Best Campgrounds near Spring Garden, AL

Camping options around Spring Garden, Alabama range from developed state parks to more rustic recreation areas in the nearby forests and lakes. Oak Mountain State Park Campground, Alabama's largest state park, anchors the region with comprehensive facilities that accommodate tent campers, RVs, cabins, and glamping. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park offers another significant camping area approximately 40 miles southwest, featuring multiple camping styles amid its historical landscape. Several smaller campgrounds and RV parks populate the area between Birmingham and Spring Garden, providing varied accommodation types with different levels of amenities and natural settings.

The camping season runs year-round at most established campgrounds in the region, though summer heat makes spring and fall more comfortable for tent camping. Most developed campgrounds require reservations, especially during peak periods and race weekends at Talladega. Sites with electrical hookups are abundant across the area's campgrounds, with Oak Mountain and Tannehill featuring particularly extensive infrastructure for RVs and larger camping setups. Water access represents a prominent feature in many campgrounds, with several offering beach areas, boat launches, and fishing opportunities. As one visitor noted, "Oak Mountain has several lakes which are perfect for swimming and family picnics, especially on a hot and humid Alabama summer day."

Campers consistently praise the outdoor recreation opportunities that complement camping experiences in the region. Hiking trails extend through many properties, with Oak Mountain particularly noted for its extensive trail network and mountain biking opportunities. The landscape provides diverse terrain for exploration, from lakeshores to historical sites like the ironworks at Tannehill. Several mixed-use campgrounds provide additional amenities such as playgrounds, horseback riding, and water sports. Multiple reviewers highlighted the abundance of activities beyond camping itself. A visitor remarked that Oak Mountain State Park "has so many things to do - lakes, waterfalls, nature trails, basketball court, volleyball, a petting zoo, horseback riding, water sports, dirt bike trails, BMX course, archery, cabins, primitive camping and RVs, a beach, a wildlife rescue center and so much more."

Best Camping Sites Near Spring Garden, Alabama (86)

    1. Oak Mountain State Park Campground

    95 Reviews
    Hoover, AL
    18 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. Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground

    17 Reviews
    Hayden, AL
    19 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."

    3. Brookside Greenway Park

    3 Reviews
    Birmingham, AL
    10 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."

    4. Hoover Met Complex RV Park

    11 Reviews
    Helena, AL
    20 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. Birmingham South RV Park

    18 Reviews
    Pelham, AL
    23 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."

    6. Brookside Campground

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

    $30 / night

    7. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground

    29 Reviews
    Green Pond, AL
    31 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."

    8. The Ridge Outdoor Resort

    3 Reviews
    Oneonta, AL
    20 miles
    Website

    $5 / night

    "There are dirt bike trails, a zip line, an air soft course, a pond, and stunning views of the valley below."

    10. Backcountry Site — Oak Mountain State Park

    1 Review
    Pelham, AL
    19 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."

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Recent Reviews near Spring Garden, AL

431 Reviews of 86 Spring Garden Campgrounds


  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    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.

  • Peyton P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Hollins Hunting Camp

    Open and quiet

    Best for overlanding/camper/tents. No marked sites, just pull in and find a spot. I got in around 8 and there were only a couple people here, lots of space and easy to find a private spot. Hardly any bugs, no amenities

  • 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.

  • Patrick P.
    Jun. 20, 2025

    Birmingham South RV Park

    Nice place ,

    Nice place , but the internet doesn’t work, bathrooms clean


Guide to Spring Garden

Camping near Spring Garden, Alabama, offers a mix of outdoor fun and relaxation. With several campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to enjoy nature, whether you're in a tent, RV, or cabin.

What to do

  • Hiking: Explore the numerous trails available at Oak Mountain State Park Campground. One visitor mentioned, "The park has so many different activities including hiking, BMX trails, swimming, and an archery range."
  • Water Sports: If you’re into water activities, Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground offers fishing and swimming opportunities. A reviewer said, "Trails to hike, water to play in, fishing, history places to see and go through."
  • Cave Tours: Check out the unique formations at Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground. One camper shared, "We toured the caverns and enjoyed the tour. The caverns have steep stairs that can be muddy and wet."

What campers like

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A visitor at Birmingham South RV Park noted, "The bathrooms and showers were consistently clean and the hot water was great."
  • Friendly Staff: Many campers mention the helpfulness of the staff. One reviewer at Hoover Met Complex RV Park said, "Good job staff for opening up the campground to campers fleeing the storm without having to pay."
  • Level Campsites: Campers enjoy the level sites at Palomino RV Resort. A guest remarked, "All sites are full service concrete pads with good Wi-Fi and lots of channels on the TV."

What you should know

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Safe Harbor RV Park, have basic amenities. A camper mentioned, "No extras, no picnic tables, no shower houses, however everyone was friendly."
  • Noise Levels: Be prepared for some noise from nearby highways. A visitor at Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground noted, "The park is kind of near a highway and I could hear cars in the evening and at night."
  • Site Size: Campsites can be small, especially at Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground. One frustrated camper said, "These are the tiniest campsites I've ever seen in a State Park."

Tips for camping with families

  • Activities for Kids: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and swimming areas. One parent at Smith Lake Park said, "Lots of playgrounds for the kids and some very nice camping spots!"
  • Safety First: Ensure that the campground has security. A camper at Oak Mountain State Park Campground appreciated, "Saw security and police several times just passing through to check on folks."
  • Plan for Poison Ivy: Be cautious of poison ivy in the area. A visitor at Rickwood Caverns State Park Campground warned, "Oh and be aware of poison ivy. It was EVERYWHERE."

Tips from RVers

  • Check Hookups: Make sure to verify the type of hookups available at your chosen campground. A reviewer at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground mentioned, "There is no camp wifi."
  • Dump Station Availability: Look for campgrounds with dump stations nearby. One camper at Oak Mountain State Park Campground noted, "There is a dump station near the exit of the campground."
  • Space for Big Rigs: If you're traveling with a large RV, check if the campground is big rig friendly. A visitor at Birmingham South RV Park said, "This was a great overnight stop. The park was beautiful and quiet right off the highway."

Camping near Spring Garden, Alabama, has something for everyone. Whether you're looking for adventure or a peaceful getaway, you'll find a spot that suits your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Spring Garden, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, Spring Garden, AL offers a wide range of camping options, with 86 campgrounds and RV parks near Spring Garden, AL and 3 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Spring Garden, AL?

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

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Spring Garden, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Spring Garden, AL.

What parks are near Spring Garden, AL?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 parks near Spring Garden, AL that allow camping, notably Talladega National Forest and National Forests in Alabama.