Visitors flock to the area for white-sand beaches, exciting water sports, fresh seafood and breathtaking sunsets. And there’s no better place to be at one with nature than camping among the more than 6,100 acres that make up Gulf State Park.
The park's campground features sites overlooking Middle Lake, tucked among the trees and along the open field. The campground also offers 11 air-conditioned bathhouses, a camp store, laundry facilities, a swimming pool with a splash pad, tennis/pickleball courts, horseshoes, volleyball, lots of family-friendly activities and a nature center.
Pitching a tent at these sites includes access to water and electric hook-ups (as well as a sewer for those in RVs and campers), plus a picnic table and pedestal grill. For those wanting something a little more natural, check out the park’s primitive sites that come with campfire rings, grill tops, and picnic tables. Affording visitors a little more privacy, these sites are hidden among the trees along a creek. Campers at these sites do have access to the bathhouses, playgrounds, and laundry facilities.
However, if you want a truly rustic Gulf Shores camping vacation, check out the Outpost Campsites along the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail. Located 1.5 miles from the Cotton Bayou Trailhead, these three sites – known as The Alamo, Bonanza, and The Duke – feature cots in pitched tents on a wooden platform. There’s even a canvas-covered “porch” for each tent where guests can relax out of the sun.
Amenities at these sites are limited to a communal sink for washing dishes, a port-a-potty and a fire ring with a grill top surrounded by log benches. Campers will need to pack in everything else they need, and they’ll need to pack out all refuse. Stripped down to the most basic camping experience, these sites are ideal for enjoying a true back-to-nature experience along Alabama Beaches.