Best Cabin Camping near Athens, AL

We visited Monte Sano State Park in the middle of summer (June) and stayed in the campground for five nights. We made our reservations through the Alabama State Parks web reservation portal at https://guestrez.megasyshms.com/5Q5BT for campground and cabin rentals. 

The campground is located near the city of Huntsville, Alabama to the east. The park was easily accessible and the drive from the city to the park was not typical as it takes you though some of Huntsville’s neighborhoods before arriving to the park’s entrance. Once we arrived we went directly to the visitor’s center where the staff was friendly and organized. Our paperwork was already completed so the check in process was quick but very informative. We also received the gate code for the campground as the gate is electronically operated and closes after every opening to provide a welcomed level of security. We stayed in site 25 of the first loop, the park was not crowded in the campground as the summer temperatures were near extreme highs. The camp sites are very well spaced and there’s enough trees and underbrush to offer privacy. There are a few sites that have full hookups but most are without sewer. The park map I’ve included shows the ones with full hook up services. The bath houses were clean and orderly, the staff came by in the mornings to clean and restock. There are two camper/tent loops with rest rooms and showers at each. One tent only loop with no facilities but beautiful large sites. 

The park has several scenic areas where the views of the mountains are great and provides a nice place to sit and ponder. There's also an operational Planetarium on the park sponsored and operated by the Von Braun Astronomical Society (https://www.vbas.org/). There are shows on Saturday’s at 7:30PM with an admission or $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students. You will need to get there early though as parking is limited but worth the effort to visit. 

There are miles and miles of bike and hiking trails here, on the weekend it’s amazing how many cyclists come here to ride the trails. Some of the trails are very aggressive and some moderate for those of us that want this pace, the parks paved roads also offer a good place for a casual ride in the evenings. 

All in all, we really enjoyed this park and will add this to our return list in the future. I also have to recommend a visit to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center (https://www.rocketcenter.com/) in Huntsville, you won’t be disappointed.

My husband and I went on our first camper trip here. It was breathtakingly beautiful! They have a rope course, water activities/rentals, cabins, rv/camper/tent sites waterside, and more. We fished feet from our camper off of the bank. They have a tie-down for animals, fire pit (with grill), all the hook ups for the rv/campers, and even gave us free food upon arrival. It was a perfect getaway for just the 2 of us, but we plan to bring our children next time!

Smaller campground especially for a KOA, friendly staff, good fishing and beautiful view from our cabin, which was awesome. Was a little disappointed with thier services though….. paid $10/hr extra for early arrival but when we got to the cabin the cleaning people were still there then they almost backed into our car after we waited 5/10mins for them to get done, the water was not turned on, so we had to contact the front desk and they had to send someone out to do so, then when they turned it on the the outside connection was shooting water out even though it worked inside, about an hour later someone came to fix it but needed to turn the water off while it was being fixed. I feel like all of this should have been done prior to our arrival! There was hair in the shower, so obviously it was not cleaned or they would have known about the water problem as well. Not too much to do for kids, but good place for an adult getaway.

We camped in campground #2 in lot 85, my sister camped in 84 right beside us and my parents rented a cabin. It was super nice, campsites were very nice, bathrooms and showers were clean, the cabin was very nice and enough room for 8 people. The camp host was very nice and helpful, the waterfalls were gorgeous! They recently opened Crockett Tubing we had so much fun the whole family got to go! We will definitely continue this 4th of July family tradition!!!!

Great older campground with lots of options. Cabin, RV, tent. Hiking galore. This old campground atop Mont Sano has something for everyone.

We had such a great time at MSSP. We stayed in two sites (since we decided we wanted to stay longer when we got there): 48 & 61, which were both bluff sites. 48 is directly across from the bathhouse. My husband and I both agreed that the bathrooms could’ve been cleaner. I only looked in the showers since we have one in our camper and they were yucky and I’m glad we didn’t have to use them. Site 61 was our favorite of the two since it’s the last one on the bluff before the road goes into the primitive area. All the sites seem to be spacious which we liked. The office staff were all VERY kind and VERY helpful. The camp store itself is small but had pretty much anything you might’ve forgotten. The bike trails are numerous and while we don’t mountain bike we did ride our cruiser bikes down past the rental cabins and on past the gate onto a nice wide gravel trail. It was beautiful and we saw lots of wildflowers and deer. I highly recommend this park. It was lovely.

Very friendly people, beautiful setting, very clean cabin, peaceful and so nice to watch the sunset and sunrise from the beautiful shoreline in the screen porch

Monte Sano State Park is located near Huntsville in northeast Alabama. In Spanish, Monte Sano means “Mountain of Health.” In the late 1800s, visitors from across the United States came for “the season” to experience and enjoy Monte Sano’s fresh air, spectacular views and mineral springs. Fourteen rustic cabins, 11 of which were built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), are perched on the side of the mountain and are equipped with kitchens, fireplaces, separate showers and baths, cable television, outdoor grills, picnic tables, and porches for taking in the amazing sunrises.

The park also features 89 improved campsites, a primitive campground and a camp store.

We recently stayed in a cabin and it was enjoyable. There were white tail deer everywhere, chipmunks, a tiny ring neck snake on a trail,...Huntsville is very close and a neat little store just in town called Star Supermarket. The park staff were all helpful and friendly.

If you have never been here you should!! Like now!! So beautiful. The campground is nice, just average I'd say, but convenient to enjoy all the beauty that the park has to offer. There is a playground for kids and day use areas as well. Hiking aplenty!! And close to Huntsville if you don't want to cook. The cabins are cute but we didn't get a peek inside.

When I woke in the early morning, the breeze coming in from the cabin patio felt wonderful.  The views made me feel as if I was in a coffee commercial.  haha  I took a walk to the office and had a cup of amazing coffee after.  Yes, I believed I was in the commercial... haha But seriously, we had a great time!  Its above what I expected of a KOA actually.  Will be returning soon.

Great place extremely friendly and professional staff got great cabins to stay in or if you bring a camper, RV or pull behind they have spots for all and even have a primitive camp area where just tents or hammocks are allowed. You can build campfires and your fur babies are allowed just gotta keep them leashed. It's full of trails to hike from beginner to extream you can cycle the trails as well. They also have a great big park for the little ones or big ones Wich ever make you feel young again😁😁. It's just a great place for all the family to enjoy the great outdoors.

This campground is perfect for a weekend getaway. Being right by water and soaking in the tranquility of this campground is the recharge anyone needs heading back to the real world. We enjoy being close to conveniences, but far enough away to unplug and unwind.

This land trust and state park offers a fun little get away in northern Alabama, just outside the city of Huntsville. The campground is well maintained and the sites have tons of shade that make the warm summer days a bit easier to tolerate.

Each site has a large gravel area, picnic table and fire ring. There are 80+ sites but not all of them provide hookups, so be sure to pay close attention when reserving your site. At the western end of the park there is a loop that offers primitive camping that is a bit more secluded and away from the RV hustle and bustle. So if you're more of a tent camper that doesn't enjoy the noise of generators or the sight of large RVs, this may be more up your alley. The showers are located in the two loops of the developed sections of the park.

This park does offer laundry facilities which is nice if you find yourself here for a longer time period or in the midst of a long road trip.

This park also offers nice hiking trails to explore while you're here.

Monte Sano is one of our favorite places to get away for the weekend. The staff is super friendly!!! Nice campsites, clean bathhouses, and campground usually stays pretty quiet at night. Beautiful night views of city lights from several camp spots. Park also has a nice Japanese garden, planetarium, hike / bike trails, and scenic overlooks. Just minutes from downtown Huntsville!!!

This campground is located on Lake Guntersville. There are plenty of sites with trees for shade and hammocking. Clean bathrooms and showers. Water and electric at all sites. Dump station. Camp store with necessities and snacks. Kayak, canoe, and boat rentals. Laundry facilities. WiFi if you pay for it. Plenty of rules and they definitely enforce them, but it’s a nice quiet campground. Sites aren’t huge and no barrier between sites, so chances are you’ll get to know your neighbor! Book in advance, water sites are hard to come by in the summer!

Small, but nice state park. Has a small lake and dock for fishing, paddling, etc... They have rentals on site. Has a few miles of decent flat trails, all of which are young kid friendly. Pool and restaurant were closed due to COVID so check that before you go. Both campsites are good, lots of shade, not too close to each other. Campground 1 has lots of sites next to the creek that runs through the park. Creek is great for wading and catching crayfish. Campground 2 is newer and "nicer" but not next to the creek. Very well maintained state park.

We camped in Campground #1 and had a great time at this beautiful state park! The clear creek to play in is gorgeous! The park had so much to offer. Lots of hiking trails, covered bridge, fishing lake w/boat & kayak rentals plus a beautiful waterfall that is great for sunsets! The bathhouse was a bit far from our campsite, but it was new and had private showers!! (Our favorites!)

We also explored the downtown square and then drove out to Amish country. We had the best time driving from house to house to purchase different goodies.

ONE OF THE BEST STATE PARKS IN ALABAMA GREAT TRAILS LARGE RV SITES GREAT STAFF AND GREAT EVENTS PLENTY OF WILDLIFE RUNNING AROUND

I first visited Monte Sano SP about a year ago, and it’s been one of my absolute favorite places in Alabama since. As a female I LOVE the staff and feel safe camping and hiking the trails throughout the park solo and with my dogs. Their are so many trails to choose from but the best part about the park, in my opinion is the fact the campsites in the primitive area are typically separated greatly by trees, so you get more a feeling of privacy. If I continue to type, it’ll turn into a book, but take my word for it, if you love nature, privacy and scenic views, Monte Sano is your place in Alabama.

We heard from other campers that if you go to Huntsville, Alabama that you have to stop at Monte Sano State Park. We took our Class C up the mountain and was able to reserve full hookups in a nicely wooded area. Sites were level gravel with picnic tables and grill. Great place to bring a trail bike or take hikes. Pet friendly.

To get to this park, you drive right through Huntsville neighborhoods. We made our reservations earlier in the week but had a different site each night because the park was going to be full.

In my opinion, all the sites are nice because the campground is in the woods. And you can pitch a tent far from the road in the separate primitive area.

On Saturday night, I couldn't believe the number of TVs outside the RVs. I guess this is an inexpensive way to experience an Alabama football game outside. :) Sites were crowded with lots of people; one site had about 8 cars along the road during the game. Fortunately people were in a good mood because Alabama was never in danger of losing.

Alabama's Campground Taxes Are HIGH

Our sites with water and electricity were $26/night although a senior discount was applied for Thursday night. (No discounts on weekends.) We paid a one-time fee of $5 and the total cost was $93.55. Taxes are almost 20%.

Amenities

• There are only 2 restrooms/showerhouses which seems a bit on the low side for this campground. They're clean enough but the staff should check them more often on a full weekend in the fall. By Saturday evening, there were no paper towels and the toilet paper was gone from all except one stall. And it was still like that on Sunday morning at 9.

• Standard amenities include a fire ring and picnic table at each site, dump station, and trash dumpsters out front.

• Sites (except primitive sites in the tent area) have power and water. There are also some sites with sewer hookup.

Hiking

The number of hiking trails is what made this park appeal to us. You can pick up an excellent map at the park office.

Other

• There's a disc golf course and a Japanese garden.

• Primitive sites were full so we didn't ask if a teardrop trailer could be taken back there. The road to those sites is a bit bumpy but we could have easily fit on those sites. A call to the park would be worth it if you're interested.