Oak Mountain State Park Campground welcomes campers with recently renovated facilities across multiple camping areas. Located in Pelham, the park offers a range of terrain from forested hills to lakefront sites with elevation changes providing both shaded and open camping options. Several campgrounds near Montevallo are situated within historic sites showcasing Alabama's industrial past, with creek-side camping available at multiple locations.
What to do
Explore historical iron furnaces: Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park features preserved 19th-century industrial structures throughout the grounds. A visitor noted, "The park is full of historical buildings like an old mill, furnace, blacksmith shop, and restored cabins (some are available to rent)," while recommending to "bring bikes and explore miles of trails, all clearly marked by difficulty level."
Enjoy water recreation: Oak Mountain State Park Campground offers multiple lakes for different activities. "The park has everything, mtn bike, gravel bike, trail running, road running, road biking, golf, equestrian, sailing and fishing," according to one camper, while another mentioned "Our site on the lake was beautiful and had ducks came right up to our site."
Visit during special events: Experience the vibrant market atmosphere at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park Campground during their Trade Days weekends. A regular visitor described it as "a huge flea market with over 400 vendors, food stands, and all kinds of local treasures," mentioning they are "craft vendors at Tannehill Trade Days March-November."
What campers like
Recently renovated facilities: Oak Mountain State Park has undergone significant improvements. "They put a massive amount of money into updating this place. This is the #1 best state park campground I have ever been at," shared one camper. Another noted specific upgrades: "Remodeled spaces with adequate space for a newbie to back her travel trailer in with no problems."
Creek-side campsites: Brierfield Ironworks Historical Park offers water-adjacent camping. One camper praised the "Nice quite camping area, nice bath houses, walking trails and wonderful inground pool!" The park maintains a "Creek goes through it" with "Big shady trees" according to another review.
Ease of late arrival: The registration process at Tannehill accommodates after-hours check-ins. A camper reported, "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."
What you should know
Campground layouts and access: The camping areas have distinct features and access requirements. At Oak Mountain, a camper noted, "I stayed in the Equestrian campground. They are all pull thru with a remodeled bathhouse." For Tannehill, a visitor described, "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."
Off-road recreation options: Chilton County Minooka Park provides dedicated areas for ATV and dirt bike enthusiasts. "Lots of trails to hit on the dirt bikes or ATVs. We go for day riding trips once a month or so," shared one visitor. Another added, "Dirt bikes and Atv's have lots of trails to ride! They have a dirt track for dirt bikes or even RC cars."
Mobile connectivity varies: Cell service and internet access differ across locations. At Oak Mountain State Park, "It has wifi throughout and almost everywhere in the park has cell reception." Meanwhile, at Tannehill, "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."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly water features: Multiple parks offer swimming opportunities for children. At Birmingham South RV Park, "They have a huge pool that looks like it could be nice," though maintenance may vary. Another reviewer at Brierfield mentioned a "wonderful inground pool" as a highlight for families.
Playground options: Several campgrounds have dedicated play areas with varying amenities. "My 8 year old son has been having a great time playing with other kids there. There is a decent size jungle gym at the playground," reported a visitor to Peach Queen Campground. At Tannehill, families can enjoy "playgrounds, picnic pavilions, a general store, a miniature train ride, and even an ice cream shop."
Educational opportunities: Historic sites provide learning experiences for children. A visitor to Oak Mountain mentioned "Very neat trail with rescued owls, turkeys and red hawks, and more." Another camper suggested, "Don't miss the TREE TOP NATURE TRAIL!" for nature education.
Tips from RVers
Leveling considerations: Many sites require some adjustment despite appearances. At Hoover Met Complex RV Park, "The pads are very uneven and there are just not many amenities," according to one RVer. Another visitor to Wind Creek noted, "While they are paved sites, we found that you do have to level out still by around 3 inches."
Hookup configurations: Pay attention to utility placement when setting up. At Cherokee Campground, "Our gravel pad was not wide enough to be a) level and b) slide/awning out at the same time. The electric hook-up was at the opposite end of the pad from the water and sewer hook-ups."
Pet-friendly amenities: Camping options for those traveling with pets vary in quality and features. Peach Queen Campground offers "a nice sized fenced in dog park," while Wind Creek RV Park has "a small dog run" but some visitors noted, "naughty dog owners leaving poo everywhere." Most pet-friendly camping near Montevallo requires pets to remain leashed.
