Looking for the best campgrounds near Rainbow City, AL? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Discover great camping spots near Rainbow City, reviewed by campers like you.
$20 / night
"Did some tent camping brought my inflatable fishing boat fish the river caught about eight bluegill and a couple Bass campsite has a fire pit and a grill and the bathroom is fairly close a wonderful experience"
"Pit toilet, no water, critter proof trash cans. First come first serve. Cash box available to pay. We had cell service. Used 10' trailer/ camper. No hookups or running water."
"Only about a dozen sites, most to partial shade (it's in the forest), plenty of downed pine not far. Sites are positioned well and decent for tent or something like a motorcycle camper."
"One of the great backpacking loop within the Cheaha wilderness is the skyway trail and the Cheaha Falls Campground is my favorite place to stay while doing it."
"This walk in campsite is right next to the waterfalls. Tons of exploring can be done around camp or you could extend the trails and explore Devils Den Falls as well!"
"Like many sites along this section of the Pinhoti it is right off the patch and provides a large space to set up your tent with a nice campfire ring in the center."
"This is one of my favorite trails to camp on in Alabama and living in Birmingham it is not too far of a trek to get here. We often take people on this hike if it is their first backpacking trip."
"Primitive, some sites are maintained ground is unleveled in many places so be careful when picking a spot for your rig."
"It burned years ago but the concrete pad is still here. Ultimately, Rangers may come by and ask you to move to prepared sites nearby. I think they are concerned about fires as always."
"Stay on Campbell rd until you are in the park on a gravel / dirt road and then keep driving. For being a gravel dirt road it’s pretty well maintained."
"The site is pretty primitive and doesn’t have any hookups but it is fairly large and has plenty of space to cook. There are some premade rock fire pits that are perfect for an evening cook out."
"Park at the Cheaha trailhead directly off of highway 281 and there find the beautifully built entry way. Hike in about 1 min then turn right and head up the hill."
$25 - $30 / night
"I tent camped on a drive-in deluxe site in September with my dog. The host, Giorgio, was pleasant and helpful. He had firewood for sale on the property at a reasonable price."
"This is a great little campground super close to Little River Canyon! Although there is nowhere to camp inside of the park this is my preference for the closest you can get."
"We passed through on our way to go backpacking deeper in the wilderness. The one major caution is to check the seasons that the site is open since it was locked up when we were there."
"I would suggest visiting either mid spring or summer so you can see the flowers and enjoy the high water levels or when it is hot you can go take a dip in the lake or one of the many waterfalls."
RangerCampground 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/
LegendCampground Review: My wife and I had the amazing opportunity to stay at Parksland retreat this weekend making our first campground reservation through the Dyrt. Parksland is a beautiful off the grid campground and home that is well cared for and a wonderful experience to stay at. They have set up several areas for guests depending on what your camping preference is. The owners live at the highest point of the property and have an outdoor kitchen surrounded by a garden and chicken coop with woods in every direction. If you are interested in what would typically be considered classic car camping you can stay at one of the many tent sites they have set up around the kitchen area. Many of these sites already have tents set up for you to rent or if you prefer to bring your own tent you can use one of the other available spots. All of the sites in this area are already covered with large industrial tarps so you can stay dry no matter the weather. If you are interested in a more private area they have two more primitive, trail campgrounds a short hike down the hill that each has cleared ground providing space for several tents. On this trip, we had reserved the further, more private and smaller site but ended up staying at the closer site since it was available and more convenient with the weather conditions.
We arrived at the campground on Saturday around noon and got a tour around from Dustin the owner where he showed us all of the options. We then climbed down the steep hill with all our gear and set up camp before the rain came in. Since the site was relatively large we were able to find the perfect spot for our tree tent. After a quick lunch of grilled cheese, we headed off to explore the hiking around the area. Dustin suggested we take the Ridgeline loop trail and with only a couple of wrong turns, we managed to complete the loop and finish at the swimming hole. Although the water was cold it still felt wonderful and is a much welcome amenity in the hot and humid Alabama weather. Other than the poison ivy (which you can’t really do anything about) the hike was really scenic and a good afternoon trek. Make sure to take the map though cause it helps to make the turns at the right spots. We got back before the rain began so had time to take advantage of the hot shower they have available and cooked dinner by our fire (firewood is provided). We whipped together a wonderful sweet potato and chili combo with recipe inspiration provided by Fresh off the grid. After dinner, we cleaned up around camp, moved everything under our tent, and climbed in for the night.
Although we were prepared for the rainstorm that we knew was coming overnight we were not prepared for rain inside our tent… We woke up in the middle of the night with puddles on our sleeping bags and a storm raging outside. Luckily we were able to stay warm and relatively dry but woke up intermittently. In the morning with rain still pouring we decided to just trek back up the hill with the gear and load up the car since we were already wet. We packed everything up and headed on home discussing how even with the crazy weather and unfortunate leakiness we had a fun and adventurous time and were glad we went.
Overall, Dustin was so welcoming and helpful throughout our entire stay and he has created a wonderful oasis that makes a perfect getaway. I highly suggest checking it out.
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Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to try out new and interesting products at campgrounds I visit. On this trip, I stored all my food in the RovR RollR 60 Cooler to keep it cold and fresh for the weekend. My takeaways from using the durable rolling cooler are:
Overall, this is by far the best high-end cooler I have had a chance to try out. My wife and I found ourselves continuously impressed and excited about how well this cooler was designed and how much fun it was to use. If you are ready to pull the trigger and spend a little bit to get a nice cooler I can’t recommend the RovR more highly.
LegendThis 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.
LegendGeneral: Two improved campgrounds (Upper and Lower), two primitive campgrounds, chalets, cabins, and a motel. We camped in the improved Upper campground, so this review is focused on that. I would recommend you arrive during daylight hours as it was challenging for us to find our site in the dark! There is very limited cell service in the park and none in the campgrounds.
Site Quality: Gravel and pavement; most looked level. They are all rated tent/RV and small- medium– large and they mean it! We have an 18-foot campervan, and we were pretty snug in Site 19. Also, it was hilly and the angle to back into the site was somewhat challenging. All of the sites are FHU. We were warned that freezing temperatures were expected during our stay and that we could not stay connected to water or the spigot would break if not drained and that we would be charged a $125 repair fee. Each site has a metal picnic table, a BBQ grill, and a fire ring with a grate.
Bathhouse/Shower: Basic but clean. No hooks to hang toiletry bags but it looks like there used to be some. The showers looked a bit sketchy but since it was so cold during our visit, I didn’t feel the need to check them out. Plenty of toilet paper but hubby reported that in the men's room, there always seemed to be toilet paper unraveled all around the restroom!
Activities/Amenities: Several short hiking trails and longer forest service ones nearby. Mountain biking, although I read on the All Trails app that the trails are extremely challenging for biking. I agree that with so many leaves covering the roots and rocks, the trails were more challenging (hubby slipped and fell on one hike). There is a small store and a pool for in-season. Rappelling is also popular in this park but requires a permit. There was a small informative CCC museum (there was significant evidence of the work of the CCC in the park). There was also a small “fairy garden” near the entrance that was quite adorable. There was a postcard in the store that showed an impressive waterfall but it was completely dried up in November! There used to be a restaurant/bar but it has been closed indefinitely due to staffing issues.
Cheaha State Park prides itself on being a Leave No Trace Park (one of about a dozen in the US) but while there were two large dumpsters by the campground, there were no recycling bins.
LegendCampground Review:
Since I have reviewed many of the backpacking routes in the Cheaha area I would first recommend taking a look at some of the other campground reviews in this area. This shelter is actually along a new trail for me where the Pinhoti heads North from the Cheaha Trailhead on 281. The parking lot has a beautiful entrance archway then heads away from the road before splitting. Take your first right then when the trail splits again take another right. I have a video attached showing the turns. You then continue for about .5 miles before crossing back over the road and following the ridge for a while. After going a little more than 2 miles you will reach a sign that directs you to the shelter. You can’t miss the wooden structure a few yards down the path.
Most of the camping along the Pinhoti is classic semi-flat backcountry sites with a small fire pit and not much else. So when we came across this amazing shelter we were thoroughly impressed. It has a large area on the first floor where you could set up several sleeping bags and then there is an additional closed off area in the loft that is dark and dingy but very clean and perfect if the weather is ugly. The site also has a HUGE firepit which seemed a little overkill but could be nice if you have a large group. Finishing off the amenities is a picnic table and several cleared out tent areas. Make sure to check out my video to get a full idea of how this site is set up and if it would be a good place for you to stay.
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Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to try out new and interesting products at campgrounds I visit. On this trip, I tried out the RoM Pack. My takeaways from using the combo backpack, poncho, picnic blanket are:
Overall, I would say this pack has a few very specific applications and it performs really well for all those situations. Worth checking out if you want to have a multipurpose backup bag in the car or are often in a situation where you are hiking in to picnic locations.
ScoutWe just left this morning, booked May 15th-May17th. I did my booking about two weeks early and I know it was sold out when we got there. The majority of the attractions are closed, and half the grounds are due to Covid. The others, including a trail or two are closed due to AT&T tower construction. We got in on the upper semi primitive tent sites, which was absolutely perfect. I booked 107&109 together for a family that was coming up with us, but did want to keep our distance as much as possible as there are still distancing and safety guidelines to live by. I think the ground was perfect and fully shaded spots, I did my research here and we were about 100 ft from the bathrooms (no bathhouse just toilets). They were okay...they did clean them (empty the trash and refilled the soap) by the time we left so maybe once a day. I'd like to see them a bit more sparkling or smell somewhat like cleaning spray to feel comfortable, but I take a cleaning wipe to touch anything that others may touch as well. Then I ensure I'm washing again, with sanitizer after. People don't seem to mind the fact a pandemic is happening but I just want to safely get my family outside the house, and my selfish outdoors experience in. Might not make me much different than the others, but I'd be very careful. The sites were perfect and had trails leading to the Leave no trace trail, which was a good mile for my 3 yr old and 16 month old (we carried both intermittently 16 months obviously was in the ergo baby 99% of the mile). There are shared spigots for water supply and this is no big deal, we put a small hose on ours at 109 & everyone very well enjoyed it. Views make you feel out of Alabama, I am used to 4,000 footers and up but I loved being out there and will go back to plan a hike without my kids (or even husband!)
LegendThis was our first time staying at Desoto after being here previously to hike. Desoto State Park Campground is a large campground with 94 full hookup sites, 16 primitive tent sites, and 2 primitive backcountry sites. All sites with hook ups also included cable hook ups. All the sites are gravel and most sites are wooded with lots of shade. The sites are a little sloped, so have leveling equipment ready. The sites vary from small and close together in the pull through area, to medium size with plenty of separation for some privacy. All style sites include a picnic table and fire ring.
Check-in is at the camp store if you arrive during store hours or at the lodge if you arrive after hours. We stayed on site 15, which had a little sun in the morning and complete shade in the afternoon. This site does have a little slope in it, which was no problem for leveling our trailer, but our friends that were with us and in a tent had to deal with setting up on a little slope.
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 lots of souvenirs were available at the camp store. There is a full grocery store less than 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 lots of hiking to enjoy the outdoors, a few smaller waterfalls along some of the trails, a zipline and sky bridge course(for a fee), and a large waterfall a short 5 minute drive from the campground. The river above the large waterfall is also available for kayaking and canoeing, and a small outfitter rents boats if you need one.
The state park is located in a very outdoorsy area with various activities to take inn. We look forward to visiting here again.
RangerMy son Charlie(age 8) and I camped at Cathedral Caverns State Park on June 17, 2019. It was a Monday night. We chose one of the primitive campground sites and paid a little under$20 for one night. Since we were camping we received a discount on our cave tour the next day. It's worth noting that all of the primitive and RV campsites are outside of the state park’s main gates which means that anyone can easily enter or leave the camp at anytime day or night; however, two state employees live fulltime within walking distance of the campsites. It was encouraging to know that help was only steps away if we needed it. One of the rangers actually stopped and introduced himself while making his early evening round. He verified that I had registered at the camp, informed me that it might rain that night, and wished us a good evening. A father and son also drove through the campground about that time in a personal car. I expected him to camp, but later when we went for a walk, we didn’t find him. On our walk we went down to the restrooms gathering kindling in large, reusable grocery bags. We also brought our one gallon water jug. It’s quite a walk to the restroom and unless you are driving, it would be unreasonable to rely on it as your bathroom. Bring a camping toilet or a shovel. The RV sites are right next to the restrooms, which means that if you are in the primitive site it is very unlikely that you will hear RV generators all night. There were no RVs there on our night because the sites were being overhauled and it was closed though the restrooms were still up and running. The restrooms were very clean and spacious with clean, new shower curtains and it was fully stocked with supplies. I can’t say if the water was hot, but my suspicion is that it probably was since the rest of the facility is well kept. Back to the kindling: There’s plenty to be had and we even found four or five logs left by our campsite by a previous camper. Speaking of firewood, there’s plenty of that for sale for a reasonable$10.00 at the restroom facility. Money’s left in a box on the honor system. After cooking two cans of Southgate chili on an improvised Sweedish fire using the charitable camper’s firewood, we played in the field which was easily accessible from the primitive campsite. It’s guarded by a feral but entertaining cat who has an appetite for small rabbits. He almost caught one when he chased it through the campsite and under the picnic table where we happened to be eating supper. I’m not sure if he ever caught him but the last time I saw them they were running through the campsite like the wind. The campsite was simple. There was a fire ring and an old picnic table. You might want to bring a table cloth along or use a tarp if you’re doing more than heating up canned chili. The site was clean as was the entire park. I was easily able to back into the site with a 2007 Trailblazer. Though we had planned on tent camping, we ended up sleeping in the Trailblazer. Dad brought the tent, but he forgot the poles. All of the sites were clean and would have made wonderful tent sites. They were spaced adequately apart to provide a sense of privacy though if you’re pooping in a bucket you might have to be strategic in your temporary John placement. I don’t think my wife would have liked the bathroom situation at all and it might have been a bigger issue for Charlie and me if there’d been anyone else on the campground. We were the sole campers at Cathedral Caverns during our visit. We weren’t the only people using the park though. There were plenty who come to see the cave which true to its name feels like a Cathedral. I’ve been in a few tourist caves but there’s something different about this one. Our tour guide did a great job not only telling us about the beauty and history of the cave, but helped us to imagine one of the caves first explorers and its benefactor Mr, Gurly. If that description doesn’t make you want to visit, here’s this: Legend says there’s a ledge in the cave and if you toss a coin and land it right on the ledge you get your wish. After I tossed my dime I regretted instantly not wishing for a billion instead of a million dollars. I was assured by the tour guide that I could expect my check any day now, so the star review might change depending on how quickly the check rolls in.
GuideMy best friend and I camped for Mother's Day in 2017. We loved it. We were in the semi primitive area. Some sites were smaller than others and not all sites had flat spots to set up the tent but they are within walking distance to the bathroom and the pavilions. It was quiet and the staff were helpful. The only real downside are the showers. You have to buy tokens to use the showers and they're only open until (I believe) 6 p.m. The showers were pricey considering most places offer them for free. The pavilions are great! They're huge, have plenty of picnic tables, a fireplace on both sides and outlets. We set up our coffee pot and ate breakfast then rode around to explore. A few minutes drive from the park is a great hiking spot with 3 waterfalls. I'm looking forward to visiting again with my family.
Tent camping near Rainbow City, Alabama offers a variety of scenic locations where nature enthusiasts can enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from private campgrounds to public sites, there's something for everyone looking to pitch a tent and unwind.
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