Outpost Campsites — Gulf State Park

This is an incredible campground that is part of Gulf State Park but totally separate from their standard RV and tent sites. It is in a different region of the park and has its own rules and amenities. The only way to get to the campground is to either bike or walk in a little over a mile and once there you are basically in a fancy backpacking situation. They have military tents set up on platforms with cots inside and a covered porch area out front. The tents are made of heavy canvas but also have a bug net screen over the front and the windows for hotter weather. We stayed down there recently and had the most incredible weekend. We used a Rovr cooler with the bike attachment to carry in all our gear and food then didn't go back to the car until we left. We used the campsite as our home base to go to the beach and explore the park. Since the campsite has a small firepit with a grill top we cooked whole veggies over the fire to make delicious tacos. There is also a sink with a hand pump that is perfect for washing dishes. They do recommend you filter the water for drinking though. Although there are 3 separate tents/sites available in the Outpost area we were the only ones there over this weekend and had the whole site to ourselves which made it very peaceful. Though I can also imagine coming back with friends and renting several of the tents together. One of the really cool amenities is the shower, a hand pump fills a tank in the tower then you pull a string that releases the water. This was such a welcome feature after getting all sandy and sweaty while swimming and biking. Overall, this was an incredible camping experience and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for an alternative way to visit the beach.