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Best Tent Camping near Addison, AL

259 Reviews
CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Tent camping in the Sipsey Wilderness and Bankhead National Forest offers primitive backcountry options near Addison, Alabama. Thompson Creek Trail Campsites provide free tent camping with established fire rings about a mile from the trailhead, while the Sipsey Wilderness area features numerous backcountry sites along designated trails such as Trail 200, 203, and 207, all within a 30-minute drive from town.

Most tent sites in this region are primitive with minimal amenities. Campers should prepare to bring all necessary supplies, including drinking water, though some locations like Owl Creek Horse Camp do offer potable water and vault toilets. The tent sites along the Sipsey trails are typically located on flat, sandy areas with established fire pits, but lack facilities such as tables, toilets or trash service. Access varies from drive-in locations to sites requiring hikes of several miles through forested terrain. A visitor commented that "the sites have plenty of space for setting up a tent, or a hammock, with easy access to fresh water."

Areas deeper in the Sipsey Wilderness provide the most secluded tent camping experiences, with sites often situated near creeks and rivers for water access. The backcountry campsites off Trail 200 are known for their proximity to scenic waterfalls and rock formations. A recent review noted that site G is "by far the best site if you have a group of 3 or more tents" with "enough privacy while still providing group areas to congregate." Spring and fall are considered optimal seasons for tent camping in this area, as summer can be particularly hot and buggy, while winter might bring higher water levels. Many sites feature sandy, level tent pads high enough off creek banks to avoid potential flooding issues, though campers should always check conditions before setting up their tents near waterways.

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Best Tent Sites Near Addison, Alabama (25)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Addison, AL

259 Reviews of 25 Addison Campgrounds

  • Katie S.
    Jun. 18, 2019

    Tomahawk Campground

    Ranger Review: GCI Outdoor Pod Rocker with SunShade camp chair at Tomahawk Primitive Campground

    Campground Review: 

    Tomahawk Primitive Campground is located near Cullman, AL right off of Highway 278. The campground is primitive, and has no electricity or water pumps or hookups at the individual sites, but there is a common room area attached to the back of the owner’s house that has a clean bathroom, a coffee maker, and electricity. There are 3 campsites with fire rings as well as a large, open field at the main campground area, and additional sites by the creek, about a 10 minute walk from the main area. The trail to the creek-side sites was partially cleared, but there were a few fallen trees blocking the path that could make it difficult to carry gear to those sites. My husband, puppy and I stayed at one of the tent sites in the main campground area. If you are staying in a tent, I highly recommend air mattresses for this camp. While the ground has been somewhat cleared, there are still large stocks sticking one or 2 inches out of the ground that would make sleeping without an air mattress very uncomfortable. However, the bigger issue making sleep difficult for us was the road noise from the highway, which stayed busy throughout the night. I assume that if you are in a camper you won’t notice it as much, but in a tent it made us feel like we were camping on the side of the highway and not at a camp. Another problem that we ran into, unfortunately after we set up camp, is that our site had a ton of fire ants. I’m not sure if this is a problem at all of the tent sites or if it was just ours, but I advise caution when choosing your site and where you set up your tent. Our favorite part of this campground was the creek. It was beautiful and clear, perfect for our dog to play in, and had good locations to set up a hammock and enjoy the peaceful creek sounds. If we were to stay at this camp again, we would bring gear that could be hauled to the creek-side campsites. 

    Gear Review: GCI Outdoor Pod Rocker with Sunshade 

    As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I sometimes get gear to review on my camping trips. For this trip I got the GCI Pod Rocker with Sunshade camp chair. I LOVE this chair, and so did my husband and dog. The chair comes in a durable carrying case, which is great because I’ve had many camp chair bags fall apart after just a few uses. The chair was a little confusing to set up/take down at first, until I realized that easy-to-follow instructions are attached to the bag. The chair is larger than most camp chairs and provides more support. The sunshade is adjustable and can be moved in several positions as well as completely collapsed. The only complaint that we had about the Pod Rocker is that the included cup holder is a pouch that doesn’t seem like it would actually prevent your drink from spilling. For me, the benefit of having a camp rocking chair far outweighs this one detractor. This chair was wonderful for camping but would also be perfect for outdoor sporting events and concerts. I highly recommend the GCI Pod Rocker with Sunshade! Here is the link for the GCI Pod Rocker with SunShade:  https://www.gcioutdoor.com/rockers/pod-rocker-with-sunshade/

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 7, 2020

    Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground

    The cave is the star attraction

    This is a very small campground- 13 improved sites (nine of these have 50 amp electric and can accommodate all sizes of rigs; four are designed for smaller units and have 30 amp electric) plus five primitive sites, which have communal water only (no electric). There is zero privacy/separation between the improved sites, which would make the unimproved sites possibly more appealing (but further from the restroom and it was pouring when we were there). Improved sites are gravel and include a BBQ, fire ring, and a very large picnic table. Rates are $16 for a primitive site/$29 for an improved site plus a $4.75 processing fee for the first night of your stay. Senior discounts are given. 

    The restrooms are functional and clean but basic. There was a leak in the roof from the pouring rain that could pose a slipping hazard. 

    There are a large picnic pavilion and two short hiking trails of about a mile each. We hiked the Fossil Mountain trail, which is very rocky. The main draw to this park is the cave. Tours are offered four times daily, January through November. If you camp, you receive a discount on the tour. The tour is worth doing.

  • Morgan Z.
    Sep. 7, 2016

    Houston Recreation Area

    Sipsey Wilderness

    During my time in Alabama, I kept hearing wonderful things about Sipsey Wilderness, and its many waterfalls, rocky landscapes, and great hikes. Since it's "wilderness," there are no established campsites, and there is a strict "leave no trace" policy. That being said, the opportunity to pick your own home away from home on your backpacking trip leaves you with a plethora of gorgeous options! Be sure to check the water levels before your trip, because while Sipsey is always beautiful, it isn't abnormal for many of the waterfalls to be dried up after a hot summer. Also, if you park at the Sipsey River Picnic Area Trailhead, be sure to pay the $3/day parking fee. They will give you a steep ticket otherwise! I had read about the fee, but upon arriving didn't see where to pay and figured it must have been an outdated post. Turns out, there was just a car blocking the pay station, which is near the chemical toilet when you turn into the parking lot. It's a dated deposit system, where you put your payment in an envelope, drop it in a dropbox, and put the perforated proof of payment tag on your dashboard. So be sure to bring exact change!! I was expecting something a little more modern, so even if I had seen the deposit box, I wouldn't have had exact change on me.

    The trails can get a little complicated, as there aren't really any trail markers, so be sure to buy a map of the area and bring it along with your compass. I found a map at mountain high outfitters at the Summit in Birmingham, AL, and it served us well. The 209 trail follows the river and is known as one of the more scenic routes. Nearby sites within the Sipsey Wilderness include Big Tree (the biggest tree in AL), Eye of the Needle, Ship Rock, numerous waterfalls, and several scattered cemeteries. All of these will be marked on a good map.

    The area is very buggy, and the trails can get cramped/overgrown in parts, so I'd recommend wearing long pants and lots of bug spray!

  • Mo F.
    Sep. 26, 2017

    McFarland Park Campground

    Camping in the City Limits

    We pulled in with no plans and drove through the whole campground. There are 60 RV spots, pull thru and not, some parking lot style and some a along a creek. There are no trees or bushes between spots, but the whole campground is situated with forest and creek on one side and the Tuscumbia River on the other. We weren't positive what the deal was so we checked in with the host and paid $14 for one night.

    Primitive tent spots are right on the river. There are fire pits, trees, and picnic tables sporadically placed. We pitched our tent facing the bluffs along the river and our hammock between two trees. It wasn't crowded and it was pretty quiet (no generators, no music, very family friendly and chill). The grass was cut, and though there were small ant piles everywhere, they really weren't in the way or aggressive. The bath-house is...not awesome. It's exactly what you'd expect for an older, gov-run park, with some spiders and leaky toilets, but toilets and showers are there.

    It is a three minute drive into downtown Florence. Most of that is through the park, which is home to a good-sized marina, disc golf course, and (defunct?) driving range. It's super convenient, cheap, and kept up well enough. The view of the water and bluffs is A++, and it's fun to watch the speed boats and river cruises.

  • L
    May. 6, 2023

    Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground

    Great for Beginner Campers

    Rickwood Caverns was the first car camping experience I ever had. My husband and I went sans kids to see if we liked tent camping and test out our gear. We are total beginners. 

    We got there at 5:15 and the shop/office closes at 5pm. There was a sign with a phone number for assistance in late check in. No one answered and our VM was never returned. No big deal. We didn’t have a pass in our car and no one cared or checked.

    The campground is small. Each of the primitive campsites has a fire pit and picnic table. Our table had seen better days and was missing one bench. Somewhere in the vicinity, there was a faucet for washing dishes, etc., but it was surrounded by a giant mud puddle. There’s another faucet area in the parking lot near the bathroom/shower building. 

    We reserved site #17 and there were two other tents pitched nearby. I reserved the site on Alaparks’ website and I think I paid $14/night. The park is gated and locked each evening. It is an old state park and a bit run down. The bathroom/shower building is very old, but it was tidy and I did see someone clean it on Saturday morning.

    We toured the caverns on Saturday at 10am with a small group and enjoyed the tour. Tours are discounted for campers. The tour didn’t include so much geological information as it was about rocks shaped as animals, etc. It would have been cool to learn more about the history and sciency stuff. Something really interesting about the history to me was that the caverns were basically blasted out and excavated by Boy Scouts in the 50s. Seriously. With dynamite. 

    The caverns have steep stairs that can be muddy and wet. Lots and lots of steps, so definitely not an activity for folks with mobility issues. Children might struggle too. 

    The park is kind of near a highway and I could hear cars in the evening and at night. 

    Cell phone reception was fine. 

    Temps were low 50s in overnight and bugs were only an issue around dusk. (This was in late April).

    Because the campground is so small, primitive camping area is close to camper parking lot, so there was a little camper community close by but that didn’t bother us. 

    Rickwood Caverns is a low frills place for tent camping for beginner campers. The caverns might be fun to tour again in December when they have their Christmas lights up.

  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2019

    Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 203 Site A)

    Closest to the Car

    This campground is the first you pass after coming down the road from the parking area. It is located right at the 203 trail junction near the bridge and along the water. On this trip, it was occupied by a family that had walked down the hill at the same time as us and carried in all their gear in their arms with no packs. This is an ideal site if you need an easy to find a campground that is as close as you can get to the parking area. It is on the smaller size but has a nice firepit and plenty of area to put up at least two tents. It is also high enough off the bank for you to stay dry in case of flooding. One small downside is that to access water you will need to climb down a steep slope or walk around to the bridge slightly down the trail. Another downside is that the trail passes right through the campsite so if you are a late sleeper you may get disturbed in the morning by other hikers passing through. If you are able I would suggest going a little further down the trail and checking out the 2 other nearby sites. Read some of my other reviews from this area for more info about backpacking in Sipsey Wilderness.

  • Thomas H.
    Jan. 10, 2021

    Corinth Recreation Area

    Perfectly Designed for RV Newbies!

    Loved this park! It was our first trip in our new Travel Trailer and it couldn't have gone better. We stayed at Yellow Hammer site #9 easy pull through with plenty of room. Not only did all the sites have amazing scenery but the roads were well maintained. Full hookups and AT & T cellphone coverage good enough for working from Trailer. Verizon cellphone coverage didn't work here. Each site fully equipped with fire ring, picnic table, and lantern poles. Wood available for purchase from host. 

    Beach & Bath houses were closed due to COVID-19

    We spent a lot of time walking with our kids on the trails and riding scooters around the campsite roads. Nature trails were extremely well kept with great views on the water

    Best site is Yellow Hammer #17

  • Anna M.
    Apr. 20, 2025

    Corinth Recreation Area

    It's commercial camping with tons of kids.

    Very expensive, crowded and noisy but what do you expect. The hot water was out in the bath house so no showers. $10/day to enter if you have more than 2 vehicles. Everyone wants to be outside and camping most in large RV's with all the amenities and a dozen loud kids per. This is typical if you are looking for something else you will have to keep looking. Night time quiet hours are not enforced. Spaces are a little closer and tighter than other campgrounds.

  • Alisa P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 8, 2025

    Quail Creek RV Resort

    Quiet and Peaceful

    The campground is tucked back off the freeway and is very quiet and peaceful. It provides you a level space with picnic tables, concrete pads and fire rings. You can buy firewood and they have a bath house and laundry. It has excellent WIFI. The campground is on a golf course and has an Inn right on the course. There is a great playground and dog area. There are some long term campers here but it is clean and everyone was very friendly. Be careful driving here the road is very narrow and no shoulders. We met a school bus on the road and ended up having to go into the pit next to the road to avoid the bus that was in our lane😳.
    I would definitely recommend this campground for families or people who are full time RVers!

Guide to Addison

Tent campsites near Addison, Alabama sit within the heart of Bankhead National Forest, where elevations range between 500-800 feet above sea level. The region features sandstone gorges, hemlock forests, and numerous streams that create a network of waterways feeding into the Sipsey River. Winter temperatures typically range from 30-50°F, while summer months can reach 85-95°F with high humidity, influencing when most visitors choose to camp.

What to do

Creek exploration: Spend time exploring Thompson Creek's unique rock formations. The water at Thompson Creek Trail Campsites has a distinctive color that many campers note. "The water is a beautiful turquoise. Most of the campsites have giant moss covered boulders all around, and cliffs in the background opposite the river," explains Aaron S. Most accessible areas are within 3 miles of trailheads.

Swimming: Find natural pools along creek beds during warmer months. "The hike in is not difficult. You do have to cross a stream, which was not as difficult for my 6'2 husband as it was for me at 5'2. The water was clear. The waterfall was beautiful and we found a quiet spot up the creek to camp," reports Miranda C. Swimming spots are most abundant between May and September when water levels permit.

Multi-day hiking: Connect trail systems for extended backpacking trips. At Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 200 Site H), hikers can access several connecting trails. "It has several waterfalls nearby, is close enough to the river for easy water access, and is secluded from many other sites. It shows up in a bend in the trail after you cross over one of the small creeks," notes Asher K. The full trail network covers approximately 25 miles.

What campers like

Sandy tent pads: Comfortable sleeping surfaces off the ground. At Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 207 Site B), campers appreciate the natural terrain. "The flat tent areas at this site are mostly covered in sand which means you will have a very comfortable surface to sleep on," writes Asher K. These sites typically accommodate 2-3 tents with space between them.

Year-round water access: Reliable water sources near established campsites. Owl Creek Horse Camp provides consistent water access. "This is off the beaten path a bit, but it has its perks. Here you can find potable water from the spickets all year long. It is essentially a large field with some very large loblolly pines," explains Gregg G., who adds that "the nights sky is wonderful."

Cell service in select areas: Connectivity at specific campgrounds. While most Addison area primitive campsites lack service, Owl Creek Horse Camp offers connectivity. "We enjoyed staying here after being out of cell service for a few days at brushy lake, so we were able to catch up and coordinate our next destination... 2 bars of Verizon 4G LTE," notes Gregg G.

What you should know

Trail conditions vary seasonally: Winter and spring rains significantly impact accessibility. Jimmy R. shares, "Me and my 6 year old daughter hiked the trail this past Saturday, July 27, 2019. Had a great time. Definately be back." The ideal hiking seasons are April-May and October-November when trails are typically drier.

Limited facilities at most sites: Prepare for true backcountry camping experiences. "The entire Sipsey Wilderness is gorgeous, but if you want a trail with lots of great spots to camp, this trail is fantastic. Don't expect bathrooms or drinking water to be nearby, but if you're looking to really get away from it all and do some primitive camping, this is a great place to go," advises Trinity W.

Vehicle limitations: Most camping locations require hiking to reach. At Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 200 Site J), access requires foot travel. "This is a small but well-cleared site that would work well for a small group... This site has an established fire pit and easy access to (purifiable) water," notes Asher K. One camper encountered challenges with a teardrop camper, stating, "This area is great for tent camping that you are willing to hike into."

Tips for camping with families

Choose shorter trail options: For camping with children, select sites closer to trailheads. The backcountry sites at Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 200 Site A) offer good options. "This site is the first one you see right when you get down the hill from the parking lot. It will also probably be the first site claimed since it is the easiest to see and clearly very nice with its spot overlooking the river," explains Asher K.

Find kid-friendly water features: Shallow creek areas provide safe play spaces. "Most of the time, except during dry spells, there are LOTS of waterfalls. Also lots of shallow places for the kids to play in the water," recommends Trinity W. These areas are most accessible from the Thompson Creek Trail.

Prepare for wildlife encounters: The area has diverse wildlife including snakes. "Watch for snakes and bring bug spray," advises Trinity W. Bug activity is highest from June through August, so prepare with appropriate repellents and protective clothing.

Tips from RVers

Limited RV options: True RV sites are scarce in the immediate Addison area. Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 200 Site G) demonstrates why the area favors tent camping. "This site is by far the best site if you have a group of 3 or more tents. It has several firepits and is spread out over a large area. Each individual site has enough privacy while still providing group areas to congregate," notes Asher K.

Small trailers may find limited options: A few areas can accommodate very small trailers. One reviewer noted their experience: "It's been a while since last review so we took a chance hoping to find a spot for our teardrop and a couple of tents. We fortunately found one clearing near the trail head that was enough space for our teardrop and two tents."

Consider Owl Creek Horse Camp: This campground can accommodate smaller RVs. "It is essentially a large field with some very large loblolly pines... Cost is $5 a night or $3 for day use," reports Gregg G. The campground includes pit toilets and potable water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Addison, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Addison, AL is Thompson Creek Trail Campsites with a 4.7-star rating from 11 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Addison, AL?

TheDyrt.com has all 25 tent camping locations near Addison, AL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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