Gulf State Park

Beautiful park with tons to do over 20 miles of trails. Rented e-bikes for 4 hrs it was so fun! The views and well maintained trails were nice. The nature center had many coastal reptiles and very informative. Also the beach access is very clean with bathrooms, pavilion and life guards on duty. The parking is $10

Beautiful park and extremely well cared for. The staff were too notch and it is located in a very convenient location. The cabis were exceptional and the campground was amazing. Can't wait to go back and take the RV. The only bad thing we encountered wasy wife was stung over 30 times by fire ants! Their nests are everywhere around the cabins.

Beautiful park with tons of amenities, and it's right across the street from a beautiful beach! The camper sites are generous and plenty... this place is huge! They have full hookups, a swimming pool and splash pad, electric bike rentals, ice machines, and the nicest staff... what more could you want? This is probably one of the nicest campgrounds I've ever been to if you include all the amenities and the beach across the street... I'll definitely be back!

This place is magical. We rode our bikes for hours and had so much fun. We cannot wait to go camping there. That will be next year. The spots looked great and spread out. All level and beautiful sites. The access to the ocean was easy. A walk or quick bike ride but easy. Beautiful place

You can ride your bike all day and see all kinds of wildlife. Great trails and plenty of them. Lots of boardwalks. A campground that goes on for what seems like forever and has tennis courts, a pool, a boat launch, bath houses, etc.

Very nice park with 20 some trails. The cabin we stayed in was very nice. If it wouldn't have been so hot we would have tried out the free bikes anyone can ride

Our 7-day stay at this park was incredible, and here's why: you get the best of both worlds with easy 5-minute beach access and convenient bike trails. The camping facilities are top-notch, and the environment is simply lovely. Plus, the nearby town ensures you have everything you need within a short 15-minute drive. If you value outdoor adventure, quick trips to the beach, and a peaceful, family-oriented atmosphere, you'll love this park.

Gulf State Park is a great place! My husband and I enjoyed riding our bikes, the beaches, and relaxing. We learned that if you are a Veteran, they have a park pass to use! We enjoyed the park daily while visiting. We hope in the future to stay in the RV park!

One of the best trail systems I have seen in the south! I have been missing the awesome trails in Denver and this is on par.

The sound of the waves... The smell of the sea..... The soar of the birds..... The cleanliness of the beach as well as the park in general.... Perfection..... The trails are well kept and even with the afternoon thunderstorms they are clear of obstacles. They have a free bike program if you do not have your own.

Probably one of the better state parks I've been to in a while. They provide bikes free of charge for the first 3 hours of use. They aren't great, but they're free. A ton of trails to explore. We only explored a tiny percentage of the trails available. Decent beach. Good nature center with animals and demonstrations. Nice RV and camping areas. A restaurant we didn't try but smelled good. There really is a lot of good about the park.

This place is very cool, lots to do for the whole family! Not too far from the drag and the beach! They have local wildlife experts to show you about the local wildlife and help you learn about new things. The only knock is it is pricey for a state park and they could communicate a little better for first timers that might not know what to do.

Just beautiful. You can just "be" here. Learning about the habitat is easy and fun. They have great trails and a free bike program. I hate to leave.

I would recommend this park for the playground alone but there is so much more we didn't get to explore. We were here on spring break from Wisconsin and needed a small break from the beach. We hiked the board walk and played at the playground which was the perfect little morning activity. They rent bikes at the pavilion and we would definitely do that next time to take a ride around the whole lake- scenery is beautiful.

Beautiful sugary white sand beaches, miles and miles of bike paths, swimming, kayaking, boating, fishing and much more! All in a well/maintained park. It's no wonder people love coming here. I sure do and look forward to visit again!

#firsthike was so good today! After all these years coming to Gulf Shores, I never took the time to explore Gulf State Park! We did a short hike, 2 miles to to the dog park where Bear met a friend named Latté and then 2 miles back. It was great to get out and explore. #bearyyythorne

Wonderful state park with nicely spaced sites (you don't feel like you're elbow to elbow with other campers), nice shower/bath houses, and miles of trails for walking/biking. Would definitely stay there again. The only thing they could improve on is the information provided at check-in. It was our first time there and we weren't given a map of the park to help locate our site, had to go back and ask for one.

What an amazing campground. Plus, great area. Friendly people and campers. The office staff were amazing, helpful and fun. Campsites were clean, grounds were kept nice and campsites were level - no need for additional levelers. Lots and lots of trails - great for those that enjoy walking or biking. Bathrooms were the cleanest I have ever been in. Only a few things that might improve the campground - adding a dog park, replacing the burned out lightbulbs at the dock area and adding more dumpsters (the only one they have is @ 20 minutes walk from a lot of sites). I would definitely like to return here again. It was a wonderful experience. :)

This place is just meh. Coming from the other side of Mobile Bay, it's hard to get to, and when you do get there it's just a paved pathway with no shade trees after the Visitor's Center. You basically walk a very narrow path for miles as some sort of balancing act between the wetlands where you feel a gator may jump out and eat you at any time, and the few feet of guard rail that barely separates you from speeding traffic. And as ever anywhere I go in Alabama, the map is non-existent or poor, and there are no signs pointing to the restroom facilities. Grr. The part next to the dog park with actual shade trees, picnic benches, a beautiful view of whatever body of water that was, and the cute little duckies was nice, but perhaps not worth the trip. Although kudos to whoever put in that very nice dog park. It's super cool with access to the water (watch out for gators though!) and a hose to wash off your muddy pup. But again, perhaps not worth the 2-hour trip across the bay.

The idea of the dog park was good in theory but I don't quite understand the fencing situation (or lack there of). If there are signs posted about not feeding alligators why would you have the dog park open to the water?! My dogs loved it but I was terrified they were going to be eaten.... I hate giving such a nice facility a 3 star review but the alligator thing freaked me out.

Fishing Weir? I have driven right past this little area over the years without giving it much attention, like many other folks on this well traveled road. It's Hwy 135 which is cut-through between Beach Hwy and Fort Morgan Rd cutting through Gulf State Park. It's a waterway on the western part of Lake Shelby, which is a 900-acre freshwater lake with a recreation area with picnic tables and pavilions so if you're looking for some lakefront time it's right here and it's only steps away from the Gulf of Mexico, just across the street :-) They have continued to improve this area over the years, which got a big facelift starting in 2019 and since hurricane Sally they have really stepped it up. There used to be a small sign next to the small pull-off that marked it is a "weir" which I had to research. What I found was interesting and once again satsfied the hmmmmm of another one of those things that make me go hmmmmmm LOL A fishing weir, fish weir, fishgarth or kiddle is an obstruction placed in tidal waters, or wholly or partially across a river, to direct the passage of, or trap fish. A weir may be used to trap marine fish in the intertidal zone as the tide recedes, fish such as salmon as they attempt to swim upstream to breed in a river, or eels as they migrate downstream. Alternatively, fish weirs can be used to channel fish to a particular location, such as to a fish ladder. Weirs were traditionally built from wood or stones. The use of fishing weirs as fish traps probably dates back prior to the emergence of modern humans, and have since been used by many societies across the world. So there it is, a weir :-) Does the whole weir concept work, well I'v seen people fishing there all the time now and I've seen pictures of 20+ pound black drums pulled out of this area, so obviously it really does work. The whole area has an improved bike trail, improved parking and walkways with information on signs on both sides of the bridge. It looks pretty nice and this time of the year the sunrises are very pretty here Bottom line: I'm not going to be pulling up a chair and cooler up the the waters edge of the water in this relatively small space where gators might decide to fish for me x-) Nope! Are there gators present? https://youtu.be/2k2SOHQ9pfY comment: the guy in that video either can't read or is just a nitwit, just sayin' ...

Beautiful park with multiple lakes, an awesome dog area, and free bike rentals. It's pretty amazing the park is home to manatees, bob cats, alligators, all kinds of birds, turtles, and other animals. Wonderful for a 10 mile bike ride or for enjoying time near the lake.

Walking into this nature center while camping here, they did not charge us any money to look around, its free-they had live snakes, tarantula, baby alligators also stuffed critters such as beaver, bear and a cougar etc.. Very cool to see them-its only one room but nice people working in here- Check it out- Kids love it!

Amazing bike trails! Pier! Pool! Great management. In the heart of gulf shores but isolated nature preserve that is immaculate.

This is a great park. They have free bikes that you can use in the park. The dog park is wonderful. It looks brand new. They have a brand new bathroom area with plenty of picnic tables, play ground, etc. We were there in December so didn't go to the beach area but it looks nice. I would love to come back here in a warmer month. There seems to be some great cottages to rent as well.

We have always loved the Gulf State Park, but recently notice the influx of power assist bikes flooding the trails. What was once a calm relaxing walk in the park has now become tensely watching out for groups of power assist bikes flashing by. I don't think the 10 mph speed limit is being adjered to. Don't know the solution, but trying not to get run down is now the constant focus of walks.

We rented a cabin in the lake here. We will do so again. We are a family of 4 including two small kids (6 and 9) and our dog. The cabin was plenty spacious. It was a bit dated but we just thought of it as "part of roughing it" There is a nice pier that we fished from. The water is pretty shallow close to the bank and we let the kids play there. There were tons of crabs in and around the pier bottom. I didn't let them play if they couldn't see their feet under the water or near the grasses ... there are gators in the lake. We road our bikes down many paved and easy paths. Great outdoors and fun. The dog park was also really nice. Other people were there but everyone was friendly. It has plenty of space for our pup to run and play in the water. We took our dog and

A beautiful well kept state park! Camping, a lodge, with cabin and cottage rentals too, offer a stay option for everyone. I have camped here and rented a lakeside cottage and both have been excellent and fun vacation "homes". The park has a big beautiful pool and splash pad! They have a fun nature center with a lot of animals to see, my daughter loved it. Lots of activities for kids to participate in, a beautiful playground, and a ton of trails for walking and bike riding, and so much beautiful nature all around! There is a great restaurant on site with delicious food! I would definately recommend a family vacation here!

$5 to park for 4 hours, $10 for whole day. Pedestrian bridge to cross over. The park is a lot bigger than I thought. Good for hiking. Lots of campers in RVs. We also saw a lot of bikers and people on scooters. Since we were limited on time, I want to explore the park more next time. What I saw. I like. 280/2019

This is such a beautiful park located on the Redneck Riveria! Amidst the condominium high rises on the gulf shores of Alabama sits this piece of beautiful undisturbed land. When I came here, it was right after a quite active hurricane season. We weren't sure we'd even be able to camp out here, but the website let us know about openings, and they were good about communicating what was happening with the reopening of the park following heavy winds and flooding. When we arrived, they had just completed the repairs. Our campsite BBQ pit had never been used before. The old one must have been crushed or blown away! The clerk while checking in wasn't quite helpful, but we got the reservations straightened out after some considerable difficulties on their end. The park is on the other side of the freeway from the seashore. We camped on a lake that was within a few hundred meters from the shore. We could hear the waves breaking on the beach. When arriving we drove past signs that reminded campers to not disturb or harass the alligators. Check. At night we saw other campers with powerful spotlights sweeping the surface of the waters looking for gators' eyes reflecting back. Showers were nice and they had plenty of hot water. Things were well lit and the park felt safe, other than the alligators. But we didn't have to wrestle any gators, so that was a plus. Across the highway is the seashore with white sand that's amazingly soft. They have a big structure that seems to have showers and a fireplace in it, with plenty of parking. You have to pay for parking, unless you're a guest at the park. Pets aren't allowed on the beach. The beach is beautiful and a fantastic place to find shells!

I don't go to the beach here during the peak season, but during the off season it is awesome. No crowds, great walks on the beach and the trails along with the boardwalks. Park is well maintained in all aspects. Cost to park is $5.00. The bath and shower houses are also clean. There is a bike borrowing location here as well although we haven't done that since we have our own. There is a snack counter open during the peak season, but closed right now. You do have to watch the bikers on the boardwalks since they don't all practice good biking etiquette and would just as soon run over you. Most of these people are not locals. All in all one of the best state parks in Alabama.

Gulf State Park is just more beautiful spot to add to the long list of amazing places to see in Gulf Shores, AL. We visited the pier and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the beautiful Gulf. I would check several Yelp reviews as the Gulf State Park has much more to offer than we had time to utilize. The area is well maintained and very scenic. There is ample parking and lots of people were fishing off the pier with their families and friends.

My opinion is based solely on the campground. We pulled up and asked if we could drive in to pick a spot. They will not allow you in until you pay and reverse a specific spot. That's a first. The lady was super rude about it too. The man working the next day was even worse. He was condescending and flat out rude to the older lady that was working along side of him that morning. We've stayed at many state park campgrounds and this experience wasn't a good first impression of Alabama State Parks. We were there in August and expected it to be hot, but we expected to find a few mature shade trees here and there. Wrong. There aren't any. We had a late check-in and planned on staying at least one other night, but it just wasn't what I expected. Another thing that I didn't find there, was a beach or even a view of the ocean on the property. Where are the photos coming from of the ocean? Deceiving. We didn't take advantage of the nature center, pool or the apparent clean bathrooms, so I can't comment in that area. There are too many other campgrounds nearby with better views and shade tree. Even at better rates.

This makes me so sad....the electric bikes and bikes have taken over this trail. I used to enjoy walking my dog here and now I have to be on my guard the whole time...because all of these elderly people on bikes sneak up on you and don't say anything when the pass. The last few times I've been here, we've had close calls with those electric bike geezers, they almost hit me and my dog. I absolutely hate this trail now.

This park has something for everyone! The maze of decking the winds through the marshes and wet lands carved a web of meandering opportunity for us and the other families- to be one with our bikes! We were able to experience every type of terrain and plant species. The quiet bogs backdropped the alligator who calmly floated along side of the bridge we rest. The park is complete with cabins rustic and modern, campsites and the RV style. It has a nature center and a restaurant which host Interactive events and entertainment such as comedians ! Next time we return we will be sure to make the cabin accommodations part of our vacation. Thank you Gulf Shores for the hard work and many efforts to upkeep this for your community! All of us from Indiana will be back to enjoy

We had a great time biking the trails at Gulf State Park on our recent trip to the Gulf Shores area. This state park features miles of trails that run through marshland, around a lake, and to the beach. The area is beautiful and well-maintained. It's also a great spot for bird watching and we saw a gator too! You can rent bikes at the park or bring your own. There is a restaurant onsite in the park with outdoor seating. We didn't eat there, but tables were well-spaced out and staff were wearing masks. If you have an RV, there's also a very nice campground. The park also has cabins for rental. We were there on a cloudy, colder day (high 50s), but will return someday when it is warmer and the flowers are in bloom.

Gulf State Park is super fun. We parked off the beach access road and walked across the boardwalk, enjoying the summer breeze. Later, we went back and paid the $2 per vehicle to get into the campground area that had the Nature Center. It was SO WORTH IT! The Nature Center is super cool and they even have some non-releasable rescues like Homer the Box Turtle and a stunning and sweet owl named Willow (also Hawkeye and Sherlock). Highly recommend a visit to this state park!

The campground is amazing!! I luckily got a spot close to the bathroom, although there are many bathrooms throughout the entire grounds. There are tons of trails & beautiful scenery around. We were one of the only tents but it was very accommodating for whatever camping lifestyle you choose. Very easy entry & exit. Amazing pool, nature center, and lakeside camp store. The nature center has amazing LIVE wildlife inside and underneath of the building (the birds). Very family friendly, but also a good park to go and relax at with your significant other. There were trails all the way to the beach & free bike rentals to use around the entire state park!!! If you didn't want to ride to the beach (~1.5 miles) each campsite receives a free parking at the beach! Definitely recommend checking out this park, and we 100% will be back!

It's our 1st Family trip at RV and to this campground . Highly Recommend for families with kids and pets. If you liked hiking, they have around campground lot of hiking trails . You can see alligators, and different animals from wild nature . Access to public beach, you can drive with you bicycle or your vehicles and parking for free at the beach parking lot (if you camping at Gulf park campground). Service great. Nice place to enjoying your vacation. Will be booking for next our trip !!!

This is a beautiful state park..it has cabins for rent on Lake Shelby which are gorgeous.. there is also camping and I understand they have lots of activities for the people who stay there..there's a bike trail around the park ..and a golf course tucked in there..

This place is very good for biking, walking, or running. The trails are paved with miles for you to journey on. There are also multiple trailheads to get into the park. I suggest wearing sunblock because I've only been on a few parts that are shaded. Make sure to swing by the lake for a chance to see a gator! Gulf Shores State Park is a great activity for families and those who are active outside!

The campground does charge $2 to go in so make sure you have cash. But just in case you don't they'll take a card. If you don't realize this is in an RV campground you could get pretty lost trying to find it. This is a Very small place - as in one room - but there's lots of neat stuff to look at. Local wildlife are showcased here. Interesting stuffed animals, nests, bones, etc. Don't miss outside beneath the building there are cages with animals who are rehabilitating it which can't go back to the wild. During nice weather there's a small outdoor amphitheater so I'm thinking they probably have programs there. We watched a very interesting talk about local snakes. The young lady who gave the talk pulled out two live snakes and we got to pet them and watch them eat frozen mice! That was a first. My boys were thrilled! My daughter not so much Last time we visited they had a red tailed hawk they did a talk on and we got to see him up close. I'm assuming they do a lot of this kind of thing. Informative and it made our visit worthwhile. Four stars.

I was notified on FB of the red tailed hawk exhibit since we were in the neighborhood. We have 4 boys so we loaded them up to go! The Gulf State Park area itself is so clean and nice we loved it right away! $2.00 a day pass, can't beat that price with the amenities. The information on the hawk and getting to watch him eat was super cool along with all the other insects and reptiles we were able to see and learn about. Very friendly staff. We plan to come back here for a camp trip!

We took a few hours here on a windy day to get away from the beach. Great for kids! We walked the trails and saw lots of wildlife. It was all stroller friendly with benches every half mile or so for rest/shade. Everything was very clean & nice. We paid $5 to park for 4 hours. I would recommend for families needing to get kids out of the condo/hotel for sure!

Very nice campgrounds. There is plenty to do here. Both times I have been unfortunate to be in an area where the bathhouse is being renovated. Can't wait to go back.

My family is new to the RV/camping scene as we've only been at it for just under a year, but even with my inexperience, I can tell you this park is special! We have stayed here twice, and enjoyed it immensely each time! There are several full hook up lots including pull-throughs. There are nice bathhouses that are well maintained. The pool is large and beautiful and our kids loved it! There are playgrounds throughout the park with nice swings. There are walking trails and fishing areas. The office on site is 24 hours. Easy check in and check out. Lots of wildlife are present including rabbits, the occasional alligator, and even eagles! The pier is amazing!!! The beach access is wonderful!!! We will definitely return!!!

The park seemed nice, but it was hard to determine the main entrance. We finally parked somewhere and started walking. The trails were pretty, and as others have noted, there were a lot of bike riders.

This is a very fun spot to hike or go for a bike ride! they have free bikes that you can pick up at the trail heads and there are many paths you can take including going around the lake. I would definitely recommend checking it out.

The park has 28 miles of trails, bike rentals, kayak rentals, and segway tours. I would recommend this tour of a morning and not high noon during the day. There's plenty of nature's to see and the staff is pretty friendly.

Beautiful beach and facilities. If you're looking to save some money and stay at a hotel off-site this is the beach for you. Parking was only five dollars for the entire day and you can come and go. The facilities are great and the beach is nice and clean.

The wife and I love this place just wish it wasn't so far from Louisville. For me driving the coach here wears me out takes me another day to recoup. We now plan two weeks each visit. Now this state park has it all. We bike, swim at the pool, go to the beach and other events at the park. Our special site is 467, we like it because it is a pull through and is at the end of the line. Gulf Shores has a lot to offer. Give it a try.

Amenities we good electricity, water (pressure was strong) and sewer. Had to buy another sewer hose because our sewer was in the back and still didn't reach. Oh well. Park rangers came by at 1120, we were supposed to be out at 11. No Buffer for check out... you need to be out at 11! Don't lolly gag! Rules are strictly enforced. No alcohol, no fires without a pit and no electric bikes. I don't think I will be going back.

I love the state park! It has full hookups (including sewer), well kept preservation, laundry facilities, tennis courts, fishing piers, BEAUTIFUL swimming pool with a kiddie splash area, hiking trails, bike paths, clean & roomy bathhouses, a dog park, and beach access! We stay here every summer for at least a week. Make your reservations in advance if it's peak season! You will not be disappointed with Gulf State Park

We stayed at the campground for 7 days. The weather was perfect! The campground is clean and the bathhouses are air conditioned. No complaints from us in regards to the facilities and how nice all the park staff was. You also get free pier access, pool access, and free entry to the public beach access! There is also a splash pad to cool off on if the pool water is not refreshing enough (it is kinda warm)! If you are looking for a beach vacation in your camper, I would highly recommend this park.

So all summer long I've been taking random road trips to Alabama and it has been good to me! Warm sand, sunsets and cool water...with the addition of some semi-aggressive fishes nibbling at your feet. LOL. Its great family atmosphere with a few water activities to do while you're out...parasailing, riding the banana boat and fishing. You might even catch a sunset wedding! With it not being a far drive from New Orleans I can see myself traveling here well into the fall months since we basically have warm weather through the beginning of October.

I chose this campground based on an internet search of campgrounds in the area. After 20 minutes of arriving, I had already decided I would be back. This is a beautiful state park campground. There are hiking trails, bike and golf cart trails, all conveniently located between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. I camped in a tent at one of the 10 primitive sites. Each site is a small secluded space with a grill and fire pit, with no water or electricity, but that's what I was looking for. There are clean restrooms with showers nearby. I met my neighbors across the road and the ones staying at the campsite next to me. I only wish I could have stayed longer. About a half mile from the check-in office is the Gulf State Beach access. It is a beautiful stretch of white sand beach with lots of room to set up chairs, canopies, etc.. You will need to bring your own chairs. It's not a beach front like at the resorts where you rent chairs. You receive a pass for the state park pier which has fishing and other activities. There is also a dog park/lake area that is great! Gulf shores and Orange beach have lots of restaurants and bars and they're only a mile or so from the park. Do yourself a favor and stay here.

5 stars because we can't give 4.5 and 4 is not enough. We love the full hook ups (sewer!); water pressure was 'soft' and the sites were short (not crowded on the sides tho) and there wasn't much shade, but you are at the beach. Check-in was easy and they were very helpful. The beach was ideal: crystal-clean water and not crowded ( we came after school started). Very clean sand. Lots of beach. We haven't gone to the pier yet but it looks interesting. It's a great camping place. Our neighbors had 2 dogs and thought the rules didn't apply to them. I called the office the first time they were gone, (Aug) leaving the dogs tied up outside, in the sun, and their water out of reach. Ranger took over 30 min to show up and they had returned. Nothing done. 2 days later, they left the dogs again and they pulled their anchor out of the ground and ran free until the owners came home. Rules not enforced so be aware.