This list of Alabama state parks covers state parks in the Alabama park system. As of 2023, there were 21 official Alabama state parks run in part or exclusively by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources [1] and three historic state parks run by other authorities.
Name | County | Size | Estab- lished | River / lake | Image | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
acres | ha | ||||||
Blue Springs State Park | Barbour | 103 | 42 | 1963 | Blue Springs | Near Clio; swimming in natural spring, camping, picnicking | |
Buck's Pocket State Park | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 2,000 | 810 | 1971 | Lake Guntersville | Near Grove Oak; scenic vistas, camping, hiking and equestrian trails | |
Cathedral Caverns State Park | Marshall | 461 | 187 | 1987 | --- | Located in Grant; cave tours, tent camping | |
Cheaha State Park | Clay, Cleburne | 2,799 | 1,133 | 1933 | Cheaha Lake | State's highest point; scenic views, hiking, camping | |
Chewacla State Park | Lee | 696 | 282 | 1939 | Lake Chewacla | Located in Auburn; fishing, swimming, non-motorized boating, hiking, camping, cabins | |
DeSoto State Park | Cherokee, DeKalb | 3,502 | 1,417 | 1939 | Little River | Located on Lookout Mountain; camping, lodging, picnicking, hiking and biking trails | |
Frank Jackson State Park | Covington | 2,050 | 830 | 1970 | Lake Frank Jackson | Boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, camping | |
Gulf State Park | Baldwin | 6,150 | 2,490 | 1939 | Gulf of Mexico, Lake Shelby | Fresh and saltwater fishing and swimming, 18-hole golf course, camping | |
Joe Wheeler State Park | Lauderdale, Lawrence | 2,550 | 1,030 | 1949 | Wheeler Lake | Near Rogersville; lodge, campground, marina, hiking and biking trail, 18-hole golf course | |
Lake Guntersville State Park | Marshall | 6,000 | 2,400 | 1947 | Guntersville Lake | Resort complex, cottages, campground, 18-hole golf course, hiking, fishing | |
Lake Lurleen State Park | Tuscaloosa | 1,675 | 678 | 1952 | Lake Lurleen | Boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, biking | |
Lakepoint Resort State Park | Barbour | 1,220 | 490 | 1968 | Lake Eufala | Convention center, 18-hole golf course, lodge, campground, cabins, cottages, marina, hiking, picnicking | |
Meaher State Park | Baldwin | 1,327 | 537 | 1989 | Mobile Bay | Nature trails with wetlands boardwalk through the wetlands, boat ramp, fishing pier, picnicking, camping | |
Monte Sano State Park | Madison | 2,140 | 870 | 1938 | --- | Wernher von Braun Planetarium; picnicking, hiking, cabins, campground | |
Oak Mountain State Park | Shelby | 9,940 | 4,020 | 1927 | Double Oak Lake | Alabama Wildlife Center; golf, swimming, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, hunting | |
Rickwood Caverns State Park | Blount | 380 | 150 | 1974 | --- | Cave tours, swimming, picnicking, hiking, camping | |
Wind Creek State Park | Tallapoosa | 1,445 | 585 | unknown | Lake Martin | Camping, swimming, boating, fishing, picnicking, hiking, biking |
Name | County | Size | Estab- lished | Management | River / lake | Image | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
acres | ha | |||||||
Bladon Springs State Park | Choctaw | 357 | 144 | 1939 | Choctaw County | --- | Historic spa grounds with mineral springs | |
Chickasaw State Park | Marengo | 520 | 210 | 1935 | Marengo County | --- | Near David K. Nelson Wildlife Management Area | |
Paul M. Grist State Park | Dallas | 1,080 | 440 | 1930s | Dallas County | Paul Grist Lake | Swimming, fishing, boating, camping | |
Roland Cooper State Park | Wilcox | 236 | 96 | 1969 | Private contractor | Dannelly Reservoir | Closed in 2015; reopened 2016 |
Name | County | Size | Estab- lished | Management | River / lake | Image | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
acres | ha | |||||||
Historic Blakeley State Park | Baldwin | 1,400 | 570 | 1981 | Historic Blakeley Authority | Tensaw River | Camping, picnicking, hiking trails | |
Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park | Bibb | 486 | 197 | 1976 | Alabama Historic Ironworks Commission | Little Cahaba River | Industrial ruins, historic buildings, trails, campsites | |
Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park | Tuscaloosa | 2,063 | 835 | 1969 | Alabama Historic Ironworks Commission | --- | Preserved industrial sites, Iron & Steel Museum of Alabama, crafts cabins, hiking trails |
Name | County | Size | Estab- lished | Management | River / lake | Image | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
acres | ha | |||||||
Chattahoochee State Park | Houston | 596 | 241 | 1930s | --- | Irwin's Mill Creek | Closed permanently after destruction by Hurricane Michael in 2018 | |
Florala City Park | Covington | 40 | 16 | 1909 | City of Florala | Lake Jackson | Reverted to local ownership in 2015 |
Cathedral Caverns State Park is a public recreation area and natural history preserve located in Kennamer Cove, Alabama, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) northeast of Grant and 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Woodville in Marshall County. The park, first known as Bats Cave, was developed as a tourist attraction in the 1950s. Cathedral Caverns was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1972 and opened as a state park in 2000.
Lake Guntersville State Park is a public recreation area located on the far north side of the city of Guntersville in Marshall County, Alabama. The state park occupies 5,909 acres (2,391 ha) on the eastern shore of Guntersville Lake, a 69,000-acre (28,000 ha) impoundment of the Tennessee River. The park features resort facilities and is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Joe Wheeler State Park is a public recreation area with resort features located on Wheeler Lake, an impoundment of the Tennessee River in northwest Alabama. The state park contains 2,550 acres (1,030 ha) of land in three separate parcels and adjoins the Tennessee Valley Authority's Wheeler Dam.
Buck's Pocket State Park is public recreation area located on Sand Mountain in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Alabama, 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the community of Grove Oak. The state park occupies 2,000 acres (810 ha) surrounding a natural pocket (canyon) of the Appalachian Mountain chain along South Sauty Creek, an upstream tributary on the east side of Guntersville Lake. The park is known for the sweeping views of its rugged, seemingly untouched landscape provided from the heights of Point Rock.
Oak Mountain State Park is a public recreation area located approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of Birmingham in the northeast quadrant of the city of Pelham, Alabama, United States. It is the state's largest state park at 9,940 acres (4,020 ha) and is home to the Alabama Wildlife Center, Oak Mountain Interpretive Center, and Oak Mountain BMX Track. Park activities include hiking, running, mountain biking, swimming, camping, fishing, horseback riding, and golf. The park is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Blue Springs State Park is a public recreation area located 7 mi (11 km) east of Clio in Blue Springs, Barbour County, Alabama. The 103-acre (42 ha) state park features a clear blue, natural underground spring that pumps 3,600 US gal (14,000 L) of water per minute into two concrete-ringed swimming pools. The park's recreational area was expanded in 2013 when the Forever Wild Land Trust purchased 100 acres (40 ha) adjoining acres for the purpose of providing hiking trails.
Hickory Run State Park is a 15,990-acre (6,471 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Kidder and Penn Forest Townships in Carbon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is spread across the Pocono Mountains. The park is easily accessible from Interstate 476 and Interstate 80.
Lake of the Ozarks State Park is a Missouri state park on the Grand Glaize Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks and is the largest state park in the state. This is also the most popular state park in Missouri, with over 2.5 million visitations in 2017.
DeSoto State Park is a public recreation area located on Lookout Mountain 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Fort Payne, Alabama. The state park covers 3,502 acres (1,417 ha) of forest, rivers, waterfalls, and mountain terrain. It borders the Little River, which flows into the nearby Little River Canyon National Preserve. The 104-foot-tall (32 m) DeSoto Falls, the state's highest waterfall, is found in a separate part of the park 6 miles (9.7 km) north of the main park.
Cheaha State Park is a public recreation area located in Clay and Cleburne counties in Alabama, US. The park's 2,799 acres (1,133 ha) include Cheaha Mountain, the highest point in the state. The park adjoins Talladega National Forest and is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. It is Alabama's oldest continuously operating state park. Facilities include lodgings, a restaurant, campsites, and hiking trails.
Chewacla State Park is a public recreation area in Auburn, Alabama, occupying 696 acres (282 ha) to the south of Interstate 85. The state park's central feature, 26-acre (11 ha) Lake Chewacla, provides opportunities for fishing, swimming, and non-motorized boating.
Frank Jackson State Park is a public recreation area that wraps around Lake Frank Jackson and forms the northwesternmost portion of the city of Opp, Alabama. The 2,050-acre (830 ha) state park offers facilities for fishing, boating, hiking, and camping.
Gulf State Park is a public recreation area on the Gulf of Mexico in the city of Gulf Shores in southern Baldwin County, Alabama. The state park's 6,500 acres (2,600 ha) mostly encompass the land behind the Gulf Shores beach community, between Highway 59 and SH 161, with the west end extending further south to a wide beach area. In addition to beaches, the park includes marshland, boggy tea-colored streams, pine forests, and three spring-fed, fresh-water lakes: Lake Shelby, Middle Lake, and Little Lake. The park is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with park enforcement rangers providing around-the-clock security and enforcing anti-littering regulations.
Lake Lurleen State Park is a publicly owned recreation area located on U.S. Highway 82 approximately 9 miles (14 km) northwest of Northport in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The state park's 1,625 acres (658 ha) include 250-acre (100 ha) Lake Lurleen and a 23-mile (37 km) trail system. It is operated by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Lakepoint State Park is a public recreation area located on the far north side of the city of Eufaula. The state park encompasses 1,220 acres (490 ha) on the western shore of Lake Eufala, a 45,000-acre (18,000 ha) impoundment of the Chattahoochee River. The park adjoins Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge and is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Paul M. Grist State Park is a public recreation area located 17 miles (27 km) north of Selma operated by the government of Dallas County, Alabama. The park offers water activities on a 100-acre (40 ha) lake as well as facilities for camping and picnicking.
Rickwood Caverns State Park is a public recreation area and natural history preserve located 7 miles (11 km) north of Warrior, Alabama. The 380-acre (150 ha) state park offers tours of caverns with illuminated limestone formations estimated to be 260 million years old, blind cave fish, and an underground pool.
Wind Creek State Park is a public recreation area located 7 miles (11 km) south of Alexander City, Alabama, on the western side of Lake Martin, a 41,000-acre (17,000 ha) reservoir on the Tallapoosa River. The state park occupies 1,445 acres (585 ha) and is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is the state agency responsible for the conservation and management of Alabama's natural resources including state parks, state lands, wildlife and aquatic resources. ADCNR also issues hunting and fishing licenses for the state. The department promotes wise stewardship and enjoyment of the state's natural resources through five divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Supporting those divisions are seven support sections: Accounting, Diversity and Recruiting, Engineering, Information and Education, Information Technology, Legal, and Personnel and Payroll.