Best Campgrounds in Alabama: 2026 Guide

Alabama is threaded with waterways — the Black Warrior-Tombigbee system, the Alabama River, and a chain of border lakes shared with Georgia create a network of lakeside campgrounds that stretches the length of the state. The Bankhead National Forest in the northwest holds the state's most popular recreation area at Clear Creek, while lakes like Lewis Smith offer cliff-lined shores and crystal-clear water more reminiscent of the Ozarks than the Deep South. Alabama camping is water camping, and the options run deeper than most visitors expect.

Why Alabama Stands Out

The Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway connects a string of lakes from Tuscaloosa to Mobile, each with Army Corps campgrounds featuring modern facilities and forested shorelines. The Bankhead National Forest adds sandstone canyons, waterfalls, and the Sipsey Wilderness — the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi. Lewis Smith Lake, with its 500-mile shoreline and 264-foot maximum depth, is one of the cleanest large lakes in the Southeast. On the eastern border, West Point Lake and Walter F. George Lake share shoreline with Georgia, creating wide-water camping with bass fishing that draws anglers from across the region.

Top Campgrounds to Explore

Clear Creek Recreation Area

The Bankhead National Forest's most popular recreation area near Jasper, Clear Creek draws repeat visitors with its sandstone scenery, waterfalls, and forested campsites in northwest Alabama.

Corinth Recreation Area

A state-of-the-art campground on the shores of Lewis Smith Lake in Winston County near Double Springs, offering crystal-clear water and modern facilities in a stunning lake setting.

Deerlick Creek

On Holt Lake along the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway northeast of Tuscaloosa, Deerlick Creek sits in a beautiful forest along the lakeside with excellent fishing and boating access.

Forkland

In a beautiful wooded area on the northern shore of Demopolis Lake — the largest lake on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway — with 10,000 acres of water recreation near Forkland.

Bluff Creek

On the shores of Walter F. George Lake straddling the Georgia-Alabama border near Pittsview. A great lakeside escape with spacious sites and excellent warm-water fishing.

Gunter Hill

A peaceful scene of trees and nature on the backwaters of the Alabama River near Montgomery. Excellent fishing and convenient access to the state capital.

Burchfield Branch Park

Near Holt Lake on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway northeast of Tuscaloosa near Adger, offering water access and many amenities in a forested setting.

Chilatchee Creek

On scenic Dannelly Reservoir in Alabama's Black Prairie Belt near Alberta, where the Alabama River campground offers quiet fishing and paddling on a 27-square-mile reservoir.

Planning Tips

Alabama camping is best from October through April — mild winters mean comfortable camping when northern states are frozen. Summers are brutally hot and humid with temperatures often exceeding 95°F; choose sites with shade and water access. Spring bass fishing on the border lakes is exceptional. Mosquitoes are intense near water from May through September. Most Corps campgrounds offer electric hookups and are very affordable. Lewis Smith Lake campgrounds fill on summer weekends despite the heat.

Find More

Browse all Alabama campgrounds on our Alabama camping page, or explore the full campground directory to plan your next trip.