Athens is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Athens is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Alabama camping adventure.
$14 - $30 / night
"We heard from other campers that if you go to Huntsville, Alabama that you have to stop at Monte Sano State Park."
"Monte Sano State Park is located near Huntsville in northeast Alabama. In Spanish, Monte Sano means “Mountain of Health.”"
"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."
"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"
$17 - $256 / night
"Nice quiet park out on the lake. We were in loop C at the end of the improved sites."
"This is a great spot located in Northern Alabama just east of Florence on the Tennessee River."
$30 / night
"This place is secluded and quiet. The grounds were well kept. I highly recommend it"
"There's plenty to do here, trails to hike, sights to see. Good restaurant, an old mill, waterfalls, and playgrounds for the kids."
"Has a 20 and 30 amp electric hook up and water beside. Nice fire pit and table also! Site 20 is located right beside shoal creek and with in walking distance to the restrooms and bathhouse!"
"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."
"Some tent sites and cabins you can reserve to stay in. If you don’t have a camper they have those also that you can rent. They have boat rentals too. Clean bathhouses and a very friendly staff. "
"Staff is helpful, guide you to site and help you park. Sites provide easy access with ample space for RV and vehicle or trailer."
"Beautiful campground, check out the animals. Great signage to park. Not the greatest cell phone signal but not awful. Free wifi for non streaming service and paid option for streaming."
"Plenty of amenities, pool, basketball court, disc golf, nice clubhouse with pool tables and other games/lounging, Lewis Smith Lake, nice playground, horseshoes, a lake overlook with gazebo and mini golf"
"No fenced in dog park but plenty of space to have one. Right on the lake but unaware of any kind of rentals available nearby— closest rentals are 40 mins away on the opposite side of the lake."
"I really enjoy Smith lake campground it has a lot of great sites. There are plenty of shades sites for summer camping."
"Park has cabins on site, places for rvs, and also areas for tents. There is a beach area and a boat launch. They have pavilions with grills and electrical outlets"
"I don’t like how you can’t pick your spot and you just have to drive around until you find one you like. My kids love the pools and the indoor pool is awesome during colder months. My kids love that."
RangerMost campgrounds in Tennessee are buried in the woods, but not this yurt campsite at Ray of Hope. The yurt sets on the side of a beautiful Tennessee Hill offering almost a complete view of the nighttime sky. We watched the moon rise over a hill directly in front of the campsite, and we even saw a brilliant shooting star blaze across the sky for what seems like an eternity. The Ray of Hope campground is a private campground that went above and beyond our expectations. The yurt was clean, included battery powered lights and a LED lantern, and a full sized bed that made the night pass with ease. The campsite also offers free firewood and a large fire ring. There are two deck chairs at the campsite which are perfect for stargazing. The entrance of the yurt faces sunrise and the farm animals serenade you in the morning when the mist begins to burn off the valley. There is a well stocked outside shower surrounded by sweet smelling herbs. Water and a toilet are near the shower stall. The campsite is near the small town of Petersburg, TN where you can find two gas stations and a Dollar Store. If it's hot outside, you might want to bring a battery operated fan. This place is a perfect glamping experience for an extended date or weekend in beautiful Tennessee.
ScoutWe 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.
TravelerMonte 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.
LegendThis 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.
RangerWe 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.
LegendAlthough we have been to Monte Sano many times to hike and attend events, this was our first time camping here. Monte State Park Campground is a large campground with 15 full hookup sites, 59 water& electric sites, and 21 primitive tent sites. All the sites are gravel, most sites are wooded with lots of shade, and most site are mainly level. All style sites include a picnic table and fire ring.
Check-in is at the camp store if you arrive during store hours or with camp host if you arrive after hours. We stayed on site 24, which had complete shade throughout the day. This site backs up to a draw and each evening just before dust we could watch the deer walk up through.
The bathhouse is centrally located, newer, and cleaned daily. There are also laundry machines available between the men’s and women’s area.
Firewood, ice, limited grocery items, and souvenirs were available at the camp store. There is a full grocery store about 15 minutes away.
We found ok to limited cell phone service with Verizon throughout the property. The state park did have wi-fi near the camp store.
The park has many trails for hiking and mountain biking, as well as host the North Alabama Japanese Garden. The North Alabama Land Trust also connects to the state park and adds many more miles of trails. We hiked about 15 miles this weekend and there are many more miles to explore on another visit.
The state park is located 5 minutes from Huntsville where you can find many restaurants, breweries, and the Space& Rocket Center. Check the Huntsville visitor’s center website for all that is offered in the area. In addition, the Burritt on the Mountain located just minutes from the park entrance and has an open air museum and an amazing overlook of Huntsville.
We are very excited that this gem is located so close to use and are proud to call this our home camp!
ScoutThis is a friendly, clean, campground. Staff is helpful, guide you to site and help you park. Sites provide easy access with ample space for RV and vehicle or trailer. Quiet park, pet friendly with areas to walk you pet with grass and trees.
LegendScenic Mountain View! Arrived and greeted by staff at the State Park guard gate, then checked into campground at separate office. Map and instructions given. Nice gravel back-in-site, water and 50amp hook ups. Picnic table and fire-ring at each site. Lots of trees. Sites spaced but not private, not at 33. Lots of traffic , since it is at the entrance and lots of kids riding bikes behind our site as well as tents directly in front of us. Will venture out and explore after the rain, and update as I get info. We Have Starlink, still with very poor reception((under 50) and little to no connectivity with T-Mobile. Would not reserve here for 2 weeks again at this site, for lack of privacy and for partial hook ups.
GuideOur site was massive, but was situated right next to park entrance and major hiking thoroughfare.
Our site had a place to park and a fire ring that was full to the rim of coals and half burnt logs. It didn't take long to clear it out, but the pit was extremely muddy and lighting a fire meant a ton of smoke. No picnic table here.
The best sites were along the ridge, but are divided into AB sites. So you are sharing basics amenities with a neighbor. This site design seems to be suited for families or groups, but if you are wanting a site with a view you are kinda stuck. Not all of the improved sites are suitable for tents.
Their staff is A+ if you have never been, call ahead and book over the phone. The staff know this campground well and can steer you in the right direction every time.
The lower score comes from the park being rough around some of the edges. The CCC museum is a small shack, not really worth your time. The Northern Alabama Japanese Tea Garden is a bit of a head scratcher to say the least. There is a disc golf course the plows through the middle of it and the trails (while peaceful) lead you off to the main road.
We had booked two nights here, but decided to move on after only one night.
(Sadly didn't have time to take pictures, but the leaves were beautiful.)
Leaves were in peak color, the temperature was 65 all day and night due to wind and was a really pleasant
Cabin camping near Athens, Alabama offers a perfect blend of nature and comfort, allowing you to enjoy the great outdoors without sacrificing the comforts of home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Athens, AL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Athens, AL is Monte Sano State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 76 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Athens, AL?
TheDyrt.com has all 18 cabin camping locations near Athens, AL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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