The state seal of Alabama, “The Heart of Dixie,” is a map of the state showing all its rivers. And along those rivers stretch many of its State Parks. Since vacations are likely to be the first casualty of our ailing economy, cabin camping in Alabama State Parks may be the answer for Alabamans who can’t afford an RV and don’t want to tackle tent camping.
Eleven of Alabama’s 22 State Parks offer fully equipped modern and rustic cabins, cottages or chalets, available year round for less than or equivalent to what you’d pay for a hotel room. The cabins, cottages and chalets feature fireplaces, bathtub/showers, heating and AC, full kitchens or kitchenettes, and picnic tables and outside grills. Most offer amenities like irons and ironing boards, hairdryers, linens and coffee makers. The kitchens in all but one park are fully stocked with dishes, pots and pans and flatware. Many offer satellite network TV or cable, and DVD players. The Resort State Parks have on-site restaurants and lodges with meeting facilities, hotels and more upscale accommodations, and many of the parks have golf courses.
1. CHEAHA RESORT STATE PARK
Cheaha State Park is Alabama’s oldest operating state park. Located in Northeast Alabama, (less than an hour from Talladega), Cheaha’s 2,799 acres stretch across Clay and Cleburne Counties. Encompassed by the Talladega National Forest, Cheaha is the highest point in Alabama, 2,407 ft. above sea level, its name appropriately coming from the Creek Indian word “Chaha,” meaning “high place.
Cheaha offers four fully equipped cabin choices — Bluff side, camping, deluxe (honeymoon) and 4-capacity. Spectacular sunsets can be seen from the one-room, two-person Bluff Side Cabins, located on the western bluff of Cheaha Mountain, four of them with open ceilings. The “Camping Cabin” is also called the “museum cabin,” for its historically rustic atmosphere. The two one-room Deluxe or “honeymoon” cabins feature rustic wooden furniture, whirlpool and a screened porch. Daily January to March rates range from $91 to $115. April to September rates range from $114 to $132, and October to December rates range from $120 to $135. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/CheahaResort/Cabins/.
2. CHEWACLA STATE PARK
Chewacla State Park is located in Central Alabama’s Lee County, about ten minutes from Auburn. Its proximity to Auburn University explains why Chewacla State Park has “football season rates!” Chewacla’s 696 acres include a modern campground, 26-acre Lake Chewacla, playgrounds, rental boats, hiking trails, waterfalls and newly renovated cabins. Chewacla State Park’s six fully equipped 1930s stone cottages feature hardwood floors, and a stone fireplace. One cabin is handicap accessible. Off season rates are $80 to $110 per night, with a free night if you stay seven days. Football season rates range from $126 to $165 per night, the 7th night free. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/Chewacla/Cabins/.
3. DESOTO RESORT STATE PARK
Located in DeKalb County (eight miles northeast of Fort Payne) DeSoto State Park sits atop Lookout Mountain, encompassing 3,502 miles of cliffs, waterfalls, wildflowers and mountain overlooks. DeSoto State Park offers a campground, tennis court and swimming pool and a Nature Center with Interpretive programs with live animals. DeSoto features fully equipped rustic cabins, log cabins and A-frame chalets. March to November rates are $85 to $120.00 per night, December to February rates are $97.00 per night. A “Cozy Winter Cabin Special” offer is available at a discounted rate. Check their Website for more details. http://www.alapark.com/DeSotoResort/
4. GULF STATE PARK
Located in southern Baldwin County (an hour from Pensacola), Gulf State Park borders the Gulf of Mexico, and encompasses 6,150 acres. Gulf State Park beaches are home to many species of shorebirds, and alligators inhabit its lakes and wetlands. The park boasts 900-acre freshwater Lake Shelby, and an 18-hole golf course. Within walking distance of the golf course and 2-½ miles from the beach, there are 20 fully equipped modern cabins, with one or two bedrooms and one or two baths, and 11 cottages with three bedrooms and three baths. Four “woods cabins” are located in a pine and palmetto forest. The “lakeside” cabins and cottages are located on Lake Shelby and have fishing piers. In season daily rates for the woods and lakeside cabins are $85 to $160, off-season, $75 to $135. Cottage daily rates are $210 in season, $188.29 off-season. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/GulfState/Cabins/
5. JOE WHEELER RESORT STATE PARK
Joe Wheeler State Park is located near Rogersville in Lauderdale County, less than an hour from Huntsville. Wheeler Lake and Wilson Lake provide fishing, sailing, and boating, and the park sports a marina and 18-hole golf course. Joe Wheeler State Park has fully equipped wooden cabins in the forest and brick cabins lakeside, near Wheeler Dam on the south side of the Tennessee River. The cabins accommodate 4 to 15 people, and run from $65 to $170 daily. Ten newly-constructed two or three bedroom Lakeside Cottages are located in the mouth of First Creek. Daily rates run between $175 and $210. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/JoeWheeler/.
6. LAKE GUNTERSVILLE RESORT STATE PARK
Lake Guntersville State Park is located in Marshall County in the Tennessee Valley, about an hour from Huntsville. Overlooking 69,000-acre Guntersville Reservoir, Lake Guntersville State Park’s 6,000 acres provide hiking, swimming and boating opportunities, bass fishing, eagle spotting and nature programs. Lake Guntersville State Park has 15 two-bedroom, fully equipped lake-view cottages amidst a pine and hardwood forest near the banks of the Guntersville Reservoir. They sleep 6 and have two baths. On the top of Taylor Mountain are 20 chalets with a spectacular view of the Reservoir from their wraparound porches. Eighteen chalets sleep 6 people, and two handicapped accessible sleep 4. Daily March to October rates are $115 to 125, November to February, $99.00. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/LakeGuntersville/.
7. LAKEPOINT RESORT STATE PARK
Lakepoint Resort State Park is located near Eufaula in Barbour County, on the banks of Lake Eufaula, the “Bass Capital of The World.” The park offers fully equipped cabins and lakeside cottages, as well as a modern campground, marina, and an 18-hole golf course. Lakepoint has 29 cabins in a wooded area, 15 two-bedroom cabins that sleep four, and seven four-bedroom duplexes that sleep eight, as well as eight new upscale Lakeside Cottages. Outside plug-ins for charging boat batteries is also provided. Handicap accessible two- and four-bedroom units are available. Daily cabin and duplex rates range between $110 and $195, with a monthly cabin rate from November to February rate of $750. The Lakeside Cottages range between $125 and $265. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/LakePointResort/.
8. MONTE SANO STATE PARK
Monte Sano State Park is located in Madison County, overlooking the city of Huntsville. Dubbed “the Showplace of the Tennessee Valley” upon it’s opening in 1938, the park offers 20 miles of hiking trails and 14 miles of mountain-biking trails, that meander along stunning vistas of the valley below. Monte Sano State Park. Monte Sano’s has 14 fully equipped one-room cabins, 11 of them quaint rustic stone cottages dating back to the 1930s, featuring handcrafted stone fireplaces, wood floors and screen porches. Cabins 1 to 11 have working stone fireplaces and one cabin is handicapped accessible. Monday to Thursday rates are $85, weekend rates are $95. For more information, contact their Website at http://www.alapark.com/MonteSano/Cabins/.
9. OAK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK
Oak Mountain State Park is located on the banks of Lake Tranquility in Shelby County, about a half-hour from Birmingham. Oak Mountain’s boasts 9,940 acres of pines and hardwoods and the title of Alabama’s largest state park. Oak Mountain offers camping and hiking, golfing, swimming, boating and fishing, and a horseback demonstration farm and riding facilities. The Lake is home to shoreline and wading birds, as well as migrating waterfowl. Oak Mountain State Park’s ten two-bedroom cabins sleep 6, and boats, paddles and life preservers are also available. Cabin rates Sunday through Thursday are $110 for one night, $200 for two nights, or $660 for six nights. A two-night stay is required on weekends (Friday and Saturday), the weekend rate being $220. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/OakMountain/Cabins/.
10. ROLAND COOPER STATE PARK
Located in Wilcox County (an hour below Selma), Roland Cooper State Park runs along 236 acres of the Dannelly Reservoir. Roland Cooper boasts a nine-hole golf course with clubhouse and boat launching facilities. Roland Cooper has six fully equipped two-bedroom cabins (one Handicap Accessible). Rates are $80 daily or $480 weekly from March to November, and $70 daily or $420 weekly from December to February. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/RolandCooper/.
11. WIND CREEK STATE PARK
Wind Creek State Park is located on the shores of Lake Martin in Tallapoosa County (seven miles south of Alexander City). Wind Creek is the largest state operated campground in the entire continental United States, offering swimming, skiing, canoeing and boating, and sport fishing. In recent years, eagle sightings have become common across its 1,445 acres. A new addition to Wind Creek State Park, seven camping cabins with back decks are now open, with three more planned. These cabins are equipped with microwave, sink, coffee maker, toaster and small refrigerator,but you must bring your own linens and cooking and eating utensils. Cabin 2 is handicapped accessible and sleeps 3. The rest of the cabins sleep six. Daily rates for these cabins are $70 year round. For more information, check their Website at http://www.alapark.com/WindCreek/Cabins/.
Sources:
http://www.alapark.com/
http://www.alabama.gov/portal/index.jsp
