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Best Tent Camping near Moulton, AL

339 Reviews

Tent campsites around Moulton, Alabama are concentrated in the Sipsey Wilderness area within Bankhead National Forest, offering primitive backcountry experiences for hikers and backpackers. Thompson Creek Trail Campsites and the numerous Sipsey Wilderness backcountry sites provide free tent camping with minimal infrastructure, where campers must be prepared for self-sufficient wilderness camping. Both areas permit campfires and allow pets on trails and at campsites.

Most tent sites in the Sipsey Wilderness require hiking in, with trails ranging from easy access points to more remote locations. The terrain typically features sandy or forest floor surfaces that provide comfortable tent placement. Vault toilets are available only at Owl Creek Horse Camp and McDougle Hunt Camp, while all other backcountry sites lack toilets and require proper waste disposal techniques. The lack of drinking water at many sites means tent campers need water filtration systems for the streams and creeks. A reviewer noted that "The campground doesn't have much in terms of amenities but if you prefer a little more you can stay at Brushy lake nearby."

The backcountry tent sites along trails 200, 203, and 207 offer varied experiences based on their location and size. Sites range from small clearings suitable for a single tent to larger group areas that can accommodate 2-3 tents. One camper described the area as having "beautiful water color with cool trees and rock formations." Many sites feature established fire rings and sitting logs, with easy access to streams for filtering water. The best sites are often raised above water level to prevent flooding issues during rainy periods. Tent campers particularly appreciate the sites along Trail 200, which provide flat, sandy areas that offer comfortable sleeping surfaces while still remaining high enough to avoid flooding concerns.

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Best Tent Sites Near Moulton, Alabama (25)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Moulton, AL

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Tent Camping Reviews near Moulton, AL

339 Reviews of 25 Moulton Campgrounds

  • Katie S.
    Jun. 18, 2019

    Tomahawk Campground

    Ranger Review: GCI Outdoor Pod Rocker with SunShade camp chair at Tomahawk Primitive Campground

    Campground Review: 

    Tomahawk Primitive Campground is located near Cullman, AL right off of Highway 278. The campground is primitive, and has no electricity or water pumps or hookups at the individual sites, but there is a common room area attached to the back of the owner’s house that has a clean bathroom, a coffee maker, and electricity. There are 3 campsites with fire rings as well as a large, open field at the main campground area, and additional sites by the creek, about a 10 minute walk from the main area. The trail to the creek-side sites was partially cleared, but there were a few fallen trees blocking the path that could make it difficult to carry gear to those sites. My husband, puppy and I stayed at one of the tent sites in the main campground area. If you are staying in a tent, I highly recommend air mattresses for this camp. While the ground has been somewhat cleared, there are still large stocks sticking one or 2 inches out of the ground that would make sleeping without an air mattress very uncomfortable. However, the bigger issue making sleep difficult for us was the road noise from the highway, which stayed busy throughout the night. I assume that if you are in a camper you won’t notice it as much, but in a tent it made us feel like we were camping on the side of the highway and not at a camp. Another problem that we ran into, unfortunately after we set up camp, is that our site had a ton of fire ants. I’m not sure if this is a problem at all of the tent sites or if it was just ours, but I advise caution when choosing your site and where you set up your tent. Our favorite part of this campground was the creek. It was beautiful and clear, perfect for our dog to play in, and had good locations to set up a hammock and enjoy the peaceful creek sounds. If we were to stay at this camp again, we would bring gear that could be hauled to the creek-side campsites. 

    Gear Review: GCI Outdoor Pod Rocker with Sunshade 

    As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I sometimes get gear to review on my camping trips. For this trip I got the GCI Pod Rocker with Sunshade camp chair. I LOVE this chair, and so did my husband and dog. The chair comes in a durable carrying case, which is great because I’ve had many camp chair bags fall apart after just a few uses. The chair was a little confusing to set up/take down at first, until I realized that easy-to-follow instructions are attached to the bag. The chair is larger than most camp chairs and provides more support. The sunshade is adjustable and can be moved in several positions as well as completely collapsed. The only complaint that we had about the Pod Rocker is that the included cup holder is a pouch that doesn’t seem like it would actually prevent your drink from spilling. For me, the benefit of having a camp rocking chair far outweighs this one detractor. This chair was wonderful for camping but would also be perfect for outdoor sporting events and concerts. I highly recommend the GCI Pod Rocker with Sunshade! Here is the link for the GCI Pod Rocker with SunShade:  https://www.gcioutdoor.com/rockers/pod-rocker-with-sunshade/

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 7, 2020

    Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground

    The cave is the star attraction

    This is a very small campground- 13 improved sites (nine of these have 50 amp electric and can accommodate all sizes of rigs; four are designed for smaller units and have 30 amp electric) plus five primitive sites, which have communal water only (no electric). There is zero privacy/separation between the improved sites, which would make the unimproved sites possibly more appealing (but further from the restroom and it was pouring when we were there). Improved sites are gravel and include a BBQ, fire ring, and a very large picnic table. Rates are $16 for a primitive site/$29 for an improved site plus a $4.75 processing fee for the first night of your stay. Senior discounts are given. 

    The restrooms are functional and clean but basic. There was a leak in the roof from the pouring rain that could pose a slipping hazard. 

    There are a large picnic pavilion and two short hiking trails of about a mile each. We hiked the Fossil Mountain trail, which is very rocky. The main draw to this park is the cave. Tours are offered four times daily, January through November. If you camp, you receive a discount on the tour. The tour is worth doing.

  • Cassandra C.
    Sep. 2, 2017

    Monte Sano State Park Campground

    Quiet campground

    I stayed at site number 063, which was an RV site with electric and water, and it was adjacent to the primitive sites. This campsite had a gravel pad, and setting a tent up outside of the pad was impossible as all of the surrounding area was a steep slope. The pad was plenty big for my one person tent, but I can't imagine anything bigger than a 4 person tent fitting in the area. I definitely recommend the primitive campsites if you're tent camping. The sites in this part of the camp were pretty far apart, and there was plenty of privacy. The park was riddled with trails (22 miles of them), many of which were also open to bikes. The bathhouse was pretty far from site 063, but they were clean.

  • Cassandra T.
    Jul. 2, 2021

    Monte Sano State Park Campground

    My Staycation Spot

    I'm a local and tent camping saves my sanity from a high preassured daily life. When I cant leave to camp I'll set up at a primitive site here for a week at a time. It's a simple space. No picnic tables at primitive sites. It's clean...beautiful....loads of hiking trails...and great food is a 10 min ride down the mountain to Huntsville.

  • Steve V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2019

    Monte Sano State Park Campground

    Some much fun so close to home

    Although 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!

  • Morgan Z.
    Sep. 7, 2016

    Houston Recreation Area

    Sipsey Wilderness

    During my time in Alabama, I kept hearing wonderful things about Sipsey Wilderness, and its many waterfalls, rocky landscapes, and great hikes. Since it's "wilderness," there are no established campsites, and there is a strict "leave no trace" policy. That being said, the opportunity to pick your own home away from home on your backpacking trip leaves you with a plethora of gorgeous options! Be sure to check the water levels before your trip, because while Sipsey is always beautiful, it isn't abnormal for many of the waterfalls to be dried up after a hot summer. Also, if you park at the Sipsey River Picnic Area Trailhead, be sure to pay the $3/day parking fee. They will give you a steep ticket otherwise! I had read about the fee, but upon arriving didn't see where to pay and figured it must have been an outdated post. Turns out, there was just a car blocking the pay station, which is near the chemical toilet when you turn into the parking lot. It's a dated deposit system, where you put your payment in an envelope, drop it in a dropbox, and put the perforated proof of payment tag on your dashboard. So be sure to bring exact change!! I was expecting something a little more modern, so even if I had seen the deposit box, I wouldn't have had exact change on me.

    The trails can get a little complicated, as there aren't really any trail markers, so be sure to buy a map of the area and bring it along with your compass. I found a map at mountain high outfitters at the Summit in Birmingham, AL, and it served us well. The 209 trail follows the river and is known as one of the more scenic routes. Nearby sites within the Sipsey Wilderness include Big Tree (the biggest tree in AL), Eye of the Needle, Ship Rock, numerous waterfalls, and several scattered cemeteries. All of these will be marked on a good map.

    The area is very buggy, and the trails can get cramped/overgrown in parts, so I'd recommend wearing long pants and lots of bug spray!

  • Justin L.
    Dec. 27, 2020

    Brush Creek Park

    Decent spot on the lake

    Camped here on Christmas Day 2020. It was very quiet and a little windy. I was the only camper but it’s on a disc golf course so I saw a couple of those guys. I went down to the parking lot so I could sleep in my car and have a fire by the water. It was great and quiet except there are parking lot lights which I didn’t see until they turned on. There are picnic tables, trash cans, and portable toilets. All in all a nice spot. I had Verizon and I think I had two bars of service. There’s also a spot a little east off an unmarked dirt road which was ok and had a fire pit. I checked it out but there was just too much litter and a half eaten deer carcass which I wasn’t vibing with.

  • Mo F.
    Sep. 26, 2017

    McFarland Park Campground

    Camping in the City Limits

    We pulled in with no plans and drove through the whole campground. There are 60 RV spots, pull thru and not, some parking lot style and some a along a creek. There are no trees or bushes between spots, but the whole campground is situated with forest and creek on one side and the Tuscumbia River on the other. We weren't positive what the deal was so we checked in with the host and paid $14 for one night.

    Primitive tent spots are right on the river. There are fire pits, trees, and picnic tables sporadically placed. We pitched our tent facing the bluffs along the river and our hammock between two trees. It wasn't crowded and it was pretty quiet (no generators, no music, very family friendly and chill). The grass was cut, and though there were small ant piles everywhere, they really weren't in the way or aggressive. The bath-house is...not awesome. It's exactly what you'd expect for an older, gov-run park, with some spiders and leaky toilets, but toilets and showers are there.

    It is a three minute drive into downtown Florence. Most of that is through the park, which is home to a good-sized marina, disc golf course, and (defunct?) driving range. It's super convenient, cheap, and kept up well enough. The view of the water and bluffs is A++, and it's fun to watch the speed boats and river cruises.

  • L
    May. 6, 2023

    Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground

    Great for Beginner Campers

    Rickwood Caverns was the first car camping experience I ever had. My husband and I went sans kids to see if we liked tent camping and test out our gear. We are total beginners. 

    We got there at 5:15 and the shop/office closes at 5pm. There was a sign with a phone number for assistance in late check in. No one answered and our VM was never returned. No big deal. We didn’t have a pass in our car and no one cared or checked.

    The campground is small. Each of the primitive campsites has a fire pit and picnic table. Our table had seen better days and was missing one bench. Somewhere in the vicinity, there was a faucet for washing dishes, etc., but it was surrounded by a giant mud puddle. There’s another faucet area in the parking lot near the bathroom/shower building. 

    We reserved site #17 and there were two other tents pitched nearby. I reserved the site on Alaparks’ website and I think I paid $14/night. The park is gated and locked each evening. It is an old state park and a bit run down. The bathroom/shower building is very old, but it was tidy and I did see someone clean it on Saturday morning.

    We toured the caverns on Saturday at 10am with a small group and enjoyed the tour. Tours are discounted for campers. The tour didn’t include so much geological information as it was about rocks shaped as animals, etc. It would have been cool to learn more about the history and sciency stuff. Something really interesting about the history to me was that the caverns were basically blasted out and excavated by Boy Scouts in the 50s. Seriously. With dynamite. 

    The caverns have steep stairs that can be muddy and wet. Lots and lots of steps, so definitely not an activity for folks with mobility issues. Children might struggle too. 

    The park is kind of near a highway and I could hear cars in the evening and at night. 

    Cell phone reception was fine. 

    Temps were low 50s in overnight and bugs were only an issue around dusk. (This was in late April).

    Because the campground is so small, primitive camping area is close to camper parking lot, so there was a little camper community close by but that didn’t bother us. 

    Rickwood Caverns is a low frills place for tent camping for beginner campers. The caverns might be fun to tour again in December when they have their Christmas lights up.

Guide to Moulton

Tent camping near Moulton, Alabama centers around Bankhead National Forest's Sipsey Wilderness, covering 25,000 acres of protected wilderness with over 45 miles of hiking trails across varied terrain. During spring, wildflowers bloom throughout the forest while fall brings cooler temperatures around 60-70°F, making these seasons ideal for backcountry camping. Water levels in streams and creeks fluctuate seasonally, with winter and early spring offering the highest water levels for filtering.

What to do

Hike to waterfalls: Thompson Creek Trail offers multiple waterfall access points within a moderate hike. A visitor noted that "The entire Sipsey Wilderness is gorgeous, but if you want a trail with lots of great spots to camp, this trail is fantastic... Most of the time, except during dry spells, there are LOTS of waterfalls. Also lots of shallow places for the kids to play in the water."

Explore intersecting creeks: Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 207 Site B) offers access to multiple water features at creek junctions. "This particular campsite is located at the intersect of several streams and is a beautiful spot with a large area to set up tents... it is right along the water without the need to climb down any steep banks."

Rock formations viewing: Discover unique geology along Trail 206. One camper described the area as having "giant moss covered boulders all around, and cliffs in the background opposite the river. Most of the campsites have fire pits, and a few have some hand-made benches, usually from woven branches."

Seasonal water activities: Water levels vary dramatically by season. During wetter periods, shallow creek areas become perfect for wading, but kayaking requires specific conditions. Rangers advise "the only time that it was really navigable was in the winter or fall for a couple of days after a major rainfall."

What campers like

Sandy tent sites: Sipsey Wilderness - Trail 200 Campsites feature comfortable sandy soil for tent setup. One camper noted, "It has flat sandy tent spots up the hill and out of reach of flooding... Most of the site is pretty sandy but level which was wonderful for sleeping on."

Seclusion with water access: Backcountry sites balance privacy with convenience. "This site in particular is one of my favorites to stay at. It has several waterfalls nearby, is close enough to the river for easy water access, and is secluded from many other sites."

Year-round water sources: Owl Creek Horse Camp provides reliable water access when backcountry sources run dry. "Here you can find potable water from the spickets all year long. It is essentially a large field with some very large loblolly pines. The nights sky is wonderful."

Wildlife viewing opportunities: The wilderness area hosts diverse wildlife. Campers should "Watch for snakes and bring bug spray" while enjoying the natural surroundings.

Cell service in select areas: Unlike most wilderness locations, some campsites offer limited connectivity. One reviewer mentioned, "We enjoyed staying here after being out of cell service for a few days at brushy lake, so we were able to catch up and coordinate our next destination... 2 bars of Verizon 4G LTE."

What you should know

Trail navigation challenges: The wilderness designation means minimal maintenance. "The wilderness area is contained within the larger Bankhead National Forest and is accessible from a variety of different trailheads many of which are only reachable on dirt roads."

Water filtration necessity: Streams provide the primary water source, but treatment is essential. Thompson Creek Trail Campsites require visitors to "bring bug spray... Don't expect bathrooms or drinking water to be nearby, but if you're looking to really get away from it all and do some primitive camping, this is a great place to go."

Weather preparedness: Alabama weather changes rapidly. One camper noted they "did a backpacking trip with friends here in the middle of the summer and it sure was hot. Luckily though the rivers made for a great way to cool off."

Flooding risks: Many sites are positioned near water, requiring careful site selection. "The best sites are flood safe campgrounds that are good for spring... this site is one of the furthest along this section of trail and is nice since it is one of the larger spaces in this area."

Access road conditions: Forest roads can be challenging. As one camper reported, "The roads aren't the best but my van made it despite the muddy potholes."

Tips for camping with families

Select appropriate trails: Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 203 Site C) offers family-friendly access. "The Borden Creek Trailhead where we started our hike used to be down at the bottom of the hill but several years ago they moved the parking to a quarter mile away... We loaded up all our gear into our hiking cooler and backpacking packs and trekked the 15-20 min downhill to this site."

Stream crossings with children: Consider height differences when crossing water. One parent shared, "The hike in is not difficult. You do have to cross a stream, which was not as difficult for my 6'2 husband as it was for me at 5'2. The water was clear."

Plan group sites accordingly: For multiple tents, seek larger clearings. "This site is by far the best site if you have a group of 3 or more tents. It has several firepits and is spread out over a large area. Each individual site has enough privacy while still providing group areas to congregate."

Short family outings: Even quick trips can create lasting memories. One parent noted, "Me and my 6 year old daughter hiked the trail this past Saturday. Had a great time. Definitely be back."

Tips from RVers

Limited RV accommodations: McDougle Hunt Camp provides basic facilities for small RVs. "This is another basic campground in the Sipsey wilderness area. The amenities are very limited but it gives you easy access to lots of amazing hiking in the area."

Consider nearby alternatives: When primitive camping proves too basic, other options exist. "The campground doesn't have much in terms of amenities but if you prefer a little more you can stay at Brushy lake nearby."

Trail access for day use: Even without overnight stays, RVers can access the wilderness. "The major advantage to this site is its access to the horseback riding trails... For people like me who are more hikers than riders you just drive 15 min down the road and you are right in the heart of Sipsey wilderness."

Cost considerations: Developed sites charge nominal fees. "Cost is $5 a night or $3 for day use" at Owl Creek Horse Camp, making it an affordable base camp option for day hikers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Moulton, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Moulton, AL is Thompson Creek Trail Campsites with a 4.9-star rating from 10 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Moulton, AL?

TheDyrt.com has all 25 tent camping locations near Moulton, AL, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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