Best Tent Camping near Northport, AL

Tent campsites near Northport, Alabama center around several established campgrounds within driving distance of the city. Holt Lake offers tent camping with views of the water, while Payne Lake Spillway provides boat-in tent access in the Moundville area. The Tom Bevill Visitor Center, located at a historic lock and dam, offers a small camping area within walking distance of a 19th century plantation house reproduction and lake access.

Tent sites at these campgrounds feature varying amenities, with most providing minimal facilities. Payne Lake Spillway includes drinking water, toilet facilities, and allows campfires, though most of the other tent campgrounds lack these basic services. Campers should note that picnic tables are generally not provided at these primitive tent sites, and reservations are typically not available. Sites are often set on natural terrain with minimal improvements. A camper wrote, "The tent sites are very nice and groomed and have a wonderful view of the lake. They have individual water pumps at each site and room for several cars to pull up and park."

The tent camping experience near Northport offers opportunities for water recreation and scenic views. Walk-in tent sites at Deerlick Creek campground, connected to Holt Lake, provide privacy and space for multiple tents. According to reviews from The Dyrt, Holt Lake features a small man-made beach area, though it can become crowded during summer months. Boating, fishing, kayaking, and swimming are popular activities at these locations. Primitive tent camping at the Tom Bevill Visitor Center provides unique access to historical attractions, including a paddle wheel steam boat that offers cruises around the lake. The Lock 5 and Lock 7 areas represent additional established tent camping options in the broader region, though these offer fewer amenities for tent campers seeking backcountry-style experiences.

Map showing campgrounds near Northport, Alabama

Explore the Map

Best Tent Sites Near Northport, Alabama (5)

1. Holt Lake
2 Reviews
Peterson, AL
10 miles
Website
+1 (205) 553-9373
"The tent sites are very nice and groomed and have a wonderful view of the lake. They have individual water pumps at each site and room for several cars to pull up and park."

"The beach can be pretty crowded during the summer but it's a decent size and the bathrooms are nearby. Last time I went I found a needle in the sand, so keep an eye out."
2. Payne Lake Spillway
1 Review
Moundville, AL
29 miles
Website
+1 (205) 926-9765
"The Payne Lake spillway is a nice place to have a picnic and view the lake. There is a pavilion with four picnic tables underneath it and then there are isolated picnic tables around the area."

3. Tom Bevill Visitor Center
1 Review
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, AL
39 miles
Website
+1 (205) 373-8705
4. Lock 7
Be the first to review!
Moundville, AL
36 miles
Website

5. Lock 5
Be the first to review!
Gallion, AL
48 miles
Website
+1 (334) 289-3540

Showing results 1-5 of 5 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented by

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Enter to Win

Recent Tent Camping Photos near Northport, AL

2 Photos of 5 Northport Campgrounds

Asher K.
Holt Lake

Tent Camping Reviews near Northport, AL

167 Reviews of 5 Northport Campgrounds

L
Linda S.
Traveler
May. 18, 2023
Deerlick Creek
Great But Noisy Around Holidays
I tent camped with two kiddos in spot #30 and we had a lovely view of the woods. Each spot has a gravel platform and some of my stakes wouldn’t grab but the tent held up. It was noisy at night with some folks partying but eventually it died down. Spots are a bit close (you can see the camper parked across the street from us) and you can easily hear comings and goings of other campers. It was May when we camped here and hot and very humid during the day. Cooler but still super humid at night. Each site has a nice fire ring, picnic table and a grill.

The guy at the front gate was super nice and helpful.

My kids enjoyed hiking and the bball court (where some other kids congregated). The nets were barely hanging on but still playable. The bathrooms were clean.
Asher K.
Legend
Jul. 1, 2017
Holt Lake
Recreation Area for Deerlick Creek
Since this is the recreation area associated with the Deerlick creek campground I will include my review from the campground here along with photos of the area and things to do!

The tent sites are very nice and groomed and have a wonderful view of the lake. They have individual water pumps at each site and room for several cars to pull up and park. They were also very friendly and easy going about moving sites and check in/out times. I would highly recommend this site for anyone in the Tuscaloosa area. Also easy access to the nearby lakes for boating and swimming.

After having a great experience at this campground we decided to go back for a second visit with a larger group. This trip was even better than the first and we really love this campground. The people who work at the entrance are always super friendly and the tent only sites are all very large and private. We set up our site with 3 tents and brought 8 people along. We had no issues checking in and getting our site set up and we got some swimming in down at the beach area. The campground also has a great bathroom facility that they clean daily. If you are in the Birmingham or Tuscaloosa area I highly recommend checking out this campground.
Ali Z.
Scout
Jan. 14, 2024
Payne Lake East Side
Hidden Gem Close to Campus
We had a great time visiting Payne Lake this weekend! We stayed at a primitive campsite with a beautiful view of the lake.

My biggest advice is to bring. your. own. firewood. As far as we could tell, there was nowhere at the campground to purchase bundles of firewood, and even the local grocery stores/gas stations weren't stocked with any either. We spent quite a bit of time using a hatchet to cut up down trees to fuel our firepit.

The campground is organized well and we were able to have our pick of campsites (mainly due to the fact that it was 30 degrees the whole weekend). The primitive campsites all had picnic tables and fire pits. Our group also uses hammocks and there were plenty of trees near enough together for hammock hanging.

When we got to the campground, the check in area is quite simple. There is a box with envelopes/forms to fill out that ask for your payment (in cash!), car information, and site number. Once you fill out your information, you simply drive and park at your campsite. As far as we could tell, each site had ample room for parking 2 cars within 15 feet or so. We paid $6 a night for the site, as well as an extra $3 fee/day because of a third car.

The area is quiet and peaceful, and the lake is a beautiful spot to catch the sunrise. On the East Side of the lake, we got a large amount of late afternoon sun, but minimal sunshine until later in the morning. The West Side saw a lot of sun early in the morning.

We got the chance to meet the Camp Host, who was very gracious and also introduced us to his dog, Reecie. He even offered to take our trash out for us!

We took a walk around the entire campground, and it is clear that the West Side of the lake sees more visitors and is generally kept up with more. The blue hiking trail on the East side required quite a bit of bushwhacking and didn't seem to have much upkeep at all. On our hike, we ended up walking the roads of the campsite and seeing the whole grounds.
Tony C.
Ranger
Oct. 22, 2021
Deerlick Creek
Deerlick Creek Recreation Area - No Disappointments
Deerlick Creek is a wonderful campground located northeast if Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I believe this is one of the best ACOE parks we've stayed in. An engineering challenge to put such well planned sites in such a diverse terrain... and making it beautiful and functional. We stayed in Site 33 which was a back in with a tiered layout from the parking pad to the balcony. The sites had 50/30/15 amp electrical, good water and pressure, table, fire ring, separate BBQ grill, tables and lamp post.

The bath house was very clean with showers and hot water but only one for the entire campground. However, I never saw a crowd there during our 5 days though so its probably all that's needed.

The camp hosts are awesome! Very friendly and super hard working the entire day. Every site is blown for leaf removal, grill and fire ring debris removed, water and electric verified operational after each use. Site pads are concrete and pretty level or at least site 33 where we stayed was. Our reservation tag was already posted when we arrived at our site so check-in was quick and without issues.

There are sites designated as tents only that are great! Very private with space and vegetation between them. There is also water and electric at each site.

A great paved bike path with deer abundant in the evenings. Boat ramp and beach swimming area.

We loved the park and the only reason for four stars vs five is due to sites 36 though 40. These are some of the most beautiful sites here but also the most difficult to get out of if your trailer is long. This is a dead end loop with a small turn around at site 39 and 40. Most rigs 26' or longer can not make this turn around. While we were there three campers required backing their rigs out of a challenging narrow single lane road with trees along the road way sides. A sign warning campers beforehand would be helpful.

Overall a great campground, we will return to this park again.
L
LB C.
Traveler
Sep. 24, 2020
Deerlick Creek
Beautiful, shaded and peaceful.
We loved this campground. We stayed at site 43, which is in the tent only "Settler's Camp". The sites were big with a lot of space between them as well as having water and electric (1 - 50amp; 1 - 30amp; 2 - 20amp). Although all the sites throughout nice, fully shaded with a good bit of privacy, the tents only sites actually had the most space between them as well as the most privacy. The entire campground was beautiful and well maintained. The bathhouses were older but also well maintained and very clean. The showers had better water pressure than a lot of hotels we've stayed at. The only thing to be aware of, if mobility is an issue, is that there are steps leading down from the parking area to the tent pad. Verizon cell service was good.
Steve V.
Legend
Mar. 4, 2019
Deerlick Creek
Quiet and Relaxing
Two night stay on site 39. Love the large sites that are nicely separated from neighboring sites and overlook the water. Friendly staff and clean bathhouse. Only one bathhouse that is centrally located and is a decent walk from some sites. Only limited, easy hiking available in the park. No WiFi, but good cell signal with Verizon throughout the park. No camp store, but convenient and grocery stores about 15 minutes away.
D
Deborah G.
Traveler
Apr. 23, 2022
Deerlick Creek
Beautiful spacious sites
We spent two nights in Deerlick Creek campground. It is operated by the Corp of Engineers. The sites were large with new wooden picnic tables and water and electric. We stayed in a standard electric site because we car camp and our tent attaches to the tailgate of the car. The primitive sites were only available for walk-ins. We couldn’t find a place to put our kayak in the lake because it is very steep. The trails are not maintained or marked on a map.
Woodring’s On T.
Guide
Nov. 10, 2021
Deerlick Creek
Nice Campground
If you like privacy , this is the place to be. Water and Electric for 28.00 a night . Every site has a grill , fire ring , picnic table and table. Some have decks. Smaller rigs are better for most sites but there are plenty of sites for bigger rigs. Have fun camping !
Asher K.
Legend
Jun. 27, 2017
Deerlick Creek
Round 2
After having a great experience at this campground we decided to go back for a second visit with a larger group. This trip was even better than the first and we really love this campground. The people who work at the entrance are always super friendly and the tent only sites are all very large and private. We set up our site with 3 tents and brought 8 people along. We had no issues checking in and getting our site set up and we got some swimming in down at the beach area. The campground also has a great bathroom facility that they clean daily. If you are in the Birmingham or Tuscaloosa area I highly recommend checking out this campground.