Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Birmingham, AL

Oak Mountain State Park Campground welcomes pets across its diverse camping options including tent sites, RV spots with full hookups, and cabins. Hoover Met Complex RV Park enforces standard pet policies with designated walking areas and waste stations at most sites. Brookside Greenway Park maintains shaded camping areas with clean creeks suitable for dogs to swim. Leashed pets must remain supervised throughout all campgrounds, with most limiting guests to 2-3 pets per site. Designated pet areas provide space for exercise while maintaining cleanliness around shared facilities. The staff at Hoover Met are particularly accommodating to travelers with pets during emergency situations like hurricane evacuations. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground offers additional pet-friendly options with drive-in access and ample space between sites.

Oak Mountain's hiking trails provide excellent exercise opportunities for dogs, with multiple trail difficulty levels suitable for various pet abilities. Birmingham South RV Park's central location offers convenient access to urban pet amenities including veterinary services and pet supply stores within short driving distance. During summer months, shaded sites at Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground provide cooler rest areas for pets between activities. Most campgrounds require vaccination records and charge nominal pet fees ranging from $2-5 per night per animal. Brookside's creek access proves particularly valuable for water-loving dogs needing cool-down options during warmer months. Wildlife encounters require vigilant pet supervision, particularly at dawn and dusk when activity increases. Birmingham area campgrounds generally maintain reasonable quiet hours policies that accommodate normal pet behavior while respecting other campers.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Birmingham, Alabama (65)

    1. Oak Mountain State Park Campground

    95 Reviews
    Hoover, AL
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 620-2520

    "Update for most recent visit: This is by far the best place to camp near Birmingham and has many different options."

    "It's the largest state park in Alabama."

    2. Hoover Met Complex RV Park

    11 Reviews
    Helena, AL
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 739-7400

    "This is about the only place in the Birmingham area to stay in an R.V. It is essentially a large parking lot with RV pull through spaces. We use it when we go to Birmingham to visit the family."

    "Next to huge sports complex (convenient for sporting events).  

    4. Next to huge water park/splash pad - was a ton of fun for the kids.

    Bad

    1. WIFI is meh. "

    3. Birmingham South RV Park

    18 Reviews
    Pelham, AL
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 664-8832

    $35 - $65 / night

    "They put us in a pull though site which was awesome for being easy to make quiet exit. Never I’m hooked the truck."

    "Easy access to highway, very spacious and new bathrooms and showers. Very much enjoyed our stay."

    4. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground

    29 Reviews
    Green Pond, AL
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 477-5711

    $20 - $30 / night

    "Situated on a beautiful mountain side just minute from university of alabama. Camp beside a churning creek and listen to nature."

    "The park is in a great part of Alabama and is located close to a lot of the best hiking in the state. Additionally, the park is set up on an old ironworks plant where many people lived and worked."

    5. Brookside Greenway Park

    3 Reviews
    Birmingham, AL
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 209-2824

    "Wonderful, quiet and shaded camping areas and also has a awesome clean creek to swim and canoe in.. pet friendly"

    "Grassy area behind some ball fields in a small town. They have hookups but I just parked in the grass. I also understand there are bathrooms and showers but I didn't use them. Wifi works."

    6. Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground

    17 Reviews
    Hayden, AL
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 647-9692

    $17 - $30 / night

    "Somewhere in the vicinity, there was a faucet for washing dishes, etc., but it was surrounded by a giant mud puddle."

    "The sites were bordered by woods and hills which gave the kids lots to explore.

    The pool was closed when we were there in April, but I believe they said it was closed indefinitely."

    7. Brookside Campground

    1 Review
    Birmingham, AL
    8 miles
    +1 (205) 674-5550

    $30 / night

    8. Backcountry Site — Oak Mountain State Park

    1 Review
    Pelham, AL
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 620-2520

    $6 - $18 / night

    "You’ll never run out of things to do between the endless hiking trails, the museum of wildlife, and the wildlife rescue center. There’s an archery station within the park and a petting farm."

    9. M and J RV Park

    1 Review
    Midfield, AL
    7 miles
    +1 (205) 788-2605

    10. Cherokee Campground

    1 Review
    Helena, AL
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 428-8339
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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Birmingham, AL

431 Reviews of 65 Birmingham Campgrounds


  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 31, 2018

    Oak Mountain State Park Campground

    Great camping near Birmingham

    Update for most recent visit: This is by far the best place to camp near Birmingham and has many different options. I was just there this past weekend and it was so beautiful to see all the fall colors starting to show. My wife and I hiked up to the King’s Chair lookout on this visit and it was such an amazing sight. I would definitely recommend this time of year to visit the park. Make sure to check out my videos that show off some of the great features of the trails. The campground here has several different types of sites including walk in (tent only), RV, and even horse camping. Just make sure to check in advance if they have space since it can fill up in the busy season.

  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2022

    Time Away RV Resort

    Very nice campground

    This is a really nice RV park that provides close access to the racetrack. It is wonderfully taken care of and has recently been renovated. They have a playground and several covered areas for picnics and group gatherings. A key bonus to this site is the pool which is very necessary when camping in Alabama in the summer. Overall, I would definitely suggest checking this campground out as an option if you are headed to a race and coming for the weekend.

  • R
    Oct. 17, 2023

    Bama RV Station

    Nice quiet friendly campground

    Quiet campground with 3 dog parks level lots. Numerous sewer as well as non sewer lots. Economy camping option in the economy storage area. Numbers posted for assistance as well as campground office in with the self storage office.

  • Cat R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2022

    Bama RV Station

    Good For Quick Overnight Stay

    Literally right off the interstate at Tuscaloosa. Much lower noise level than I expected. Definitely a parking lot, without trees. We are in site 9, pretty level gravel site, electric and water hookup only. 2 dump stations are available, 2 dog parks. 30 dollars a night. Mostly long term parking. No firepits or picnic tables. Check in by phone, no office.

  • Mary S.
    Nov. 5, 2018

    Oak Mountain State Park Campground

    Close to Birmingham; close quarters

    This state campground in the Birmingham AL metro area is a quick getaway for city and suburban dwellers. We were looking for continued warm fall weather on a slow trip north; this met the warmth and fall criteria in late October. The proximity to the city made it a good choice for exploring Birmingham.

    Campground as Hotel

    We left in the morning and came back in the evening. Using the campground strictly for accommodations worked out well; it wasn't a place where we would have wanted to hang around the campground all day. The large RVs crammed on sites that weren't very large gave us a closed in feeling. We pulled down the shade in our teardrop to avoid the light pollution from the campers who leave ground lights and other decorative lights on all night. (Do they leave their outdoor holiday lights on all night at home?)

    Tent Only Sites

    • The tent only sites are the best feature of this park. You can pitch your tent among the trees away from the RVs packed together in the rest of the park. 

    • There's no power or water at these sites.  

    • These sites are listed as tent only, but the park office attendant told us there were a few where we could fit our vehicle and teardrop. We declined because we thought we'd be too close to the road although we later saw several that would have been fine

    • Site 42B is the BEST SITE IN THE PARK! You walk down to the site from the parking area, and then there's a great view of the water. I took a photo looking back at the site from the beach area.

    Other Sites

    • All sites not designated tent only have electricity and water. There are some sites with sewer hookup as well as 50 amp power. See site map photo.

    • Loop A's sites are more spread out than sites in Loop B.

    • Loop B: B33 was ok. I recommend sticking to the outside of this loop because there are two roads down the center where you'll have sites on both sides, across the road and behind you. Inside the loop seemed crowded because there were large RVs.

    Restrooms

    Several restrooms are spread throughout the park. They each have a couple toilets and a shower along with hot and cold water in the sinks. Restrooms are clean and a checklist indicates they're inspected 2 or 3 times per day. Everything works fine, but they could use an update inside. If the usage at the end of October is any indication of overall usage, this park is heavily used. It's close to Birmingham which has over a million people, one-fourth of Alabama's population. The state of Alabama should step up and do some renovation.

    Site Taxes are HIGH

    Be prepared for a significant jump to the cost when taxes are applied. Our campsite fee was a reasonable $22.65/night which included a 15% senior discount. Regular price is $26.65. Taxes and a $4.50 one-time fee were added for a grand total of $85.62 for 3 nights. If you're counting, that's 20+% in taxes.

    Things To Do In The Park: boating, fishing, swimming, hiking. You can purchase a detailed hiking map for $1. If you aren't from the area and want to take in some Birmingham history, there are options.

    • Red Mountain Park has hiking trails along with old iron ore mines. There's an adventure park with zip lining, climbing, etc.

    • The base of Vulcan, Alabama's entry in the 1904 World's Fair, is the best place to see Birmingham. The museum next to the statue was well done; it provides a history of this steel city.

    • The park across from the 16th Street Baptist Church (site of the bombing on 9/15/1963 that killed 4 young girls) is a window into the sad part of Birmingham's history. There's also a civil rights museum nearby.

    • The craft breweries (Good People and Avondale) were good. And great barbecue at Saw. Pizza was good at Post Office Pies but they need to put more basil on a pizza advertised as a white basil pizza, not 5 little scraps.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2025

    Thousand Trails Hidden Cove

    Very nice, quiet campground

    Great campground & people! Only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is the lack of things to do. 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. Nearest Walmart is Cullman which is 45 mins away. Wouldn’t recommend staying here if you prefer to be closer to the city but perfect if you want to be in the middle of the woods and have no reason to leave. Very hot, humid and rainy time of year! Would be back in the fall perhaps.

  • Morgan
    Oct. 22, 2020

    GrandStand RV Park

    Best Campground in the area

    Fun, friendly but quiet campground! Perfect for an overnight stop to your destination. Very easy to get to the park.

    They are in the process of putting in many very beautiful upgrades and will be a place you will want to stay for a week/ month for even for the entire winter!! So guarantee the $28.50 price while you can, you wont regret it!!!

    Grandstand RV Park loves animals so be sure to bring all your fur babies. Double dog park open all hours and free treats available too!

  • Asher K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2021

    GrandStand RV Park

    Really nice RV Campground

    This is a really great option super close to the racetrack. The facilities are really nice and the staff takes great care of the space. They even have a dog run to let your pets run around. I don't know if it would be my first choice if I were tent camping but with an RV it is a wonderful place to stay.

  • C
    Oct. 24, 2020

    Oak Mountain State Park Campground

    Fun for the whole family

    Oak mountain state park has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. There's so much to do; and its always growing. It's the largest state park in Alabama. Theres lakes, waterfalls, nature trails, basket ball court, volley ball, a petting zoo, horses back riding, water sports, dirt bikes trails, BMX course, archery, cabins, primitive camping and rv's , a beach, a wildlife rescue center and so much more. If you're in the area do yourself a favor and check it out.


Guide to Birmingham

Birmingham's camping options extend from urban-adjacent sites to more remote woodland areas across central Alabama's hilly terrain. Most campgrounds in the area are situated at elevations between 400-1,000 feet, with Oak Mountain reaching the highest points. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-95°F with high humidity, while spring and fall offer milder conditions in the 50-75°F range, making them popular camping seasons for pet owners traveling with their animals.

What to do

Trail exploration with dogs: Oak Mountain State Park Campground offers numerous pet-friendly trails for all ability levels. "Beautiful park with lots to do! Oak Mountain is a big state park with lots to do (golf, biking, archery, lots of trails that are very well marked, petting zoo, very neat trail with rescued owls, turkeys and red hawks, and more)," notes Scott C.

Creek access for water-loving pets: At Brookside Greenway Park, dogs can cool off in the clean creek. "Wonderful, quiet and shaded camping areas and also has a awesome clean creek to swim and canoe in.. pet friendly," says Holly S. This provides a natural swimming option during hot summer months.

Historical exploration: Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground combines nature with history lessons. "The museum there is very interesting and educational," mentions Leesha J. The park includes restored historic buildings, ironworks displays, and trails where leashed pets are welcome.

What campers like

Comprehensive facilities: Many pet owners appreciate Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground for its mix of natural and developed amenities. "Olympic size pool fed by cave water!! Kids loved this campground! Low and high dive, great gift shop and cave tours," reports Nick C., making it suitable for families with both pets and children.

Post-renovation improvements: Recent updates have significantly enhanced Oak Mountain's appeal. "They put a massive amount of money into updating this place. This is the #1 best state park campground I have ever been at," writes Soren B. These improvements include better site layout and updated facilities that benefit pet owners.

Security and convenience: Birmingham South RV Park offers peace of mind for pet owners. "This was a very secure campground with a lot of amenities. No concrete pads but nice small sites," notes Chris S. The park's location provides quick access to veterinary services if needed.

What you should know

Seasonal considerations: Summer heat affects pet activities significantly. At Rickwood Caverns, "Great state park. RV sites are close together but the amenities are awesome," reports Chelsey M. During summer months, exercise pets early morning or evening to avoid heat stress.

Space limitations: Some campgrounds have tight spacing. "More of a parking lot with a bunch of RV sites," one camper noted about certain areas at Rickwood Caverns, though primitive sites offer more space between neighbors.

Site selection for pet comfort: Birmingham South RV Park offers varying site quality. "We were passing through and needed a place to spend the night. They have a very easy after hours method for checking yourself in. The park is neat, quiet and clean," says Jan M. Request sites away from common areas if your pet is noise-sensitive.

Tips for camping with families

Multi-activity parks: Tannehill offers varied experiences for families with pets. "The kids absolutely love it. They ride their bikes, play in the creek, and eat great ice cream from the creamery!" shares Paige M.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Birmingham, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Birmingham, AL is Oak Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 95 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Birmingham, AL?

TheDyrt.com has all 65 dog-friendly camping locations near Birmingham, AL, with real photos and reviews from campers.