An Oak Mountain State Park Camping Trip: Everything to Know

Are you looking for an affordable weekend getaway in the woods without having to drive hundreds of miles?  Then look no further than an Oak Mountain State Park camping trip!  

Just 20 miles south of Birmingham sits Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest park.  This park is made up of over 11,000 acres of wooded land, several lakes, a state-of-the-art campground, and even a few waterfalls.  

In this post, we’ll dig into the details of the campground, we’ll compare the prices of ways to stay, and even briefly touch on all that there is to do in Oak Mountain.  With so much to do and see, an Oak Mountain State Park camping trip is the perfect way to get away from the hustle and bustle of life, so let’s dive in!

Important Links

Oak Mountain State Park website

Oak Mountain State Park camping – Make Reservations Here

Campground Map (PDF)

Trail Map (PDF)

Oak Mountain Cabins – Make Reservations Here

Location

Let’s start with where Oak Mountain State Park is.  This gorgeous state park is just 20 miles south of Birmingham, AL.  As far as other major cities go, Oak Mountain is 2.5 hours southwest of Chattanooga, TN, 2.5 hours west of Atlanta, GA and 3.5 hours east of Jackson, MS.   

Because of its close proximity to the city, Oak Mountain is the perfect place to stay if you want to visit Birmingham on a budget.  Or, the park is a great place to escape the city for a day or two or more.  

Time to Spend Here

Oak Mountain is Alabama’s largest state park, and with thousands of acres, comes dozens of activities to do!  You could hike, bike, go fishing, or enjoy the beach.  If you don’t mind spending some money, you could enjoy horseback riding, pay for an hour on the lake inflatables, or set up a tee time on The Oaks Golf Course.  

With so many activities, how much time should you spend at Oak Mountain State Park? 

Oak Mountain is a great place for a weekend if you don’t have a lot of PTO at your disposal.  You’ll never run out of things to do for 2-3 days.  

However, if you are looking for time to relax while on vacation in the woods, then perhaps a 4 – 7 day Oak Mountain State Park camping trip will be more your speed.

Truly no matter the amount of time that you spend in Alabama’s largest state park you’ll be able to find things to do.  Whether it’s hiking or biking or spending a day on the golf course.  You can’t go wrong, no matter what your budget is!      

Hiking in Oak Mountain

With over 32 miles of trails, there is plenty of hiking in Oak Mountain State Park.  There are also many bike trails and 1 very long horseback riding trail (Orange Trail).  

But back to hiking, with several long trails available to you, you’ll easily be able to get 10-12 miles of hiking in a single day.  Whether you want to take a long route or hike a few shorter hikes, you will be rewarded with waterfalls, beautiful lakes, and even a ridge trail that overlooks the vast Alabama forest in the area. 

For all the details about hiking in Oak Mountain State Park, check out this post.        

Campground 

Taking an Oak Mountain State Park camping trip is a great way to get out in nature, while also being mere minutes from downtown Birmingham.  So whether you are looking to spend a day in the city or just completely unplug for a few days, you’ll love camping here.

Each loop of the campground is gated and requires a gate code to enter.  This gate code will be given to you when you arrive and the codes rotate every so often.  Each loop has tent-only spots as well as Full Hook-Up sites for campers.  

The bathroom/shower house is huge with individual stalls that are very clean.  The laundry room is attached to these buildings and costs $1.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry.    

Now that you know a little bit about the campground and what to expect, let’s jump right into the details.

Details

• 2 Camping Loops (with Security Gates)
• 66 Walk-In Tent Sites
• 66 RV/Camper Sites
• 12 Pull Through Equestrian Campground
• 10 Cabins
• 2 Bathhouses
• Dog Park
• Large Playground
• Security Gates (code provided upon arrival)
• 2 Laundry Rooms
• Dump Station
• Camp Store 

Walk-In Tent Sites

Let’s start with the most rustic way to take an Oak Mountain State Park camping trip.  If you like the affordability and the peace and quiet of tent camping, then you’ll love the tent sites at Oak Mountain. 

Oak Mountain State Park has 66 tent-only walk-in sites.  Essentially, every 3-5 campsites has a small parking lot for your car, and then you will walk your gear to your site.  So you might want to pack light.  

Each site has a decent amount of privacy and just a touch of solitude without being a backcountry campsite.  Plus, you have access to the bathrooms and shower houses if you camp here.      

Tent/Camper/RV Sites

The next way to book an Oak Mountain State Park camping trip is on a Water/Electric or a Full Hook-Up camper site.  These sites have paved concrete pads, vary in size, and you can book a pull through or a back-in site.  

Each site has a fire ring with a grill grate and a picnic table.  And you have walkable access to the bathrooms and showers that are in both loops of the campground.  

Equestrian Campground

The third, and lesser known option, is to book a pull through site at the Equestrian Campground.  This area has 12 pull-through sites with 50 AMP electric and full hook-up capabilities.  The campground here is smaller, but still offers a bathhouse for all its guests.

There are covered horse stalls available, along with a farm area that is fenced in.  If you are here to ride a portion, or all, of the 25 mile horse trail, this is a great option for you to camp near your horses.     

Cabin Sites

And finally, the most glamorous sort of Oak Mountain State Park camping trip, you could book a cabin!  These cabins can accommodate up to 6 people and can be booked up to 1 year in advance.  

Each cabin has one bathroom and two bedrooms with 1 King bed and 2 Queen beds.  There is a kitchenette with cookware and utensils, central air/heat, WiFi, and a Dish Network flatscreen TV is located in the living room.  Outside there is a porch, a picnic table and a grill for all your outdoor cooking needs.

While some would argue that this isn’t a true camping trip, these cabins allow a family or a group of friends to enjoy the great outdoors while enjoying the comforts of home.  

Price Comparison

**Disclaimer: Prices can vary according to the dates, holidays, and weekends.  Prices do NOT include taxes and fees.**

Walk-In Tent Sites

• Price Per Night (M – F): $20
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $23
• Price Per Weekend: $46
• Price Per Week: $146

Back In: Full Hook-Up

• Price Per Night (M – F): $38
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $42
• Price Per Weekend: $84
• Price Per Week: $274

Pull Through: Full Hook-Up

• Price Per Night (M – F): $51
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $56
• Price Per Weekend: $112
• Price Per Week: $367

Equestrian Campsites (Pull Through)

• Price Per Night (M – F): $41
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $44
• Price Per Weekend: $88
• Price Per Week: $293

Cabins

• Price Per Night (M – F): $160
• Price Per Night (Sat & Sun): $210
• Price Per Weekend: $420
• Price Per Week: $1,220

All of these prices are approximate prices to give you an idea of what it will cost to book an Oak Mountain State Park camping trip.  

Things To Do Here (Besides Hiking)

At Oak Mountain State Park there are a plethora of things to do, after all, this is Alabama’s largest state park!  So if hiking or fishing aren’t your thing, you still have plenty of options.

First up, there is the Aquapark.  You can buy an hour-long session on the water inflatables for $20 per person.  Also in this same area, there is a Cable Park, which is also $20 per hour per person (rentals excluded).  And finally, this company also has canoe and kayak rentals for a slower paced water activity.  

If you are looking for something more relaxing, there are 2 sandy beach areas for relaxing around the water.  There is also a high-ranking public golf course called The Oaks Golf Course here.   You can book and schedule a Tee Time here (prices vary).  

And two other notable activities that are available to you are a BMX Track as well as Horseback Riding.  Both of these activities vary in price, but are perfect for the active teen in your life.  

Conclusion

An Oak Mountain State Park camping trip is the perfect way to get away from the hustle and bustle of life!  With nearly 12,000 acres of land, 32 miles of hiking trails, a 25-mile horse trail and even a golf course, you won’t be bored when staying here.

There are tent sites, camper sites, an equestrian campground, and even 10 cabins to book here.  Everyone will be able to find something in their budget and in their comfort level at Oak Mountain State Park.

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

-Happy Camping!