Best Tent Camping near Cropwell, AL

Recent Tent Reviews near Cropwell, Alabama

416 Reviews of 27 Cropwell Campgrounds

• 

  Sterling H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 23, 2021

  Upper Improved Campground — Cheaha State Park

  Camping with amenities

  Cheaha was such a pleasant surprise. More like a resort, this park had tent camping, RV camping, a pool, a lake, cabins, a playground, and a restaurant with a view. We had a little trouble with the upper tent sites not being level because we have a roof top tent, but we were able to switch our site to one that was more level without much hassle. The views were just amazing, and it was lovely to have access to a pool.

• 

  Lee D.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 9, 2022

  Kymulga Gristmill Park

  An ok campground but not always open/staffed

  I had read about the mill and covered bridge, and we had planned to visit after leaving Cheaha State Park but we didn’t know there was also a campground. I looked for someone to talk with but did not see anyone out and about at 10 am on a Sunday (even though the park was open and many of the sites were occupied). The park itself is open Wednesday – Sunday, 9 am – 5 pm (although the website says 10 am). The admission price for the park listed on the website was $3 but had increased to $5 per person (payment is on the honor system if not staffed). I called later to find out if the camping rates had also increased and yes, they had. There is a choice of primitive tent camping ($15), tent sites with lights ($15), or camper pads ($30); the camper pads are FHU. The sites all appeared to be level and many of them (primarily the tent sites) are on or close to the river. 

  The restrooms were dimly lit and not the best but doable. 

  Canoe rentals are available (assuming only on days when the park is open) for half days: $5/hour, $15/half day, or $25 for a full day. The entrance sign also advertises disc golf.

  Note that there are railroad tracks running through the park, but no trains went by when we visited so not sure how active they are (given our track record with trains and campgrounds, likely one would go thundering through at 3 am!) 

  Even though we visited when the park was supposedly open, I could not find anyone to talk to so this review is based on my observations and a follow-up phone call.

• 

  Lori H.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 12, 2019

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Huge park, lots to do!

  Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama’s largest state park. Located just outside of Birmingham, it’s easy to escape to nature without being too far off the beaten path. This park is HUGE! There’s so many things to do here, we plan to return when we have more time to explore!

  We saw several hiking trails, a horseback riding area, a golf course, a lake with a beach and swimming area, plus kayak and boats, we also saw some kind of skiing tow rope area! It was really cool, I’d never seen one of those! I read the park is known for mountain biking also, and I noticed a few road bikes in the bike lane driving in.

  We originally booked a tent site without electric, but it was blazing hot, so we decided to move to a site with electric so we could have fans in our rooftop tent and ended up in site A06. The site was shaded and there was no one in that area so we had great privacy. Our site backed up to the woods, so it was nice.

  The tent (no electric) sites are the best in my opinion. Most are back in the woods and shaded. I don’t believe you can reserve a specific tent site, as they assign you one when you arrive, but there were so many great tent sites, i don’t think it would be a problem unless it was a super busy weekend. Most of the tent sites are walk in also, so if you have a rooftop tent, or car camping, these won’t work.

  A loop seemed to have larger, wooded, sites with more privacy. B loop was wide open. The tent sites were great in both loops though.

  The restrooms were ancient. They could use some updates, but they were clean and functional, and there were multiple facilities throughout the campground.

  There’s a camp store at the check in area, they have the essentials, and they do have ice. The ladies working in there were really nice and helpful too.

  Oak Mountain is a great spot to camp, just go when there’s not a heat wave in Alabama, and you have time to explore the park!

• 

  Sippi’s S.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 25, 2019

  Upper Improved Campground — Cheaha State Park

  I‘ve seen Sasquatch

  Been tent camping here since 1997 and it continues to get better every visit!

• 

  Johnnie J.

  Guide

  

  May. 30, 2019

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Beautiful Park - Plenty to do!

  *It's been a while since my last visit, but since I camp there every year, several times each summer, I figured I'd go ahead and do a quick review anyway.

  Every summer for the past few years I've traveled to Oak mountain, typically going several times each summer (July and August) to run the Southeastern trail series. Although there are numerous back country camp sites, I've always stayed at the campground due to its convenient location, and always stay at the same campsite (B6) each visit. The campground is divided into two sections (A & B) and each campsite has parking right at the site itself.

  Although the first few tent sites on the B-side are located right off the road, they're set back far enough that they feel pretty secluded with plenty of trees to give a slight sense of privacy. These first few sites have no electrical hookup or water, but are located a short walking distance from the front bathhouse (bathroom and shower). The bathhouse directly across from my site is rarely busy, and the single shower is clean with plenty of hot water.

  Each site has a cinderblock retaining wall, a picnic table, and a steel fire ring with a flip-top cooking grate. If you're tent camping, the pad is dirt with a layer of pea-gravel, so a sleeping pad is a must. Firewood is easy to find in the surrounding woods if there hasn't been a lot of people thru the area. Otherwise, wood is available at the store at the entrance to the campground. The campground is easily accessible from the parks back gate entrance, which is only a short driving distance to pretty much anything you could need (restaurants, gas, groceries, etc).  There's even a small beach area at the back of the campground exclusive to campground guests. The staff is always friendly and reserving a campsite online is easy.

  One of the great things about Oak Mountain State Park is that there's plenty to do aside from the camping; hiking, mountain biking, horse stables, a BMX track, an archery range, canoeing, paddle boats/ paddle boarding, several lakeside beaches with playgrounds, a wakeboarding course, a wildlife rehabilitation center, and a treetop nature boardwalk which features several enclosures where you can view birds of prey up close. Also, if you're into trail running or mountain biking, there are several race series held at the park each year.

  All in all, I love this park and already have my reservations made again for this summer!

• 

  Bill M.

  Traveler

  

  May. 21, 2021

  Upper Improved Campground — Cheaha State Park

  Great place

  Had a great time we primitive tent camped toilets where very clean non drinking pump close by. Will be back soon

• 

  shane M.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 27, 2022

  Noccalula Falls Park & Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

  nice but cramped

  we stayed in a tent site in dec '22'' , the sites are very close together and the tent  site we were on hardly had enough space for our 3 person backpacking tent . there are fire pits, grills, and tables available on each site as well as water  . we appreciated the security gate and extremely clean and heated bathhouses with showers . the park has a nice playground and a pool we were unable to try during the winter months .  the campground is very close to town and as so expect alot of noise from traffic

• 

  Karen L.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 4, 2022

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Carry in tent sites

  I had booked a tent site at Oak Mountain - site unseen. The tent sites were across from the RV sites (the RV sites in this area were very close together- there were other RV sites with more distance between). My site had power and water. There were two section on my site. One higher (I assume for tent setup) and one lower, surrounded by a wall of cinder blocks . The power and water hookup was just above the cinder blocks so I assume that area was for table/kitchen set up, or canopy/screenroom. I chose to setup my tent below the wall due to the ground being more level and flat (and a bit more privacy). The site was completely shaded so great for camping in warmer months, and the tent sites were spaced a good distance from each other.
  My only drawback was that this was a carry-on site. You couldn’t park directly on the site. It wasn’t too terribly far of a walk, but it was up and down a steep hill. So me being unaware, did not bring appropriate way to carry my heavy gear 1000 feet or more , up and down a hill. Not a problem if you have a strong man with you, but for this 60 year old bird-it was a challenge. All in all the tent sites are fairly spacious (don’t think you could put an 18 person tent tho) have good space between each site, have power and water and are shaded.
  Drawbacks would be the distance from parking to setup area.

• 

  Brianna L.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 8, 2018

  Upper Improved Campground — Cheaha State Park

  Great!

  has clean bathrooms (showers, toilets, water), wonderful hiking trails, RV and tent sites, nice park store, excellent park hotel, beautiful views

• 

  Joceline D.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 26, 2021

  Brookside Campground

  Friendly Folk

  More of a community than a passersby campground. We arrived late at night, but the manger on site was more than happy to accommodate us. Tent camping available a short hike away across a creek.

• 

  Latika Y.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 30, 2021

  Upper Improved Campground — Cheaha State Park

  Beautiful and quiet in the winter

  The highest point in Alabama, this park has some stunning views, especially from the Pulpit Rock trail (an easy—except for the first steep decline—and relatively short hike from the road). We stayed in the hotel, which was fine for the cost (but did lose electricity for several hours). The campground was quiet in mid-December, but the sites on the outer ring looked pleasant. Would definitely love to come tent camping here again in the fall or spring.

• 

  Ryan T.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 25, 2021

  Big Canoe Creek Outfitters

  Had a blast

  Did some tent camping brought my inflatable fishing boat fish the river caught about eight bluegill and a couple Bass campsite has a fire pit and a grill and the bathroom is fairly close a wonderful experience will be doing this again real soon

• 

  Deborah C.

  Ranger

  

  Feb. 23, 2019

  Upper Improved Campground — Cheaha State Park

  Beautiful views/highest point in Alabama

  My husband and I tent camped at Cheaha State Park in February,2019 as part of our quest to hike the highest point in every state. This park is probably much better for those not tent camping. First the store and staff are AWESOME! We had to change our stay to one night vs two due to the upcoming storm, no, problem. The hiking trails are great and the views are awesome. I think we were the only tent campers in the park. The actual site had no level ground to pitch our tent, we even tried a separate site since we were the only ones there, but no luck. The bathrooms had no shower, otherwise nice. The highest point is actually in the park, so it wasn’t much of a hike, but there is a nice tower and a museum that has much of the history of CCC. There are Pavillions and a restaurant on site. We couldn’t decide between 3 and 4 stars, but for tent campers we chose 3 due to reasons stated.

• N

  Nicole J.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 18, 2019

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Clean and lots to do

  Camped in a tent in a power & water hook up site. Our site wasn't the greatest. It didn't have any trees and one very bright street light, however, it was close to the bath house and pavilion. We were with a SOTF group, so I could hang my hammock on a friend's trees. We hiked around the large lake. It's a beautiful park! The staff was very friendly, helpful and had a great sense of humor! There are lots of trails, several lakes, horse stables, golf course, and a wildlife rescue center that does tours. Oh and a beach and paddle boats to rent. Would camp there in a heartbeat!

• 

  Missy W.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 13, 2018

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Huge park

  I've been here a lot over the years and always find something new. There are cabins, RV and tent camping available. There is a bmx area, an aviary, kayaks, canoes, paddle boats. You can fish, ride horses, golf, swim and hike. They have an amphitheater and have lots of concerts, too.

• 

  Brianna L.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2018

  Noccalula Falls Park & Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

  Convenient

  RV and tent sites, pool, clean bathrooms (running water, showers, toilets), close to gas stations, food, and a dollar general smaller sized campround. the falls makes it worth the stay. easy gravel walking/biking trails. Trails around and beneath the falls.

• 

  Asher K.

  Legend

  

  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.

• 

  Heather K.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 21, 2022

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Large park

  Beautiful large park. One night. Likes the site arrangements - interspersed with tent sites, parking pads at a different angle next to each other. Enjoyed the Peavine Falls Trail on the way out of the park in the morning. Have to buy a trail map. Damp wood from the camp store. TMobile good signal.

• 

  Asher K.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 30, 2021

  Safe Harbor RV Park

  Great boat access

  This is a classic RV campground that is along the Coosa River and provides easy access for launching a boat. Although they don't allow tent camping they have nice amenities for those traveling in an RV or other campervan. Overall, the rates are very reasonable and the location is great. There is not a lot of privacy but it is an ok trade for having such easy access to I20.

• 

  Jeremy S.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 6, 2018

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Great place to camp lots of things to do!

  This campground was a great place to get away! There are a lot of tent sites that are back in the woods for quiet and solitude. The swimming area and dock were a short walk from our campsite. The kids loved it. There are many beautiful trails for hiking. We did the hike to peavine falls! Beautiful!

• 

  John F.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 23, 2021

  Choccolocco Creek Campground

  Amazing views and location

  Great property and campground. A few RV sites, tent sites and all setup with privacy. Lots of land to explore and run around. About 45 minutes from Cheaha State Park which is very beautiful with lots of hiking and biking to do. John the host is very accommodating and takes great pride in this gem of a campground he has. We will be back!

• B

  Blake B.

  Traveler

  

  May. 29, 2021

  Noccalula Falls Park & Campground - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

  Small But Peaceful

  We are staying for Memorial Day weekend. It’s our first time here and it’s really not that bad! Easier to navigate in my opinion that others say. Staff is really nice and welcoming. The sites are a little tighter than most places. Especially in the RV section. We are tent camping and have plenty of room. Make sure you find the trail to get down to the falls. It’s a tough one but it’s one of the easier ones I’ve been on. Well worth it.

• 

  Beth H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 30, 2020

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Great state park camping

  We stayed here overnight and it was a nice campground. Sites are a bit randomly dispersed. Sites for tents all the way up to motor homes. The tent sites here were really neat. They were back in the woods but marked very well. Lots of trails and activities. We did not receive any local channels with our antenna, but we didn’t try to adjust it since we were only there for one night. Several full hookup sites. Nice and shaded in most places. Very clean and quiet.

• 

  Liz W.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 20, 2020

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Nice campground in a fantastic state park

  We spent the weekend in site A59 with two tents and three people. It is a nice, level site with plenty of room for everything we needed. Most tent sites in the campground have cinder block retaining walls build in that make the sites level and are very convenient for setting up your kitchen area.  The picnic table was old, but large and quite serviceable. There was a sturdy fire ring with grill at every site. NOTE: ALL tent sites in this campground are considered walk-in only, meaning that you can't drive right into the site with your car. Some are closer to the road than others, and it is hard to tell this from map. A59 was maybe 75 yards uphill from the parking spot on the road. Not a problem for us to carry our gear up, but it might be for some. We really liked this site because it backed up to the woods and was nice and shaded. Other tent sites were visible, but not close enough to feel crowded at all.

  Check in was easy. You do not have to pay the park entrance fee if you are camping over night. Maps are available at the store. Staff was very nice and friendly. Firewood is available for $8 a bundle, but it was green and would not burn. I will take the propane fire pit next time.

  The bath house was fine. Not luxurious, but not bad at all. As always, take your own toilet tissue - better safe than sorry. The bath house was warm and cozy, the toilets worked, and there was hot water (very hot) and soap. The hand dryer in the men's side was broken. As far as COVID precautions, there is a sign asking that only one person go in the bath house at a time, but that is not really practical, so a mask is a good idea.

  The activities in the park are fantastic. We hiked for 5 hours and never had to cover the same ground. Views are glorious. There are dozens of other things to do, also. The kayakers seemed to be having a great time, as did the mountain bikers. People are friendly here. Lots of dogs, all responsibly leashed.

• L

  Lee A.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 27, 2021

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Great park, great staff, great trails, nice lake, aging campground

  Oak Mountain State Park is a fantastic destination. However the campground isn’t the best. Loop A is better than Loop B. Loop B has limited trees. Both loops have old bathroom facilities. They are clean but old. Loop B RV sites are oriented so that to sit around the fire you are basically sitting on the camp roads.
  Tent sites are all back off the road into the trees. Almost all are nicely laid out. Camp hosts and park staff are great.
  Trails are worth the trip on their own. Challenging and fun.

• R

  Raymond

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 6, 2022

  Coleman Lake Rec Area

  Overflow for tents

  First time here. Clean camp, clean restrooms, great scenery. Main two loops are really for campers/RVs and are really close together with little privacy but have water and electricity. We ended up checking out the “overflow” area - didnt know it existed - and those campsites are more primitive, no water or electricity but have fire rings and pea gravel. Overflow is more spacious and private. Our spot was right above the lake. Main two loops are $16 and overflow is $6. The overflow is on the right as you pull in the campground - some people had campers up there but definitely the spot if you are tent camping. Had a great time, will return!

• 

  Asher K.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 6, 2016

  Oak Mountain State Park Campground

  Packed Tight

  The campsites at Oak Mountain are fairly well travelled and can get pretty packed though they provide all the necessary amenities for camping. Most of the tent sites have a level gravel area with a picnic table and fire pit to set up your site. However, the water pumps are often a little bit of a walk and shared between several sites. They are also very strict about the number of cars and this can make it tricky with a larger group. Overall it is a ok campsite but in a great park with awesome hikes. I would still recommend a visit to anyone who is willing to deal with camping close to your neighbor.