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The park was well maintained. The campground had paved sites with easy access to trails. The trails connect and are well marked. There were lots of amenities at the campsite. The staff was friendly. Something to do for everyone! Close to stores, restaurants, and local attractions.
I spent Tuesday-Thursday of May 2025 at Gulf State Park at The Outpost Campground at the Bonanza site with my mom and two aunts. The site was a 1.1 mile walk in on Cotton Bayou Trail which is a paved bike path. We parked by the Orange Beach water tower by the Cotton Bayou Trailhead in the overflow parking area. You have to first drive into Gulf Shores to enter the campgrounds main entrance to get the key to the bathrooms, your parking pass, and a map of the state park. This part was very frustrating for us as the woman working that day was very confused at us needing to check in (no clue why) and ultimately gave a lot of attitude and misinformation and tried to send us on our way without the bathroom key or maps. She handed us instructions on how to get to the parking area for The Outpost sites, which was in Orange Beach. We brought rolling coolers and a wagon to carry everything. I would suggest renting a bike nearby and bringing your stuff in behind your bike (not sure how plausible that is though). I do wish I had a bike here though as Gulf State Park has some awesome bike trails. The place seemed rundown as ours seemed to be the only functioning tent setup as two were completely taken down, and one's screen was completely broken. I will say the screen to our tent was broken and it was poorly duct-taped back together, causing us to get eaten alive by yellow flies. You could tell no one had stayed there in a while and that it was rundown as I previously stated. The water pump pumped very irony and sulfury water, so we didn't use it at all. There had been trash left in the sinks, empty water bottles. The shower was soo cute but sadly it didn't work. We tried to pump it and no water ever came out. The toilets were in little outhouses that were like port-a potty's. They hadn't been emptied and had trash in them when we arrived, they came at 7 am on our final morning to clean the toilets but still didn't throw out the trash left in there. The wood that was provided cost $1 for 2 sticks. We ended up also collecting our own sticks and pine cones to help with the fire. The fire pit didn't come with a poker or anything but made it work. There were 3 benches around the fire pit in addition to the two chairs on the porch that could be brought out to the sand. We very much enjoyed having a tent already set up for us with 4 cots inside. The cots were great for sleeping in the heat. There is a light switch and a light that didn't work, it looked like solar used to be set up there. There were some small solar lights in the sand that were great to have at night. On Wednesday, we went to the Gulf State Park Pavilion and paid $10 to park, not realizing our parking pass worked there. It was a great place to lay in the sand on the beach and then take a shower and use an air conditioned toilet. We then drove into town to eat at my all time favorite pizza joint- Papa Rocco's- for pizza and oysters which was delicious. Other than that we ate all of our meals at camp- mostly cured meats and cheeses, hot dogs, meat sticks, yogurts, and hard boiled eggs. Overall we had a great time spending family time outside together and in the beach town we grew up near (they're from Mobile and I'm from Baldwin county). I would definitely come back and pitch a tent in the main campground, but as far as the outpost sites, I think one time was enough for me lol.
This was the first year the state park had a walkable Christmas trail of lights and I can only imagine that it will only improve. The people working at the greeting tent were very friendly and helpful. This is a very family event with a scavenger hunt and large trails. I will participate every year.
We stayed at the campground for 5 days. We have stayed at multiple state parks in many states, and this one is top notch. We have a 36 foot camper and the roads were wide enough for us to navigate with other large campers. The sites are paved and ours was perfectly level. Bathrooms were clean and nice, and the staff was very friendly. The park is well kept and nice too. There are over 20 miles of trails to walk or bike (we recommend e-bikes) with all sorts of wildlife. I cannot recommend this enough, plus you get free parking at any of the state park beaches. The campground is full of walkers and bikers of all ages. Be warned: there are fire ants, and they bite, so be aware of that as you wander around barefoot. You may also encounter various snakes and possibly an alligator (we only saw one little guy on the trails). The campsites in the first loop (I think they start at 83) have good afternoon shade and are close to multiple bathhouses. The pool is saltwater and very family friendly too!
All great. We rented pedal assist e bikes and bike around the trails circling lake Shelby and middle lake.. lunch at the woodside restaurant was fabulous. Highly recommended even if you're not a biking person the peddle assist bikes can do most of the heavy work..
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.
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.
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' ...
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.
#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
Reviews are largely positive. Visitors highlight the well-maintained trails, spacious campsites, and friendly staff. The park also offers family-friendly activities.
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1 month ago
Plein Air painting event at The Lodge, Gulf State Park.... Hoping this will be an annual event, as the art community convened a plein air event, bringing together artists with the inspiration of Gulf State Park's many habitats. The result was a large number of paintings which were for purchase at the closing reception at the end of the week. The weather was mild, the food and drink at The Lodge was yummy (I had the steak and eggs for brunch), and it was so cool to watch the artists paint live. read more
6 months ago
Absolutely phenomenal park!!! I am blown away! Gorgeous landscape, beautiful sunsets, the flora and fauna have me in awe. 28 miles of trails for biking and walking. I've spotted alligators, blue heron, turtles, lizards.. very cool! All the campsite hosts are friendly and our check-in was very easy and we were also greeted with welcoming service. We chose campsite number 479 right next to Mission Lake and the pedestrian bridge that takes you to the ocean. This campground is so clean, beautiful, and offers multiple bathrooms with showers and restrooms. The bathrooms are clean and the showers have enough space to shower and change. Each campsite I've seen has a dump station and water, which has come in handy. There's also Wi-Fi! There's also a restaurant on the campgrounds and tomorrow night we are going to listen to live music and have a few drinks. I've truly loved my stay here and would highly recommend it to anyone! We were only going to stay for four nights but we extended it to a week because we are having such a great time. read more
The park was well maintained. The campground had paved sites with easy access to trails. The trails connect and are well marked. There were lots of amenities at the campsite. The staff was friendly. Something to do for everyone! Close to stores, restaurants, and local attractions. read more
I spent Tuesday-Thursday of May 2025 at Gulf State Park at The Outpost Campground at the Bonanza site with my mom and two aunts. The site was a 1.1 mile walk in on Cotton Bayou Trail which is a paved bike path. We parked by the Orange Beach water tower by the Cotton Bayou Trailhead in the overflow parking area. You have to first drive into Gulf Shores to enter the campgrounds main entrance to get the key to the bathrooms, your parking pass, and a map of the state park. This part was very frustrating for us as the woman working that day was very confused at us needing to check in (no clue why) and ultimately gave a lot of attitude and misinformation and tried to send us on our way without the bathroom key or maps. She handed us instructions on how to get to the parking area for The Outpost sites, which was in Orange Beach. We brought rolling coolers and a wagon to carry everything. I would suggest renting a bike nearby and bringing your stuff in behind your bike (not sure how plausible that is though). I do wish I had a bike here though as Gulf State Park has some awesome bike trails. The place seemed rundown as ours seemed to be the only functioning tent setup as two were completely taken down, and one's screen was completely broken. I will say the screen to our tent was broken and it was poorly duct-taped back together, causing us to get eaten alive by yellow flies. You could tell no one had stayed there in a while and that it was rundown as I previously stated. The water pump pumped very irony and sulfury water, so we didn't use it at all. There had been trash left in the sinks, empty water bottles. The shower was soo cute but sadly it didn't work. We tried to pump it and no water ever came out. The toilets were in little outhouses that were like port-a potty's. They hadn't been emptied and had trash in them when we arrived, they came at 7 am on our final morning to clean the toilets but still didn't throw out the trash left in there. The wood that was provided cost $1 for 2 sticks. We ended up also collecting our own sticks and pine cones to help with the fire. The fire pit didn't come with a poker or anything but made it work. There were 3 benches around the fire pit in addition to the two chairs on the porch that could be brought out to the sand. We very much enjoyed having a tent already set up for us with 4 cots inside. The cots were great for sleeping in the heat. There is a light switch and a light that didn't work, it looked like solar used to be set up there. There were some small solar lights in the sand that were great to have at night. On Wednesday, we went to the Gulf State Park Pavilion and paid $10 to park, not realizing our parking pass worked there. It was a great place to lay in the sand on the beach and then take a shower and use an air conditioned toilet. We then drove into town to eat at my all time favorite pizza joint- Papa Rocco's- for pizza and oysters which was delicious. Other than that we ate all of our meals at camp- mostly cured meats and cheeses, hot dogs, meat sticks, yogurts, and hard boiled eggs. Overall we had a great time spending family time outside together and in the beach town we grew up near (they're from Mobile and I'm from Baldwin county). I would definitely come back and pitch a tent in the main campground, but as far as the outpost sites, I think one time was enough for me lol. read more
This was the first year the state park had a walkable Christmas trail of lights and I can only imagine that it will only improve. The people working at the greeting tent were very friendly and helpful. This is a very family event with a scavenger hunt and large trails. I will participate every year. read more
3 months ago
We stayed at the campground for 5 days. We have stayed at multiple state parks in many states, and this one is top notch. We have a 36 foot camper and the roads were wide enough for us to navigate with other large campers. The sites are paved and ours was perfectly level. Bathrooms were clean and nice, and the staff was very friendly. The park is well kept and nice too. There are over 20 miles of trails to walk or bike (we recommend e-bikes) with all sorts of wildlife. I cannot recommend this enough, plus you get free parking at any of the state park beaches. The campground is full of walkers and bikers of all ages. Be warned: there are fire ants, and they bite, so be aware of that as you wander around barefoot. You may also encounter various snakes and possibly an alligator (we only saw one little guy on the trails). The campsites in the first loop (I think they start at 83) have good afternoon shade and are close to multiple bathhouses. The pool is saltwater and very family friendly too! read more
5 months ago
11 months ago
All great. We rented pedal assist e bikes and bike around the trails circling lake Shelby and middle lake.. lunch at the woodside restaurant was fabulous. Highly recommended even if you're not a biking person the peddle assist bikes can do most of the heavy work.. read more
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. read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
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. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
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. read more
5 years ago
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' ... read more
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. read more
4 years ago
#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 read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
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 read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
6 years ago
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. read more
3 years ago
$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 read more
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. read more
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. read more
8 years ago
3 years ago
Amazing bike trails! Pier! Pool! Great management. In the heart of gulf shores but isolated nature preserve that is immaculate. read more
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. read more
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! read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
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 read more
7 years ago
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 !!! read more
5 years ago
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More info about Gulf State Park
20115 State Park Rd
Gulf Shores, AL 36542
Directions
(251) 948-7275
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http://www.alapark.com
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We have reservations for a pull through site this summer. Are we allowed to have a tent also?
Yes
Review Highlights - Gulf State Park
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