Hiking and Camping in Bucks Pocket State Park: Hidden Gem

Bucks Pocket State Park is a small state park in northern Alabama.  But just because it’s small doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a lot to offer!  Recently reopened in 2020, this park has an improved campground, beautiful views from the Jim Lynn Overlook, and brand new ORV/ATV trails.

Bucks Pocket closed in 2015 due to budget and staff cuts.  But after some much needed renovations, this hidden gem of a park is perfect for the whole family!  

With beautiful hiking trails and a state of the art campground, you will love spending a weekend in Bucks Pocket State Park.

Important Links

Bucks Pocket State Park website

Camping Sites – Make Reservations Here

ORV / ATV Trails in Bucks Pocket State Park 

Camping in Lake Guntersville State Park – Nearby Camping

Hiking Journal – Just for You!

Location

Bucks Pocket State Park is located in Grove Oak, Alabama and is a little off the beaten path.  You’ll have to drive on some seriously windy, county roads to reach the overlook and the campground.  

Despite the park being a little out of the way, it’s not too far from several major cities.  With just a 2 hour drive from Birmingham, AL, about 2.5 hours from Atlanta, GA and about 1.5 hours Chattanooga, TN, Bucks Pocket is a great weekend getaway location!

Address: 393 Co Rd 174, Grove Oak, AL 35975

Fees

Like all Alabama State Parks, there is an entry fee to enjoy this beautiful place.  The fee is $5 per adult, $2 for kids (11 and under), $2 for Senior Citizens (62+) and free for kids 3 and below.   Unfortunately, this pass is only good at whatever state park you purchase said day pass from.  

If you are camping here, you do not need to buy a day pass to enjoy the state park.  All day use areas are accessible with your camping reservation, you just need to show them your parking tag (provided upon check-in).

If you are here to enjoy the ORV/ATV trails, there is a $10.00 per ORV/ATV operator.  But if you are camping here, you will only have to pay $5 per ORV/ATV vehicle, per stay.

Time to Spend Here

Bucks Pocket is quite small, with just over 2000 acres of secluded land.  There are only a few hiking trails, the campground is small, and there are a few ORV/ATV trails within the park.  

A weekend or a long weekend is the perfect amount of time to camp in Bucks Pocket State Park.  This will allow you to hike all the trails and enjoy the tranquility of the woods surrounding the campground.

If you are just looking to hike the trails and move on, then you’ll probably only need half a day, as there aren’t many trails to hike here.  Or if you are looking to enjoy the ORV/ATV trails, then you would also probably only need a day.   

Parking 

With most of the park being made up of a rocky canyon, there are really only 2 parking locations within Bucks Pocket State Park.  

The first parking lot is at the Jim Lynn Overlook area, where you can access the stunning views of the overlook and the Point Rock Trail.  You’ll want to park here to access this overlook without any hiking.  

The second parking area is down in the canyon right next to the campground.  You can use the state park’s address or this link to access the parking lot.

Hiking Overview

With a large canyon making up the majority of Bucks Pocket State Park, it’s no surprise that the hiking here is pretty steep.  But down in the valley of the state park, there is the beautiful South Sauty Creek that flows and dense trees that surround you.  

This state park is Alabama at its quietest, where the only noises are the stream and the wind rustling the leaves.  

List of Trails

With just 5 trails, it would be fairly easy to hike all of these trails in just a day or two.  The hiking is mostly moderate throughout the park, and since Bucks Pocket is off the beaten path, this could be a great way to enjoy some peace and quiet in nature.  

• Point Rock Trail – 1.1 mile – One way
• Indian House Trail – 0.5 miles – One way
• High Bluff Trail – 0.5 miles – One way
• South Sauty Creek Trail (under renovation) – 1.5 miles – One way
• Primitive Camping Road – 1.6 miles – One way (ORVs/ATVs allowed)

If you only have time for one trail, you’ll want to hike the Point Rock Trail.  This trail starts down near the campground and you’ll end at the Jim Lynn Overlook.  You’ll also have an opportunity to see a waterfall, if there has been enough rain.  In total, your hike will be about 2.3 miles with 500 feet of elevation gain.  

Campground 

The Bucks Pocket State Park campground features 23 campsites with a 16’x60’ concrete pad for your rig.  13 of these sites offer Full Hook-Up and 4 of those being pull-through sites.  The remaining 10 sites offer water and electric hook-ups as well as the typical picnic table, fire pit, and grill. 

For you tent campers, there are also 11 primitive campsites located within the campground.  More primitive sites, as well as Backcountry sites are planned for the future. 

The campground boasts a clean bathhouse, a separate ADA bathhouse, a dump station and a playground for the kiddos.  

Details

• 23 campsites
• 13 Full Hook-Up Sites
• 4 Pull-Through FHU
• 10 Water and Electric Sites
• 11 Primitive Sites
• 9 Backcountry Sites
• 1 Bathhouse
• Dump Station
• Paved Pads 
• Playground
• Free Wifi

While the campground is small, it’s the perfect place to get away for a weekend.  Bring the whole family and relax around a fire, enjoy the stunning views at the overlook and even enjoy the ORV/ATV trails if that’s your thing!

Price Comparison

**DISCLAIMER: These were the prices as of 2024 and they do not include taxes and fees.  These prices can vary depending on the holidays and weekends.**

Backcountry Campsites – You will have to call to reserve one of these sites.

• Price Per Night (M – F): $18
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $20
• Price Per Weekend: $40
• Price Per Week: $130

Primitive Campsites

• Price Per Night (M – F): $18
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $20
• Price Per Weekend: $40
• Price Per Week: $130  

Water & Electric Campsites

• Price Per Night (M – F): $35
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $37
• Price Per Weekend: $74
• Price Per Week: $249

Full Hook-Up Campsites

• Price Per Night (M – F): $45
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $48 
• Price Per Weekend: $96
• Price Per Week: $321

Again, these prices are just the raw numbers from the booking website.  These prices will give you an idea of what it will cost you to camp at Bucks Pocket State Park.  

Things to do in the area

If you have exhausted all that there is to do in Bucks Pocket State Park, you can head down the road to Lake Guntersville State Park, another great Alabama park.  

With a few more bells and whistles in their campground, Lake Guntersville also has excellent hiking, fishing, and boating.  They also offer ziplining, horseback riding and other exciting activities!  For all the details about the campground and the surrounding activities, check out this post about camping in Lake Guntersville State Park.  

Conclusion

Bucks Pocket State Park is truly an Alabama hidden gem.  With their stunning views, upgraded campground and brand new ORV/ATV trails, you’ll love spending a weekend here!

The 5 hiking trails and the new ORV/ATV trails can be enjoyed during an action packed weekend.  And the serene state park campground is the perfect place for any size family.  

As always, feel free to reach out to me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com with any questions.

-Happy Hiking and Camping!