Oak Mountain State Park is one of the treasures of Birmingham. There's always something to do there! We particularly enjoy the hiking trails, visiting the farm animals, and occasionally settling at the lake beach for an afternoon of fun in the sun. One of the kids favorite activities is chasing around the peacock that dwells in the farm area (despite the sign that reads "No Chasing the Peacock"). Entrance fees are very cheap, at $2 per adult and $1 per child. The park is always very well maintained and the staff is friendly! read more

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

There are so many activities to do in this park. There is a beach, golf course, hiking and bike trails, picnic areas, petting zoo, and much more. They hold many holiday events for the public. A great family place or even to go by yourself and enjoy the relaxing and tranquil atmosphere! read more

Absolutely gorgeous park in Birmingham! There's a lot to do here and it's perfect to be with friends, family, etc. There is a fee to get in and I believe it's a $5/person entrance fee. You can swim in the water, camp in certain places, take hikes and enjoy a fun day or weekend. Our group went to hike Peavine falls. It is a 4 mile roundtrip hike and overall for me from a scale of 1-10 it was about a 4 . It was a decent trek and for some in our group who never hike, they would say it would've been a 7 or 8. So I would say this hike depends on your stamina and endurance and how warm it is. When it is hot, and humid, hikes tend to always be more difficult. The hike ended with a awesome waterfall surrounded by lots of water streams and rocks and trees. Definitely be careful when crossing the stream and if you just want to take your shoes off and go wading in the water, I would suggest that. read more

See all

This park could be really nice. The beach areas at the lakes need work. Bathrooms are ok but old. Everything is run down and with a little updating could be great. The petting zoo was more like a few goats and a donkey. Could be really nice if it was kept up. read more

A beautiful state park with tons to explore! This park offers bike trails for all levels from beginner to expert, each with awesome views. There's also a golf course, bird sanctuary, and petting zoo for the kiddos. Don't miss the Peavine Falls hike; it is well worth it! We stayed in the cabins this time, and they are fully equipped with a full kitchen and room to sleep 6. You also have access to the boats and canoes at the lake. We had a great time. I would recommend Oak Mt to everyone who hasn't been. It's a beautiful place! read more

Such scenic place to see. It is kept up very well and is extremely family friendly. It has awesome camping and picnic pavilions facilities. I have been to many functions here, and always had a great time. They also have a great lake to swim or canoe/kayak if the day permits. Or if you are in a horseback riding mood, there is that too. Anyway you spin it , this state of Alabama park is a cheap thrill for everyone. Get back to the great outdoors and have some fun. read more

Great park, lots of amenities bette including a farm, house stable and archery grounds. Bring cash! Their atm and electronic system was down and we had to turn around and drive another 15 mins long for an atm. Cost is $5/adult (not car). We came here to hike King's chair overlook. We had a great time. Make sure you take a picture of the trail when you get started so you can refer back . The trails are pretty well marked so we did not have trouble finding the trails. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - View from King's chair overlook - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

Great place to go hiking or bike riding. Lots of trails and a lake. There is a beautiful waterfall on one of the trails. It's a must see. Family friendly! read more

Impressive, well-kept state park. Raptor rehab enclosures were very nice. The kids really enjoyed the Treetop trail.

Awesome place to visit for a day or stay in the cabins or at the campground! Outstanding nature center , go by and visit

I went to Oak Mountain on a Saturday for a private event. We had a great time. Though it is $5 per person to enter you have a lot of things to do. Hiking, Swimming, & Picnicking. There are other activities that cost: kayaking, horseback riding, canoeing, camping, etc. There is ample amount of parking throughout the park and it is always clean and the bathrooms are well stocked. Please take some time out of your busy schedule to enjoy mother nature and the beautiful sights that this State Park has to offer. You will be impressed. read more

This place is absolutely beautiful and so much too do. This definitely make the area a lot more special having this place to enjoy Outdoor activities. They have everything a person enjoys doing outdoors all in one Park. So glad I move here. read more

Great location, good scenery, and even better accommodations/facilities! Never been to an Alabama state park but if this is how most of them are, then the park service needs to have even more funding! read more

This is a great park with many attractions. This day I chose to read at the beautiful bird's of prey location among the treetops and it was pure serendipity. Definitely come check this park out! read more

See all

Love the state parks, and parks in general. It's a great resource for city folk to enjoy nature

On a long road trip through we stopped her to get our exercise on & get out of the car! $5 per person to enter, the ranger gave us a suggested trail (red)to hike around the lake and he said it would take us about 1.5 hours. The trails were well marked in the beginning then not so well later on in. Once we could see the lake we were able to find our way back to our parking lot. Fun adventure! There were lots of people mountain biking & just enjoying the gorgeous 80 degree day! Highly recommend for anyone looking to stretch their legs. read more

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

See all

We go camping here several times a summer and have a great time. We fish from our Kayak, swim at the campground, walk the trails, ride bikes down the trails, go to the petting zoo. read more

See all

I spent my childhood at this park & it's now literally a part of my backyard. So many memories have taken place here. Wonderful spot to live life. read more

Lots of stuff to do and definitely worth the five dollars. Campgrounds are amazing. Perfectly spaced apart and clean showers and bathrooms. Always friendly and they have helped us out when we were running late. The campgrounds were closed but they let us check in at the gate. We are locals but we always meet lots of people from all over when we go stay for the weekend. read more

I have enjoyed Oak Mountain State Park for over 40 years. There are numerous trails for hiking and biking. The lakes are beautiful and there's so much to do there, from golfing, fishing, camping, and swimming. It's a great place for a family outing and very convenient to Birmingham and surrounding cities. read more

This place is really enormous! There is so much to do here, it seems the more you explore the more you find to do. As you first drive in you have to buy a pass ($5 per person) at the guard gate. So if you think you will be coming frequently enough look into annual passes. As you first drive in you come to the horse area as well as the golf course. The road is well marked with arrows pointing you to where you can go. If you are looking for some time on the water they have an area that you can rent kayaks or stand up paddle boards, or bring your own. They also have a nice beach area, that can get exceptionally crowded on holiday weekends and hot days (so get there early). Hiking and Mountain biking trails are literally everywhere. Courses for all skill levels as well. This was my first time to mountain bike out here and I had a blast. Great trail that takes you past water and dense forest areas. Can't wait to come back and explore more. Hope to see you out there! read more

In all the years I've lived in the area, I had never visited Oak Mountain until now. Entry fee is $5 per person, which is fine. We entered through the back gate and visited Mountain Lake. Beach launch is accessible near the fishing center. While it was Memorial Day, and the park was busy, there was plenty of parking aviable at this location. Overall, I think it is a quick and easy place to do a little canoeing near Birmingham. I drove around the lake before leaving. Double Oak Lake, which has a small marina, was packed beyond belief. They had lots of parking across several nearby lots, and most were filled up. But there was parking available. I'll come back to check out some hiking trails soon. read more

Went there 30 years ago for the first time and it was an awesome place to hike and relax. Well organized and maintained. I'm a Midwesterner and loved it. Rolltide Roll. read more

Beautiful scenery, relaxing atmosphere. Many bike and hiking trails. 3 lakes. Camping for tents and RVs.

We went hiking one Friday morning and decided we would go here! Neither of us had really been so it was a fun trip! We decided to hike on the red trail as it took us through the woods. We were able to see some gorgeous streams and the trail was pretty clear. There was a rut at one point, but it wasn't too bad. The thing about this trail at least, was that you weren't hiking to some scenic place. Both ends of the trails are parking lots so it's about the experience. We hiked 3.5 miles and stopped and hiked back to the car for a total of 7 miles hiked. It was fun! I enjoyed the peace and quiet since there weren't any other hikers. I had one problem though, but I'm not sure if I was in the wrong. There were a ton of bikers on this trail and not too much room to share the pathway with them. Were we on a biking trail? We have no idea since it wasn't labeled as such. Maybe we were there early enough in the morning on a Friday to run into them. Overall, I was impressed with the hiking here and will return soon to hike some more. read more

Beautiful place to walk around just check out and relax and take in nature. The beach isn't to bad as long as it's not crowded

Beautiful spot, but oh that map... the map handed out at the gate has microscopic print. If you like to wander, it's easy to get lost. They really should have better directional signs. We enjoyed exploring this pristine area and loved the short but rocky hike to Peavine Falls. A couple of locals were turned around and we directed them out. The trail signage is nearly non-existent, but it is a gorgeous park with lots to see. read more

Park is great. Really good hiking trails. The poor rating is for their campground. So old and run down. Probably on the lower end of all the state park campgrounds. read more

Good atmosphere, good food, and a very friendly server. This felt like a place where the locals eat. We took our 7 month old and many people smiled and talk to her. read more

I've been coming here since I was a kid, and I NEVER get tired of it! When I was a kid, I loved the petting zoo, the stables, swimming at the lake, and rollerblading around the parking lots (back when that was a thing). Now I almost exclusively come for the hiking and geocaching, although I'm planning to camp here when the weather gets warmer. The day use fee is $3, and sometimes there is no gate attendant to take your money. If there is an "honor box", don't be a douche - put your money in the slot and know you are supporting an amazing area that many people will be able to enjoy for generations to come. That $3 goes a long way! Must-sees along the well-marked trails are Peavine Falls and Maggie's Glen, though if you follow any of the well-marked trails you'll always find something amazing to catch your interest. read more

Sketchy folks be there and I don't recommend hand made beaches. But they have kool trails to bike on and ya I kinda recommend this place

Today and since I was a child, Oak Mountain State Park has been a fantastic spot for outdoor fun. You name it, you can do it. It's not the fanciest choice, but it's solid nonetheless. Does your family like to hike, walk, run, ride bikes, camp, paddle boat, fish, sit on a fake beach, ride horses, play golf, bird watch, cook out, and more? This park is for you. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'm serious. It's basically a one stop shop. If you like the finer side of things, you should look somewhere else. Otherwise, this is where I suggest you spend time with your family. read more

Beautiful park lots to do swimming boating lots of trails. Camped for one night. Campsites are a little close together but tent sites pretty good. The bathrooms are awful. There is only one shower per sex per bathroom. The sinks have one faucet for cold and one for hot like in the early fifties. The tiles are chipped and the bathroom stalls are rusting away. They really need to put some money into the bathrooms. If you don't need to use the shower bathroom great place to camp. read more

Oak Mountain State Park - Rusting shower stall - Parks Near Me - Pelham, Alabama

See all

I've been camping my whole life and I must say this place is on top of the list. So much to do...archery, bmx and hiking trails, cyclying, equestrian, fishing and of course the beach. You can visit for the day or stay in a cabin , tent or camper. The volunteers are very friendly and do a great job keeping the camping area clean. The campground has a private beach that's very intimate. This was my first time to camp here but definitely not the last. read more

See all

This was one of the nicest state parks that I have been to and I have been to quiet a few. Oak Mountain State Park has a ton of options that include: golf, horseback riding, cycling, mountain biking, hiking, basketball, camping, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, etc. The only thing I didn't see was jet skiing or motorboating. Haha I said motorboating. I guess that can be done in the privacy of your own tent or cabin. The place is large and the maps online can be rather confusing if you are trying to find a good hike. We drove to the visitors center and they sold us a trail map for 50 cents. This was much more help. The trails are color coded and we chose to take the green trail as it ended a waterfall. (more on that in a minute). It was afternoon in the middle of June so it was hot as hell and I chose the trail with the biggest elevation climb. I convinced my girlfriend it would be worth it once we got to the falls. So we hiked the 2.5 miles there with sweat soaked drawls only to see what may have been the most pathetic waterfall ever. I swear a Redneck could have been pissing off the top of the rocks as far as I know. There could have been a drought or a beaver damn blocking waterflow because if not this "waterfall" certainly didn't deserve to be named (Peavine Falls). There was a little swimming hole where kids were playing so I'm sure the falls are usually prettier. The bad part was coming down to the falls the way we did was kind of difficult for the non hiking type. My girlfriend has been on a few hikes with me but fell and slammed her leg on a rock. She was fine and there's no crying in hiking so she toughed out the journey back. I'd love to go back with a mountain bike and maybe get one of the cabins for the night to get the whole experience. Definitely worth a stop if you are near Birmingham. read more

Oak Mountain rocks. The only things they could improve would be making the park free to enter (not that $3 is too steep) and if various trailheads and popular sites were easier to find. I love to hike, and this is one of the best places in Birmingham to get a hike in at any level. They mark the trails and rate them, so you know what you're in for- I happen to love steep hill climbs and jumping over creeks, but if that isn't your thing there are wider, flatter, graveled paths as well. Peavine Falls is usually crowded if the weather is good, but its still fun to see a waterfall. There are multiple camping areas and places to grill, but I have never used these facilities. As other reviewers pointed out, there is a small beach, and you can rent canoes and pedal boats which is always a blast. They also have a mountain bike course, a golf course, a petting zoo, and probably loads of things I don't even know about. Plus, its a geo-caching haven (if you're into that kind of thing). Besides being able to go deep into the woods where the sound of cars disappears, a unique feature of Oak Mountain are the pavilions on the water. They are available to rent for parties (I believe I had my 7th birthday party there and it was quite a hit!) and are a fun change from renting indoor spaces. I would recommend anyone wanting to spend more time with Mother Nature, needing to rid themselves of cabin fever, or hoping to find a fun activity to do with kids to go to Oak Mountain ASAP. Bring a backpack with plenty of water/drinks, snacks, and a blanket to sit on (and probably some bugspray and sunscreen) and you're set. Enjoy! read more

I was in Birmingham on business and decided to go with some colleagues for a work out here on the blue trail. We started at 5p after work and finished the 8 1/2 hike / run by 7p. The grounds were fantastic, beautiful and breath taking. True nature at its finest. The trail was marked really well and there were a lot of tough spots to walk but hey that's nature. There obviously are no water stations anywhere on the trail so make sure to go prepared. Also it gets really dark because of the tall trees covering the sky so plan accordingly. All in all I am glad I did it. I felt like I accomplished something doing this tough trail with a 12.5 min mile!!! read more

See all

Went here to camp for two nights and mountain bike. First time here and I loved everything about this place. Camping ground was well set up. Hot showers and running water nearby. We were able to bike to the trail head and thrashed on some killer trails. Be wary of Jeckel & Hyde as it may be a bit more technical for most beginner bikers like myself. I was able to hang in and make my way through it, but it definitely wasn't pretty. Not sure how busy it is during the summer, but the fall seems like the best time to go in my opinion. Not very crowded , you get to enjoy the beautiful fall colors and the weather is nice and cool during the day while you are riding for 4 hours. read more

Very nice, tranquil park. A friend and I visited on Saturday and it was a great experience. We enjoyed the nature hike and the animal rehabilitation center - seeing this made the $3 park entry fee worthwhile. This is an excellent place if you enjoy biking, hiking, canoeing, or just being out in nature. Will be spending a lot of time here come spring! read more

I visited this state park on the outskirts of Birmingham in mid-May. It's a pretty wooded area with many different trails. Admission was $3 per car. The person who took our money at the gate wasn't super friendly. The woods were pretty dense and provided a lot of coverage from the sun. We took the blue trail and checked out the King's Chair Overlook. We reached the peak and took the red trail going down stopping at Maggie's Glen to enjoy a creek and sunlight filtering through the leaves. It was very peaceful. If hiking's not your thing, you can mountain bike, camp, kayak, or canoe. We also came back the next day to do the animal petting zoo. That was really cute to hang around the baby animals! Just don't pet the peacocks. And there is a black donkey that is super smart and aggressive. If he sees you go get some corn treats, he will wait for you patiently at the entrance and follow you around until he's sure you're out. read more