Camping Gems - Alabama

Bankhead National Forest

The newly expanded trail system in the Bankhead National Forest added 82 miles of recreational trails to the 71 miles already in the Forest. Now, you can enjoy hiking, bicycle and horseback riding, and a trail for your all-terrain vehicle. Facilities for camping, picnicking, fishing, and swimming are abundant. Check out the  25-mile Black Warrior Horse Trail to see the beautiful waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, deep gorges, majestic hardwood trees, wildflowers, and an abundance of birds and animals.

Little River Canyon National Preserve

Little River offers gorgeous views, incredible kayaking, and plenty of waterfalls for hikers to enjoy.  The river flows from the peaks of Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama into forests, dramatic canyons, bluffs, and sandstone cliffs. Enjoy ATV riding, bird watching, fishing, horseback riding, hunting, kayaking, and plenty of scenic drives.

Huntsville Space and Rocket Center

To jet propel yourself out of your historic time travels, zoom to the US Space and Rocket Center, I-565, exit 15, 256-837-3400. Here you can enjoy hands-on astronaut training exhibits, view actual spacecrafts, and NASA artifacts. You'll also see the Apollo 16 command module, a moon buggy, the Blackbird US Air Force spy plane, and the Pathfinder, which was NASA's full scale 89 ton space shuttle orbiter mock-up. And in the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, you'll find the Saturn V rocket, the MIR: Labs in Space, and a 3D digital theater.

Dauphin Island (near Mobile)

A visit to Dauphin Island will give you a chance to wander 14 miles of white sand beaches, fish off the Dauphin Island Fishing Pier, spot birds in the 164-acre Audubon Sanctuary, or learn about local wildlife at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Also just a short drive away you'll find Pensacola, Florida and the Historic Pensacola Village.

Desoto Caverns

If you like to do some of your sight seeing underground, head to Childersburg, AL and the DeSoto Caverns, 5181 DeSoto Caverns Pkwy., 256-378-7252. Holding the honors of being the first officially recorded cave in the US, a visit here will give you a chance to see wonderful underground rock formations and caverns. If this isn't enough cave exploring for you, drive to north Jefferson County to the Rickwood Caverns, Rt. 3, Warrior, AL, Memorial to Labor Day, 205-647-9692.