Being an Alabama native we usually try to camp outside of the state. I’m ashamed to say at 55 I have camped @ GSP for the first time.
My husband & I were very impressed with the park. First let me say that this is a huge state park. The campground has almost 500 sites. I may be wrong but I think they all offer sewage which is not common in most state parks. For the campground to be so big we were pleasantly surprise at how much space there was between sites. Not may of the sites have shade bc of a hurricane that hit them pretty hard many years ago but we didn’t really see that as a problem during our visit. I would imagine during the dead heat of the summer it may be an issue for some people though. The staff were some of the friendliest I’ve encountered. The bath houses were incredibly clean. We noticed a very nice swimming pool although we never went. They have laundry facilities, a camp store & many other offerings. I suggest visiting the website to see all they have. The biking & hiking trails are amazing. I think they have some where in the range of 28 miles of paved trails. The only negative in my opinion is that because the park is so big it’s not an easy walk to the beach if you are carrying much. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of access it’s just not going to be close by. The beach is actually across the hwy from the park. There are plenty of trails & boardwalks you can use to get there. We chose to drive simply bc my husband had fishing gear as well as our usual beach essentials. We do recommend giving this park a try. We think you’ll enjoy it.

Our family has been going to Topsail since the first year we started RV’ing. This is not your typical state park. It feels more like a resort. It is landscaped beautifully. Has plenty of shade & separation between the sites. Not to mention full hookups! The park has a private beach with a tram that runs every hour during off season to every half hour during the peak season. You can walk or bike down to the beach (it’s about a mile) if you don’t want to take the tram. All of the bath houses are cleaned daily including the restrooms at the beach. The park also offers trails to bike or hike, a swimming pool, shuffle board, a lake & lagoon to fish or kayak. We highly recommend this park. But make reservations far in advance to ensure you can reserve a spot.

This is my new favorite park close to home. Monte Sano is located in Huntsville but you would never know it once get get up here. It is so peaceful. The sites are shady & far enough apart that you feel like you have a little privacy. And if you love to hike then this is the park for you. Wonderful trails that are clearly marked. There is a trail for all skill levels so you can decide how intense you want and how long you want to hike. There are several sites on the edge of the mountain that offer stunning views but they go quick so it’s hard to get those. The same with the few sites that offer full hookups. Having sewage isn’t that big of a deal for us but it is nice to have. We came up here last summer & there was literally a 10° difference in temperature when we got to the top of the mountain. So even in the heat of summer it’s pleasant up here. If you like to venture out there is plenty to do in Huntsville & several great places to eat. The bathhouse could stand to be updated but it’s usually clean & the water is hot so I’m happy.

This is our first trip (it won’t be our last) to Rock Island State Park. We are very fortunate to have a campsite with full shade. From what I can tell most of the sites are partial shade. It’s 90• and muggy but we haven’t needed our AC at all. We’ve actually gotten a little cool during the night. The park is very quiet. I love that the sites have a good amount of space between them. They all appear to be fairly level too. Some of the sites have a step down to get to the grill, fire pit & picnic table. Because of that it limits the space you have to sit under your awning. So I would look @ the pictures of the individual sites carefully before picking one, if that’s important to you. The bathhouse is very clean & the showers have plenty of hot water. McMinnvile is only a 15 drive if you want groceries or If you’d like to go out to eat. Although there is a nice store with a good little restaurant just outside the park. My husband & I ate there once & it was very good. They have a menu with the usual stuff on it as well as a meat & 3. There is a lot to see here. And old textile mill, waterfalls & an old pump house that was used for the small town of Rock Island as well as for the textile mill in case of fire. My husband & I highly recommend this park…..just don’t get our spot ;)

Beautiful park. Nice & clean with recent updates to the bath house. The park is nice & quiet if you’re looking for some relaxation. If you like to fish then you’ll love Pickwick. The fishing is great! They have boat rentals but it’s too expensive in my opinion. The lodge has a delicious buffet if you get there while it’s fresh. The biggest negative is the sites are not level. Some are pretty bad. But they are spacious and are almost all shade.

This is one of our go to campgrounds when we want a long weekend. This park has so much to offer. Hiking, fishing, boating, bike riding & swimming. There is not a morning that I don’t wake up to deer or turkey on the border of our campsite. A very family friendly atmosphere & always clean. When our kids were younger it was their favorite place bc there was not shortage of kids they could connect with. There are 2 campgrounds to choose from. The lower campground is on the creek while the upper campground sits in the woods. Both are great & have recently been upgraded so the sites are level. Sorry I don’t have pics but I’ll be sure to take plenty the next time we go.