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Best Campgrounds near Bessemer, AL

396 Reviews

Camping opportunities near Bessemer, Alabama range from developed state parks to urban RV facilities. Oak Mountain State Park, located about 20 miles east in Pelham, represents the most comprehensive developed campground in the region with tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin accommodations available year-round. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground in nearby McCalla offers another established option with tent and RV camping amid historical attractions. The Birmingham metropolitan area contains several RV-focused facilities like Birmingham South RV Park and Hoover Met Complex RV Park that primarily serve travelers needing utility connections rather than nature-focused experiences.

Most developed campgrounds in the Bessemer region maintain year-round operations, though seasonal considerations affect water availability at some locations. "Great place and friendly people. Sites are kinda tight but everyone was very nice to talk to," noted one visitor about Tannehill State Park. Infrastructure varies considerably across the region - state parks feature maintained shower facilities and restrooms, while urban RV parks often provide electrical and sewage hookups with fewer amenities. Several campgrounds like Deerlick Creek operate seasonally from early March through late November. Reservations are recommended particularly for weekend stays at the more popular state parks, where sites can fill quickly during spring and fall peak seasons when temperatures are moderate.

Campers consistently rate Oak Mountain and Tannehill state parks highest for scenic value and recreational amenities. According to feedback on The Dyrt, Oak Mountain's backcountry sites receive perfect ratings from visitors seeking more secluded experiences. Urban options like Hoover Met Complex RV Park receive mixed reviews, with one camper describing it as "clean, easy, and huge" but noting "everything is concrete" and that it "isn't 'outdoors' experience if you are trying to camp." Most developed campgrounds in the area feature water and electric hookups, though primitive camping options exist at select state parks. Family-friendly amenities appear as common highlights in reviews, with multiple visitors mentioning trails, creek access for children, and historical attractions at Tannehill as significant draws for repeat visitors.

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Best Camping Sites Near Bessemer, Alabama (75)

    1. Oak Mountain State Park Campground

    96 Reviews
    Hoover, AL
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 620-2520

    "It is located only about 20-40 min outside downtown. Oak Mountain has several of options of things to do away from just camping and hiking (which of course are also great to do here)."

    "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!"

    2. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground

    29 Reviews
    Green Pond, AL
    10 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."

    3. Birmingham South RV Park

    18 Reviews
    Pelham, AL
    11 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. Hoover Met Complex RV Park

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

    "On the outskirts of a parking lot of a stadium!"

    "In addition to the Hoover Met sports complex and sports arena there is a new brewery within walking distance of the campground."

    5. Cherokee Campground

    1 Review
    Helena, AL
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 428-8339

    6. Deerlick Creek

    26 Reviews
    Peterson, AL
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 759-1591

    $20 - $30 / night

    "My campsite was near the bathroom/shower which was convenient.  Enjoyed the hillside view I had and the walks in the woods surrounding the campground."

    "Greta place to camp in the fall for Alabama football games, only about 15-16 miles from campus, yet very secluded. Really a great place to camp, whether with RV or tent camping!"

    7. Backcountry Site — Oak Mountain State Park

    1 Review
    Pelham, AL
    14 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."

    8. Burchfield Branch Park

    11 Reviews
    Tuscaloosa, AL
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (205) 497-9828

    $20 - $40 / night

    "Most of the campsites are tucked away beneath a canopy of trees with nice shade. The bath houses are always clean, as well as the entire campground. It is great for a relaxing weekend getaway."

    "The location was beautiful but there is no privacy.  The sites are small and very close together with no trees or brush separating them. "

    9. M and J RV Park

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

    10. Brookside Greenway Park

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

    "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."

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Recent Camping Photos near Bessemer, AL

101 Photos of 75 Bessemer Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Bessemer, AL

396 Reviews of 75 Bessemer Campgrounds

  • Jeff C.
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Clear Creek Recreation Area

    Great place to camp

    Clear Creek is a really nice campground.  The sites are very nice and there is lots of shade.  The majority of sites are pretty level and the comfort stations were clean.  It takes four or five presses on the water activator in the shower before the warm water starts flowing, but there is plenty of water pressure. AT&T cell service was pretty good.

  • mThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2025

    Oak Mountain State Park Campground

    One of the best !

    Campground was great. Our site on the lake was beautiful and had ducks came right up to our site. Clean and staff were friendly.

  • R
    Sep. 9, 2025

    Chilton County Minooka Park

    Fine for big RV’s

    It’s more of an RV park than campground. There are spaces for tents, but they don’t have picnic tables. The trees are actually behind the sites. So, don’t think about a hammock. The bathrooms are clean, but there are no showers.

  • Randi P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 20, 2025

    Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 — Great mix of nature, history, and family fun

    We stayed at Tannehill Ironworks Campground for a long weekend and had a great experience. We arrived late on a Thursday night and appreciated that the ranger is on-site 24/7, since the campground doesn’t take reservations. The process is easy—you just pull in, find a site, and register/pay the next morning. It was a little hard to find a spot in the dark, but that was on us.

    There are three main campground areas. • Campgrounds 1 and 2 offer full hook-ups, with many outer sites backing up to a scenic creek. • Campground 3 has water and electric only.

    We stayed in site 122 in Campground 1, right on the creek. The sites are all gravel with picnic tables (a little worn—we brought our own table setup). Ours was pretty spacious, and since it wasn’t full, we had empty sites in front of and behind us, which made it feel even more open.

    The creek is peaceful and adds great ambiance, but there’s no designated access area for wading or swimming. That said, lots of kids were playing in the water right near their sites.

    T-Mobile service was decent—we were able to use our hotspot to stream TV at night. There’s no public Wi-Fi, but we didn’t miss it. We didn’t use the dump stations, but they looked clean and easy to access.

    Check-out time is 1:00 PM, and we didn’t see an official check-in time or posted quiet hours. The campground was fairly calm and relaxed, especially at night.

    The best part of Tannehill is everything there is to do. We brought bikes and explored miles of trails, all clearly marked by difficulty level. The park is also full of historical buildings like an old mill, furnace, blacksmith shop, and restored cabins (some are available to rent). There’s a Sunday church service at 9AM, playgrounds, picnic pavilions, a general store, a miniature train ride, and even an ice cream shop.

    If you visit during one of their Trade Days weekends, you’re in for a treat—it’s like a huge flea market with over 400 vendors, food stands, and all kinds of local treasures.

    Tannehill is a unique blend of history, nature, and activities for all ages. We’ll definitely be back and would recommend it to anyone looking for a laid-back getaway with lots to explore!

  • Melinda S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 6, 2025

    Oak Mountain State Park Campground

    Oak Mtn State Park Equestrian & section B campground

    A great State Park. I stayed one night in the Equestrian campground. They are all pull thru with as remodeled bathhouse. It was extremely clean. Then moved over to Section B of the main camp ground. Remodeled spaces with adequate space for a newbie to back her travel trailer in with no problems. “ What an Ego booster!” Remodeled bathhouses as well and kept clean even on a busy July 4th weekend. Gets morning sun but shade in the afternoon.

  • 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.

  • Nick E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 23, 2025

    Hidden Cove Thousand Trails

    Clean, Quiet, and Spacious

    Great little campground with awesome access to the lake. Great for Starlink and good AT&T reception.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 22, 2025

    Birmingham South RV Park

    Ants, Dogs and Smells

    To be fair, the check in and staff were nice. Sites are level and partially shaded. Rules loosely enforced as there were trucks parked on grass which was noted as a very prominent rule on reservation and check in. Ants attempted to infest anything we sat outside (not food related items were specifically targeted as it was a pair of diving boots and our leveling blocks). It was horrible. There’s little to no control over everyone’s dogs. The best you can get is that they are leashed, otherwise, lunging at people or other dogs and barking all throughout the day is completely permitted. The sites are very small and your neighbors sewer hookups happen to be about 3 feet from your site’s picnic table. It’s just gross.

Guide to Bessemer

Camping near Bessemer, Alabama, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor lovers. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a place with plenty of activities, there are several campgrounds to choose from.

What to do

  • Hiking and Biking: Many campgrounds, like Oak Mountain State Park Campground, have extensive trails. One visitor mentioned, “The park has so many different activities including hiking and BMX trails.”
  • Water Sports: If you enjoy water activities, check out Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground. A reviewer said, “Trails to hike, water to play in, fishing, history places to see and go through.”
  • Wildlife Watching: Campgrounds like Burchfield Branch Park are great for spotting local wildlife. One camper noted, “This is a quiet campground with well spaced sites, many of which are either on the water or close to a small stream.”

What campers like

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A visitor at Birmingham South RV Park said, “The bathrooms and showers were consistently clean and the hot water was great.”
  • Friendly Staff: Many reviews highlight the helpfulness of campground staff. One camper at Brierfield Ironworks Historical Park mentioned, “Great staff. Clean restrooms. Easy in and out.”
  • Level Campsites: Campers enjoy the level sites at places like Oak Mountain State Park Campground. A reviewer stated, “The pads are super level (at least in A16).”

What you should know

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Blue Creek Public Use Area, lack certain amenities. A camper noted, “There are some wooded spots across the street, but I prefer the overlook area.”
  • Cell Service: Expect little to no cell service in some areas. One visitor at Burchfield Branch Park said, “This campground has zero cell service, so if you can’t do without that, read no further.”
  • Weather Considerations: Be prepared for rain, as some sites may not drain well. A camper at Oak Mountain State Park Campground mentioned, “Not all drain very well when it rains.”

Tips for camping with families

  • Activities for Kids: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and swimming areas. A reviewer at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground said, “The newly remodeled campground is spectacular.”
  • Safety First: Be cautious of poison ivy and other hazards. One camper at Birmingham South RV Park warned, “Be aware of poison ivy. It was EVERYWHERE.”
  • Plan for Meals: Bring easy-to-cook meals or snacks. A visitor at Burchfield Branch Park suggested, “We enjoyed being waterfront at site #5.”

Tips from RVers

  • Check Hookups: Make sure to verify the type of hookups available. A camper at Birmingham South RV Park mentioned, “The power stations are the worst.”
  • Space for Big Rigs: Many campgrounds are big rig friendly. A reviewer at Hoover Met Complex RV Park said, “This campground is in the parking lot of the Hoover Met Complex. Easy to navigate in and out of each site.”
  • Stay Connected: If Wi-Fi is important, check reviews beforehand. One camper at Hoover Met Complex RV Park noted, “WIFI is meh. Would expect more from a city campground.”

Camping around Bessemer, Alabama, has something for everyone, from families to seasoned RVers. Just be prepared for the unique quirks of each campground!

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Bessemer, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, Bessemer, AL offers a wide range of camping options, with 75 campgrounds and RV parks near Bessemer, AL and 2 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Bessemer, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Bessemer, AL is Oak Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 96 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Bessemer, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Bessemer, AL.

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