Krista S.
Traveler
TravelerLentzville Road
Fabulous place
We have a 36’ RV that we pulled in spot. GPS location was a little off. Road is close but not too busy. Beautiful spot to canoe or kayak. Lots of fishing.
Best Campgrounds near Normal, AL
Campgrounds surrounding Normal, Alabama include several state parks and developed camping areas within a short drive of Huntsville. Monte Sano State Park, located on top of a mountain east of Huntsville, provides 89 improved campsites with gravel pads, picnic tables, and fire rings, plus a separate primitive tent camping area. Lake Guntersville State Park, Cathedral Caverns State Park, and Sharon Johnston Park offer additional developed camping options with varying amenities. Most campgrounds in the region accommodate both tent and RV camping, while some like Monte Sano and Lake Guntersville also feature cabin rentals for those seeking more comfort.
Most campgrounds in the area remain open year-round, though summer and fall weekends often reach capacity, particularly at waterfront locations. Monte Sano State Park features numerous hiking and mountain biking trails with varying difficulty levels, making it popular among outdoor enthusiasts. Reservations are recommended, especially for weekend stays during peak seasons. Many campgrounds offer both water and electric hookups, with select sites providing full hookups including sewer connections. Cell phone reception varies considerably throughout the region, with some areas offering reliable service while others have limited or no coverage. One camper noted, "The bathhouse is centrally located, newer, and cleaned daily. There are also laundry machines available between the men's and women's area."
Campers frequently highlight the natural beauty and recreational opportunities in the area's state parks. Monte Sano provides scenic mountain views and extensive trail systems for hiking and biking, while Lake Guntersville offers waterfront camping with fishing and boating access. The proximity to Huntsville means campers can enjoy nature while having easy access to urban amenities when needed. Several campgrounds feature clean, well-maintained facilities and helpful staff. A visitor to Monte Sano commented, "Our site was massive, but was situated right next to park entrance and major hiking thoroughfare." The region attracts diverse outdoor enthusiasts, from mountain bikers and hikers to anglers and boaters, with campgrounds catering to different preferences and camping styles.
Best Camping Sites Near Normal, Alabama (95)
1. Monte Sano State Park Campground
80 ReviewsBrownsboro, AL5 milesWebsite+1 (256) 534-6589$14 - $30 / night
"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."
"On top of Monte Sano in the woods and a world away from the town -- although it's close by. So many trails to run or walk and a playground for the kiddos. This has primitive camping as well as W/E/S."
2. Redstone Arsenal RV Park & Campground
7 ReviewsHuntsville, AL8 milesWebsite+1 (256) 876-4868"We exited off on 14A to gate 9 where we went through the gate and then did a u-turn to take us back down past the golf course to the CG. We had no problem doing the u-turn with our 40' fifth wheel."
"You must have access to military base to use. They have Laundry. Showers and bath. Full hook up. No trees for shade. Very hot. Needs mowed and more cleaning."
3. TGL Adventures
2 ReviewsBrownsboro, AL8 miles+1 (256) 693-3693$25 - $250 / night
"We ended up fishing til daylight because the river was physically only 10 steps from our tents. The campsite had just enough light to be able to see go get to the restroom and showers."
4. Sharon Johnston Park
3 ReviewsUnion Grove, AL10 milesWebsite+1 (256) 379-2868"The park is about 200 acres and the RV sites are located through gate one. There are three rows of sites and the best ones in my opinion are the ones located against the treeline/creek. "
5. Red Coach Resort
3 ReviewsHarvest, AL14 milesWebsite+1 (256) 937-6142$17 - $50 / night
"A beautiful large creek runs through it, with miles of walking paths, a horse barn, and spaces to play and relax."
"This park is tucked away in a private neighborhood on about 80 acres. There are a lot of RV sites as well as primitive camping in the back."
6. Cathedral Caverns State Park Campground
18 ReviewsWoodville, AL25 milesWebsite+1 (256) 728-8193$14 / night
"If you are looking for a Cave experience in Norh Alabama that little kids can handle, this is it."
"state employees live fulltime within walking distance of the campsites."
7. Ditto Landing City Campground
6 ReviewsLaceys Spring, AL15 milesWebsite+1 (256) 882-1057$19 - $22 / night
"A short walk to the Tennessee River."
8. Lake Guntersville State Park Campground
43 ReviewsGuntersville, AL34 milesWebsite+1 (256) 571-5455"This is a nice state park in a small town in north Alabama. The lake is really pretty and the campground has a nice view of it."
"Bath house clean and functioned normal. Sites really don't have water views on even on the water that we saw. They have boat ramps and docks/slips. Tons of deer in the park. Drive slow dusk to dawn."
9. Honeycomb Campground
19 ReviewsGrant, AL27 milesWebsite+1 (256) 582-9884"There are few places in Alabama that RVers can camp on a pristine Lake Front. Honeycome Campground is located on Lake Guntersville; AL."
"Stayed at site 74 lakeside, plenty of room. Great site"
10. Northgate RV Travel Park
6 ReviewsAthens, AL21 milesWebsite+1 (256) 232-8800$50 / night
"The Roosters were crowing on their adjacent farmstead and we were at peace in the countryside. Road noise was minimal, surprisingly, and no jake brakes were heard. "
"The only “complaints” were no fire pits for fires and is a little noisy from the highway traffic. Otherwise great pull thru full hookup RV park for the price."
Recent Camping Photos near Normal, AL
129 Photos of 95 Normal Campgrounds
Cassandra C.
Monte Sano State Park Campground
Jason P.
TGL Adventures
Lee B.
Red Coach Resort
Gloria G.
Easter Posey MWR Military - Redstone Arsenal
Asher K.
Painted Bluff Dispersed Campground - PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Britton E.
Cathedral Caverns State Park Campground
Stan D.
Somerville Park
Dwight L.
Honeycomb Campground
Lindsey H.
Caney Hollow Creek Retreat
Asher K.
Walls of Jericho - Clark Cemetery Backcountry Campsite
Asher K.
Walls of Jericho - Hurricane Creek Backcountry Campsite
Lori H.
Goose Pond Colony Resort Campground
Recent Reviews near Normal, AL
437 Reviews of 95 Normal Campgrounds
Rusty R.
GuideDitto Landing City Campground
Cheap but not maintained
I was excited to be camping on the river near Huntsville, but this is not the place to do it. Sites are narrow, not mowed, and multiple of them were flooded bogs. I have added pictures of my site. I definitely won’t be back, I’d much rather stay at Monte Sano, it was immaculately maintained.
- Rusty R.Guide
Monte Sano State Park Campground
Goegeous Campground & Clean Facilities
This park is very well organized, clean and has gorgeous views from the trails. The bathrooms/showers are well dispersed through the park and the sites are very level. I will definitely be back!
Only warning is not a negative but if you are wanting to use Starlink you will struggle because of the tree coverage. Not a knock, just an FYI
Katrin M.
LegendMonte Sano State Park Campground
Beautiful area in Alabama
We camped here last weekend for the first time. The area is really beautiful and the park has a little Japanese garden, which is definitely worth to visit.
We stayed at one of the primitive campsites. They have a fire pit, but no picnic table, which didn't bother us. The sites are very big and private, but unfortunately our site had some trash laying around.
The bathrooms were just a short walk away, but also, pretty dirty and some of them had no toilet paper since Saturday afternoon.
It is just a short drive to Huntsville, which is really nice and fun to explore.
- GGlen B.Guide
Lentzville Road
Great overnighter
Easy to get to, with a few slots right off the road. Which is the only drawback. Only a couple have room for a small travel trailer; most are more of a boat launch or fishing spots. Not bad if you don't mind the occasional car going by. Besides that, very peaceful. I plan on staying 2 nights.
Kathy M.TravelerCullman Campground
Small quiet campground
Bathrooms are great! Wifi is great! Spots all have a picnics table. Small grassy areas between spots. Highly recommend
Kelsey P.TravelerMonte Sano State Park Campground
Beautiful Park - 0 concern for safety
I’ll start with the good- BEAUTIFUL state park. Tons of trails. A hikers dream. Playground for kids and lots of trails throughout. The sites are well shaded, have good cell service, and are pretty spacious. The first row of sites when you come straight in and to the right side all back up towards a road that goes to a planetarium but I can count on both hands how many people and cars are want down it in the week we were there. I think the privacy of theses sites is the best and still a good distance to bathrooms. To get to the campground it can be difficult with how you are going uphill so be mindful. There is a camp store that sells pricy wood and essentials but it’s convenient. A single washer and dryer were in the bathrooms for $1.50 and $1 but the washer leaked badly the entire time even not in use. Bathrooms are probably some of the worst I’ve used. It smelled of rotten eggs to the point you couldn’t be in more than a few minutes without feeling sick and I never saw or noticed them cleaned in the week we were there. Dead bugs on the counter and they were on the Texas chainsaw inspired curtains on the showers too. Not unusable but a cleaning would be nice.
Now for the bad- during our stay we pretty much had no one in most of the sites around us besides a man that was in the site behind us for a few days and a family across from us. We saw him go through the site across from us and steal an armful of items while the family was gone from the site. He noticed us and said “you snooze you lose” and it was WEIRD. I’ve never once seen someone steal from another persons site before. We reported it to the camp office right away and they did not care. We told the family when they got back and they went to the office and got the same reaction. Even after the family was back at their site, the man moved his chair to just watch the family and their young children for what felt like hours. Maybe myself and the parents at the other site just always happened to see him staring but it was extremely weird and uncomfortable especially with small children around. The family reported it to the hosts and different workers in the office and to park rangers and had to call several more times voicing concerns before they went to the police directly the next day. It’s frustrating that the host, park office, or park rangers had no concern for this and not a single person even spoke to him about this. To allow someone to steal from another site and be okay with it is beyond disappointing. I’ve never seen this happen in all the years I’ve camped, but I would expect someone with the camp to do ANYTHING. We didn’t feel comfortable to leave our site again after that out of fear he would steal from us too and nothing would be done.
The park is beautiful but the safety concerns outweigh that. We should be able to enjoy the campground and not be worried that none of the staff will help if something goes wrong
Byron S.GuideRedstone Arsenal RV Park & Campground
Redstone Arsenal Rv
I stayed at the newer site near gate 8. The MWR staff (Kyle) was very nice and helped me with some issues I had originally,. The grounds are very well maintained and all the sites are pass through and paved. Each site is vey large and well planned. Full hook ups. Internet is nonexistent in most of the park but my Starlink worked great and cell coverage is good. The commisary is large and there are a lot of activities to do on and off base. There are a lot of military contractors staying there and shuffle around to stay there all year. My main complaint is the bathrooms or lack of. There is only 1 shower and 2 toilets for over 90+ sites. They are run down and trash on floors, dirt, bugs were never cleaned up while I stayed there (trash in cans were always over flowing).The laundry room is older but worked well enough. There are miles of paved walking and bike trails. There are some good food trucks at gate 7 daily at lunch time. The other older RV site is around 10 miles East next to the water(looked run down and mostly long term people. Overall I enjoyed the stay but they should at a minimum clean the bathrooms daily.
MickandKarla W.LegendValley Fort RV Park & Storage
Newer Campground
We called ahead the day of arrival and got a reservation for an overnight stay. We received an email with information and bath/laundry code along with instructions to proceed directly to pull-through site 36 with full hookups. There are various ways from I-65 to get to this campground (CG); we came in on I-565E to Mooresville Rd which provided straightforward big-rig friendly access with no tight turns. Our gravel pull-through site was mostly level, and other sites, especially those on the upper level, also appeared level. The park appears newer with functional gravel sites, some with small concrete patio areas, though sites can be somewhat close together and there is little shade. There was no picnic table nor fire pit at our site, which was fine for an overnighter. Water pressure was decent and we got 2 bars on Verizon and 2 bars on T-Mobile. Occupants were mainly full-timers and transient workers, but the park was quiet and decently maintained without appearing overly junky. A nice centrally located bathhouse and small but clean laundry facility are available. Highlights for us were the large fenced dog park, easy self-check-in process, convenient overnight layout for big rigs, and proximity to Buc-ee’s, making this a solid quick stop when traveling through the Athens area.
Guide to Normal
Camping spots near Normal, Alabama offer diverse experiences from tent sites to RV hookups across both mountainous and waterfront locations. The area sits at the foothills of the Appalachians with elevations ranging from 600 to 1,600 feet, creating varied camping microclimates. Several campgrounds remain accessible year-round with seasonal considerations affecting site availability and conditions.
What to do
Explore cave systems: Cathedral Caverns State Park, located about 30 miles from Normal, features impressive cave formations and outdoor activities. "The cave is very nice. By the lower loop is a small climbing wall. There are also hiking trails and gemstone mining, although we did not take advantage of either of these," notes one camper who visited for a unique cave running event.
Engage in water recreation: Lake Guntersville State Park Campground provides excellent access to fishing and boating opportunities. A visitor mentions, "Super clean bathrooms, beautiful view of the lake," while another adds, "Right on the banks of Guntersville lake which has great fishing and watersports."
Hike technical trails: Monte Sano State Park offers challenging hiking routes with significant elevation changes. "The hiking is moderate to extreme up and down some interesting rock formations. The mountain bikers and bikers seem to enjoy themselves too, flying down the closed roadway or the steep roadways and challenging themselves on the rocky terrain," explains a frequent visitor.
What campers like
Spacious campsites: Sites at Monte Sano State Park provide ample room for various camping setups. One camper describes, "The campground is well kept, sites spacious and they have trees in between for some privacy. There are several that are double spots if your going w/friends and family."
Convenient location: The proximity to urban amenities while maintaining a natural setting is highly valued. A visitor at Redstone Arsenal RV Park mentions, "You are off the beaten path. Which makes it a little difficult to find the first time. But when you do your like 'Duh! It was right here.'" This military-only facility provides a strategic location for exploring the area.
Family facilities: Several campgrounds feature amenities specifically designed for children. At Sharon Johnston Park, "It's a great site to bring the kids. In the summer the pool is open which is great for the hot days. There's also a track, a baseball field, and soccer fields so I've seen many athletic events held there."
What you should know
Varied cellular coverage: Mobile phone service can be unpredictable throughout the region. At Cathedral Caverns State Park Campground, one camper warns, "WARNING: Very spotty cellphone service, which is actually nice if you want to enjoy the outdoors!"
Weather considerations: The region experiences significant seasonal changes affecting camping conditions. "We stayed 4 nights, we were in for the annual Grand Viduta Stage Race, three days of trailrunning glory with some interesting characters to boot. Don't forget the bug spray and allergy meds!" advises a Monte Sano visitor.
Facility limitations: Not all campgrounds offer full amenities. At Honeycomb Campground, "The only downfall is no sewer hook up but they do have a honeypot service and 2 dump stations."
Tips for camping with families
Look for interactive features: Some parks offer educational opportunities beyond standard camping. At Cathedral Caverns, a visitor shared, "Legend says there's a ledge in the cave and if you toss a coin and land it right on the ledge you get your wish."
Consider activity variety: Parks with multiple recreation options keep children engaged. At Sharon Johnston Park, "When we go, our kids run free -- there are 200 acres of open space and a lake so they have a great time -- and there is a Pioneer Village they can explore and an open wedding pavilion for hours of pretending they are at a wedding."
Check playground facilities: TGL Adventures offers child-friendly amenities along with unique camping options. "This place is really nice. The folks that run it are caring and inviting. It is a great experience. Nice playground for the kids as well," reports a satisfied visitor.
Tips from RVers
Check site positioning: Some RV sites may have access challenges or positioning issues. A visitor to Northgate RV Travel Park notes, "However, if you unhook and leave, you have a long, slightly curved road to back up on to get back in position to hook your rig up unless the site next to you is empty."
Consider utility placement: RVers should verify the location of hookups when selecting sites. "The utilities are in the middle of the pad and you can maneuver to suit your needs. Water pressure was good at 50 psi and we got 4 bars on Verizon."
Verify size accommodations: Many campgrounds can handle larger rigs, but confirmation is advised. At Honeycomb Campground, "A perfect secure campground for those camping alone or with your family. During season and with the uptick of camping with COVID it's hard to book a site but well worth it if you can plan ahead or camp during the week."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Normal, AL?
What camping is available near Normal, AL?
According to TheDyrt.com, Normal, AL offers a wide range of camping options, with 95 campgrounds and RV parks near Normal, AL and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Normal, AL?
Which is the most popular campground near Normal, AL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Normal, AL is Monte Sano State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 80 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Normal, AL?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Normal, AL?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Normal, AL.
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