I visited Oak Mountain State Park as part of the Mammoth March Hike, fully aware it was going to be a major undertaking--but it still managed to shock me. The steep climbs up and down the mountain were incredibly challenging. At one point, I even slipped and slid down part of the trail but thankfully managed to do so gracefully without hurting myself. Being from Florida, I was definitely not accustomed to the elevation gain I was about to face. There were plenty of moments throughout the hike where I questioned why I signed up for this challenge, but pushing through and ultimately finishing made it all worth it. Having the bragging rights to say I conquered this terrain feels incredibly rewarding. That day, I didn't notice much floral life, and most of the critters seemed to be hiding--likely due to the large number of people participating in the hike. That said, I was still lucky enough to spot a rattlesnake and a black racer, which made the experience even more memorable. There were a few noteworthy areas worth stopping for, including an open area near a dam‑like structure and several peaceful river and creek spots along the route. While the park is absolutely massive and I know there was so much left unexplored, the 23 miles I trekked over 9 hours was more than enough for one day. If I find myself back in the area, I might just dare to return and explore some of the parts of the park I didn't get to see. Truly a beautiful park and an incredible asset for those who live nearby and get to enjoy it regularly. read more

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I absolutely love going out to Oak Mountain. I have been several times with my sister and on my own. There's plenty to keep you busy no matter your interest or the season. I personally love going for a hike and bringing my pup along. Plus, there's so many great spots to stop and enjoy a picnic My husband and I plan to come and visit the golf course soon. As well as pack our bows to practice at the archery course. read more

Beautiful park! Great Lake for swimming and the trails are extraordinary for biking or trail running. We were so impressed and really enjoyed our time in the park read more

Such a beautiful park with multiple trails that are pet friendly. There's lakes and biking options as well. Definitely enjoyed the park. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

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If you're in Birmingham and in need of a relatively close hike, this spot is a good place to go around. Here's instructions for the waterfall in particular Directions: Ask for a map and follow it through the road. When you're at the parking lot. Revisit the Park map and follow the taggings. The taggings are pretty visible, the sounds of the water should also guide you. Hiking Difficulty: I recommend hiking boots and water; however, my friend just did it with his regular clothes. Overall: 4.5 stars. I had a great experience here. Unfortunately the water was low (December) but I imagine it being more active and flowy during the summer. Regardless there are great things to do here. A nice run, hike, biking, or just observing the nice Alabama plants. I hope to come back here in the summer TL;DR Tips: * Entrance to the park is $5. * Check IG if the waterfall is strong or weak, it varies based on the season. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - Woot! - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

My family and I came here just out of the blue on a Saturday. There is a $5 entrance fee and $3 for senior citizens. Since this was my first time here, I wasn't sure what fees would apply. The attendant on duty was helpful. As all first timers, we wasn't real sure how it all worked. We navigated best we could. My main goal was to NOT get lost. Mission accomplished! We found a trail to explore and it was enjoyable. Very relaxing too. This is a large state park with lots to see. We didn't get to see much. We all decided that we would make another trip out to the state park soon. read more

The Kings Chair trail is steep in many places and flat in a few areas. I'd consider it moderate in difficulty, which I loved. The view leaves me speechless every time. Just beautiful. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - King's Chair has the most breathtaking views! - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

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There isn't much I can add to the words that have been said about the park already. The only thing I don't see said enough is what a bargain it is to enter the park. If you and your family haven't visited yet, do it! It's such a gem. read more

Had a blast hiking the Kings Chair Overlook. It's a moderate uphill and downhill out and back clicking in at 3.5-ish miles. Keep mind of your footing both ways, as the trail often has loose rock or pine needles to cause slipping. I was over the moon making it to the top (it's a challenge), and the view didn't disappoint! read more

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We have been visiting Oak Mountain State Park for 25 + years. We have camped there, hiked the trails, fished, canoed the lakes, visited the farm, watched fireworks, rode bikes, etc. My husband and I hiked the other day, and I must say I was disappointed with the amount of erosion on the blue trail. In the past someone tried to fix it by making wood steps, but the erosion has made the steps exceedingly high which has made people walk around the steps thus widening the trail and making the erosion worse. I am not sure what the answer is. Maybe move the trail and let the old trail grow back? Otherwise this is a nice park with a lot of activities!! There's golfing, horseback riding, a beach, and even archery. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

Loved their Kings Chair Loop Trail. That view from the very top was well worth the climb! Scenic, decently well marked trail. Only $5 park admission. read more

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It's a shame that a beautiful facility can be ruined by untrained people. Today I went to Oak Mountain State Park and while I was driving by the campgound I remembered a good friend was staying there for the weekend. I turned in, walked up to the store and spoke to Carter at the desk. I told him the name and the campsite my friend and his family were staying in and I was there to surprise them with a visit. I told him what they were driving and the type of rv they were staying in. He told me he could not let me in for security reasons. I tried to reason with Carter but Carter stood his gound saying that was the rule. I walked outside, called my friend (the surprise was over) and was given the gate code. I then drove to the site and sat down with them in the beautiful weather. Shortly after and armed park ranger came into camp asking to speak to me. He proceeded to tell me that Carter called him to report that he was intimidated by our conversation, implying a posed a threat, this was in front of a number of people. I told him my side of it and was bewrated by this unknown ranger, with no name tag that I could see. He insisted that I was not allowed in by Carter because I could be a threat. I told him a few weeks before I had come thru the campgound, walked into the store and asked to drive thru the campground to see the remodel and was instantly given the gate code. The wranger said, That was a loophole. HMMMMM. The ranger had no business calling me out in front of friends for such a rediculous statement from Carter at the desk. If he had a problem he should have pulled me aside and talked to me privatly. any by the way, Carter, without a doubt did not represent what a state employee should be, he was right no matter what I said. The armed range had no business coming into camp and calling me out in front of friends who were greatly offended by the entire incident. read more

Funny how we travel around the world looking for/at beautiful things and places never taking in the beauty around us. I haven't been to the beach at Oak Mountain in a while so going back for a Veterans event was kind of special. Man o man, I had forgotten just how nice it is riding up the mountain and taking in nature. Once I arrived to the beach, I was blown away by the view. There's nothing like water to calm the nerves and ease the stress of life. Great seeing the families and kids enjoying the sand and water. The smells of burning coals filled the air as the small boats went up and down the river. Oak Mountain is a great place for hiking, biking, fishing, boating and all things outdoor. Hurry up and get there! Don't miss the fun! read more

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This is a beautiful park. It's easy to get to and the $5 fee is reasonable. There is plenty to see and do for people of all ages and ability levels. Here you will find beautiful scenery for a nice drive, over 50 miles of trails to hike, bike, or ride horses. They have bike trails certified by the IMBA for mountain bikers. There are rental horseback riding facilities on site as well as a demonstration farm. Little ones and animal lovers will enjoy the petting zoo. Oak Mountain also offers an archery range, 18 holes of golf with a driving range and a pro shop. They offer picnic facilities including a large pavilion and tables with grills. There are two fishing lakes and a recreational use lake with a boat launch as well as paddle boats and canoes for rent. This lake has a sandy beach swimming area, a large open playing field, and a shoreline for fishing. In the Summer months they have a large inflatable obstacle course on the water. There is also a cable water skiing course. The Alabama Wildlife Center is located here as is the Interpretive Center. Both offer educational programs. The treetop nature trail is one I highly recommend. You can view non-releasable birds of prey in 6 different enclosures in the tree tops. There is so much to do here, I'm sure I'm leaving something out. You can camp at one of the many campgrounds or you can rent one of their cabins. They're a little pricey but we'll worth it. I visited here with my disabled parents and we had a lovely time. The gate attendant was friendly and gave us a park map. We enjoyed the scenery as we drove through the park. We made use of the picnic tables next to a stream. It was beautiful. The view from the top of the mountain was absolutely breathtaking. I'll be coming back to make the hike to Peavine Falls. I highly recommend this park. read more

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Nice place to have a family outing. There is a $5 per adult (12+) and $2 per child (4-11). The lay out can be a bit tricky. I'm glad my friends gave good directions and had balloons set up for our event. They have grills onsite and a beach like area for swimming. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

For a $5 park, it's pretty nice for a drive or family friendly camping. They have water sports like kayaking or swimming, lots of playgrounds and basketball courts. There's a farm with a petting zoo and plenty of hiking trails. I wasn't impressed by the falls so I don't think it's worth the drive, especially with how narrow the road is and it takes like 20min at 15mph. The bird wildlife sanctuary wasn't really anything worth looking unless you want to see some everyday birds. read more

It is the only thing that I'm gonna spend a lot of money on just kidding. It doesn't cost too much is beautiful about it. My kids loved it. My wife goes every weekend with her son named Billy and it really just wonderful. read more

I did my 50 Mile Trail Race at Oak Mountain State Park - I don't live nearby, so I came in hoping for the best. - Parking is great! I parked at the Terrance Drive area. - Indoor bathrooms! YES! God send when I was running and had to pee. - Very pretty trails. We ran on the easier trail area but I heard there are much harder trails, so I love the variation. - Big pavilion & lots of green space. - 5 bucks per car for entry. - Trails are well-maintained. I'll definitely come back here to run when I'm in Alabama. read more

What a lovely park. So many resources to enjoy. We went for three nights of tent camping. Great tent sites. Restrooms adequate. Picnic tables are to be replaced soon, I think, and that will be good. The weather was awful for us, hot and thunderstorms every day. But the park is close enough to Birmingham that we found things to do inside with air conditioning so we had a nice visit. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - View from the Vulcan monument, Birmingham, AL. - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

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This is my favorite vacation spot in the country. The cabins are fantastic. Large, furnished with AC & flat screen tv & satellite TV. They surround a wonderful little man-made lake and come equipped with canoes and a pier for fishing. Each cabin has a nice porch with a swing, grill, and picnic table. Wonderful. There's also a number of fantastic hiking trails. A nature center, a zoological trail with indigenous birds and animals, and a great man-made beach at one of several lakes. There's also a working farm with a petting zoo, horse trails, primitive camp sites, a bmx course, and an archery range. All this nestled within a breathtakingly beautiful state park that is a short 15-20 minute drive to Birmingham and all that city offers. Did you know that Birmingham has more James Beard nominees than Atlanta? It is probably the most underrated city in the country. So much to do & such a cool vibe. I love coming here & can't wait to come back. It's really an amazing place. read more

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Beautiful spot with many amenities. Archery, horseback riding, golf, etc sites are almost all with trees and shade. Many pull thru sites. Very nice park. Would definitely go back. read more

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A serene place that's surrounded by lush trees and vast lands they can be trekked, biked, camped and in general enjoyed. King Chair is one of my favorites at Oak Mountain. It is a steep hike but worth the effort that leads you to stunning views. The wildlife center is also worth visiting, great outdoor activity to involve kids. Very educational and you get to learn about Alabama wildlife. Staff are always friendly. The signs are properly set up and you won't feel like you are lost in this place. The park encompasses many other landscapes like a beach with a swimming area. If you are interested in overnight stays there are camp grounds and cabins. During 4th of July you can watch the fireworks and this is the best place to enjoy them with friends and family. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you have plenty to choose from. The entrance fee is $5.00 but if you are 3 and under it's free and $2.00 for 62 and over. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

I love Oak Mountain!! First off, the staff at the gates are down to earth, respectful, respectable, attentive, and joyful!! Next, the park is constantly adding value to the park. We have a camper out here. It seems like every season, there are helpful new additions to campsites, trails, bathrooms, etc. The trails are well marked. Some people do not like highly trafficked trails, but I enjoy it being a young woman hiking alone sometimes. It is a safe place for hiking, biking, horse riding, star gazing, and anything in-between!! Check out their Facebook page for events and attractions. read more

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I visited the oak mountain state park beach for my birthday before, so I wanted to go again. It's only $5 per adult all day. The beach was fun with swimming and playing in the sun with family and/or friends. It's a perfect simple place close to Birmingham for a cheap weekend away. read more

For hiking, lake-beach time, or just hanging out in the green, clean air of nature, you can't beat Oak Mountain. There are hiking trails, horse trails, mountain biking trails, water recreational areas, boat rentals, cabins, camp grounds - really, a little bit of everything! The entrance fee is $5/day for adults, which I feel is perfectly reasonable to keep up this beautiful space and make it accessible. Warning, though, they DON'T have card readers and only accept cash! I'm so grateful we have this space in Birmingham. We are super lucky. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

One of the most beautiful State parks!! We did the Raptor trail and water fall trail! Watch for snakes at the waterfall trail but they're harmless if you are harmless! Waterfall is a workout and not for the faint hearted, this is coming from a marathon runner!! Amazing spot for bouldering and free climbing as well, I felt so alive up here and I didn't even get to swim in the lake or do the other two trails I wanted to do. If you come here bring a mountain bike and camp here for the weekend and bike anywhere you want to go, there's even a restaurant for when you get tired of the hobo packet camp meals! read more

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I do road biking here almost every weekend. The trails are well maintained and safe. Other fun activities include picnic, hiking (e.g., to the Peavine Fall and King's Chair) and fishing. read more

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How cool! We loved Kings Chair and Pevine (sp?) Falls. The water fall was flowing in full force after a flash flood a couple of days before. Nice trails, sooo many we were bummed to only have one day to explore this beautiful park! read more

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Oak Mountain State Park was a blast. We stayed one night to camp and hit some of the great mountain biking trails. Full story here: https://youtu.be/4iKkc0tpMvM. One of my favorite two trail mash ups - thunder and lighting. The camp sites made this a 4. They were okay. But the mountain biking, lake and water fall made this a fun park. read more

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Went kayaking and had a blast! It was a good way to spend the day.

Beautiful state park. We love camping but the sites need updating many too small and not level . Bathrooms are terrible ... very outdated. This park has lots s of amenities ... beautiful lakes, beautiful golf course, horse stables, beach and bmx trails and great hiking trails. Please up date campground and bathrooms. All the picnic tables are outdated or broken. read more

I'm glad we have this option for outdoor activities here near Hoover; located in Pelham. I've been there so many times at so many stages of life. In high school for group fellowships for teams, church groups; visited the outdoor center where they tend to injured animals; hiked to peavine falls; camped out overnight at their campground; ridden a mountain bike on their bike trails; had a few family and friends cookouts by the lake; canoed and fished the lake; golfed their course (deer frequently hang out). If you like the outdoors on a pretty day, it's a nice place to be. read more

I've known this place very well for many of years. I used to race BMX bikes next to the beach area when it was still there. Raced at the new track as well. We camped every weekend. It's nostalgic for me. Great trails. Smell of the nature and BBQ. Fireworks for the 4th. American heart. It used to beat everywhere but now you have to pay for it. read more

What a beautiful park! Came friday with my better half and our 3 pup children around 1:30 and it was empty which was soooo nice compared to times I've been and it's been packed! Entrance fee to the park is $5/person (thankfully pets aren't included or this would have been an expensive hike). We bypassed the kayak/canoe rentals and first 2 parking lot hike trails and made our way all the way to the top to Peavine Falls and the outlook. The drive up the mountain is insanely fresh and crisp, this may be one of my favorite parts of the whole park! It is a windy road so if you get motion sick you made want to come prepared. As you start the Peavine Falls trail you can either take a right at some benches to go down to the falls or you can continue to follow the trail to the left and it will take you across a bridge and around the back side of the falls where you can choose to go either up to the outlook point or down to the falls. The trails can get pretty woody/foresty but the trees for the trails have markers so you can be assured you didn't get lost! The outlook is beautiful and worth the climb. The falls were quite dry I believe it is a waterfall that needs a good shower before it is going so hopefully we will catch it better next time. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - The outlook - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

Went camping over the weekend here with a friend and my dog, reservations online for the campground were easy. It's beautiful and only 45 south of Birmingham. The park has tons of trails, mountain bike paths, a golf course, archery park, cabins, trailer space, a restuarant and lakes with boat rentals. It was a bit crowded because there was a harvest festival on Saturday (it was pretty cool and had great food options). Would definitely camp here again as it's a great halfway point between Nashville and Pensacola where my fave camping buddy lives. One thing to note is that the back gate closes at sunset so in the winter and fall make sure you drive to the front gate right off the interstate if arriving close to sunset. read more

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On Sunday, March 9th, Tony and I stopped at Oak Mountain State Park outside of Birmingham, AL. The park is so lovely. We stopped at the front gate and asked the Park Ranger for directions to the Peavine Falls that is located in the park. This park is very lovely. There is a beach, hiking, picnic tables and gorgeous overlooks on the mountain tops. I really enjoyed this park and I would love to go back there again. The park entrance fee was $5 for the car..not per person. Great day and lovely weather. -- at Oak Mountain State Park. read more

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I love Oak Mountain. There is so much to see and explore. It's so nice to be in nature. No matter how many times you go, you'll see and experience something new. read more

I loved to hike at oak mountain. It was gorgeous. We had such a blessed time with friends. read more

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Brought the pup up here for a long walk to burn some of his energy.... what a great place, had I know of all the things to do here we would have come much sooner... the hiking trails are pretty good and LONG!!!!! There is so much to see and do here, can't wait to come back in warmer weather to kayak and swim!!!! This place seems to have it all, horse back riding, gold, swimming, hiking, falls, too much to do in one day. If you want a one stop park this is it in the ham area. And the views from atop the mountain are gorgeous. If you can get out here make sure you pack a picnic lunch and stay all day, for 5 dollars per person this is by far a great value!!!!! read more

Wow. What an amazing park. After 2 years of living here we finally visited. There is a per person charge to enter the park so make sure you bring money! We got a map of the park for$1. This park is huge. We parked near the lake and walked up to the wildlife preserve. We got to see the rescued birds along the way. Lots of very cool owls. It was a bit of the hike to get to the top but we did see little kids along the way so they armed to manage okay. Look for the giant pine cones that can be found at the top. After we hiked back down, we decided to drive to the top of the mountain. What an amazing view at the top! From there wee drive over to where you can hike down and see the falls. We really enjoyed talking to other hikers we meet along the way. This park has so much to offer. Cabins to rent, two lakes to swim in, wake boarding, boats to rent, paddle boats, horse back riding. Dogs are allowed on a leash. Can't wait to come back! read more