io8

Big State Park

Love this park, you really forget how close to Birmingham you are. Lot’s to do here, camping , biking, fishing, hiking . So worth a visit if you’ve never been here .

Absolutely love this place!

What an amazing campground! Alabama knocked this one out of the park. From the first time you enter the park, which isn’t too far from BHam or the interstate, you’re transported to a different place where things move much more slowly just the way we like it. The campground is a 5 mile ride from the main entrance. A beautiful winding road takes you all the way, deep into the property. If you’re lucky, you will see plenty of wildlife (we saw 7 deer and one rabbit). The campsites are very spacious, we stayed in site A30 which was great! But if you want a view, try A26 which overlooks the lake. There is a general store on property that even has propane. If you’re active, they offer bike and hiking trails, horse riding, kayak and paddle boat rentals, and a couple of beaches. Don’t wait, book your stay here ASAP!

Add this place to your list!

Third time staying at Oak Mountain and it was great. Stayed in B37. A20-27 are better but our trip was short notice. Decent size and pretty quiet. Bathrooms could use some updating but still pretty clean. Great hiking trails and lots of stuff to do! 

Great Respite


So I've only camped here in a Tent &amp; RV. There are nice Bathhouses that include Toilets, Urinals, Sinks, Stand-Up Showers &amp; Lights! There is also WiFi and a small beach. And Cabins that are not in the campground area you can camp  Primitive campsites, one's with power &amp; water hookups and others w/power, water &amp; sewage and a fire🔥pits in every campsite.and you can bring your own boat as long as you Only Use an electric motor like a trolling motor. There is fishing and pets are allowed. Also certain nights there will be games including bingo for all campers to participate in &amp; win stuff. Every Sunday morning there is an indoor/outdoor Church gathering.

The Oak Mountain Review

We took our kids for the first time and it was a great trip! I’ve always lived Oak Mountain so I for sure go back as often as I can. We stayed on 42B which was an AMAZING site. My favorite one so far. There was a lot of traffic just because that was the way to get to the campground beach, but it was still really good. Staff is great, campsite was great, bathrooms... need some updating! But hey, they work! You’re not there for glamor and luxury, you’re there for camping. 🤷🏼‍♀️ we already have our next trip planned and we are so excited! 

Family Fun! 

This is a must visit park. Plan to stay at least 3 days. The campground is very nice. The bathrooms and showers need some maintenance, but overall it's nice. There are many activities for everyone of all ages and abilities. They have a Gulf course, an interactive farm, wildlife area with animals, water activities with rentals, trails for bicycling and hiking and amazing sites to see.

Something for everyone 

We stayed at the equestrian campground at Oak Mountain. It was very nice and quiet. Once you go through the gate take your first left and keep driving. 
We only stayed 2 nights and didn't get to see everything they have at the park. We want to go back! 

Equestrian Campground

Very happy at this campground. But there aren't many campers 
here. I think they are at the main campground. But regular RV campers are allowed at the Equestrian center. We are close to the farm/petting zoo. Also the horses are next to the campground. Very quiet and reasonably priced. 

Stayed at Equestrian Campground 

Oak Mountain is great for camping, hiking, biking,  fishing, water sports and golf . You can even catch a concert at the amphitheater! 

Excellent park

Beautiful large park. One night. Likes the site arrangements - interspersed with tent sites, parking pads at a different angle next to each other. Enjoyed the Peavine Falls Trail on the way out of the park in the morning. Have to buy a trail map. Damp wood from the camp store.
TMobile good signal.

Large park

PROS 

Senior discount 

Reserved 363 days prior to arriving 

Very friendly check in staff H

Huge park…very nicely landscaped and neatly mowed 

Quiet 

Regularly saw ranger driving through campground 

A30 level site and nearly full shade coverage 

Moveable wooden and metal picnic table 

Metal fire pit with cooking grate 

Campfire wood for sale at park office 

Don’t miss the TREE TOP NATURE TRAIL! 

Good food at The Grille at Oak Mountain State Park inside the Pro Shop at The Oaks Golf Course 

All major shopping and eateries just beyond the park boundaries in Pelham, Hoover and Birmingham 

  

CONS

$5 reservation fee for making my own on-line reservation 

Street lights throughout campground 

Toilet/shower facility heavily used which badly needs updating 

Campground trash dumpsters are beyond the campground gate…not walkable 

Poor signage upon entering Park. We stopped at the first building on the right, as it was marked RANGER OFFICE with a large, rig-friendly parking area, but it was not a check-in for campers. Then we went through another gate on the main roadway and it wasn’t the campground check-in either. Campground directional signs after we got through that gate. Glad we didn’t arrive in the dark! 

Limited and very tight rig parking at campground gate check-in 

No notice by park on the south entrance roadwork and roundabout construction...horribly tight to maneuver... recommend North entrance/exit until construction is completed…that’s how we departed. 

Never saw a camp host 

No WiFi 

2 bars Verizon

Huge Park

Although weather is extremely cool this time of the year the campground is great very clean and quiet awesome experience 

Oak mountain 

I have camped at the horse campground a few times. Nothing fancy there, they are side by side pull thrus similar to a KOA. And the horse trails are nice. This time I camped at the regular campground in a travel trailer. Site A14. Site was pull thru across from camphosts and bathroom. Site was small but nice - water/elec only and pull thru. Picnic table and fire ring, no grill. Camp hosts (woman) was friendly. Asked for assistance in moving a bench so my son could get his wheelchair along the sidewalk to the men’s bathroom: her husband (assume they are married) never came out despite being asked by his wife a few times and me waiting 20 min. On that note, the bathrooms are old and dingy and not ADA at all. But it would have been nice to get some assistance. Overall, this is a good campground if you have young kids and like a lot of activity around you and don’t need anything ADA. Oh and be aware of poison ivy. It was EVERYWHERE 