State Parks and National Parks

Gulf State Park

This unique Gulf Coast park’s 6,500 acres and 2.5 miles of glistening, sugar sandy beaches, offers activities and relaxation for all its visitors.

The 825-foot saltwater fishing pier and hotel and convention center were destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, but are undergoing reconstruction. Recently, the park finished construction of a new beach pavilion.

Gulf State Park also offers three large freshwater lakes, and the ocean, which give anglers an opportunity to try their luck at both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Lake Shelby, a 900-acre lake, is the largest of the three lakes and hosts bass, two kinds of catfish, bream and crappie. The lakes provide two boat launches, swimming areas and lakeside camping.

The campground has 496 campsites, all with full hook-ups. The Nature Center near the picnic area provides campers with interpretive programs, including nature and beach walks, animal presentations, slide shows, movies and guided canoe trips. The park also has 32 cabins and an 18-hole, par 72, championship golf course. This Earl Stone Design course is equipped with a pro shop, snack bar, driving range, putting green, and a practice bunker. To make reservations (seven days in advance) call 251-948-4653.

With a diversity of habitats that include forests, wetlands and coastal dunes, the park is a naturalist’s treasure trove. For the bicyclists, there is an eight-mile loop of roads around Lake Shelby and a new three-mile bike path that is undergoing expansion.

As part of the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, Gulf State Park has six designated sites for bird watching where birders may spot the snowy plover, observe nesting osprey or view a bittern fishing in the marsh.

Photo credits in order: Courtesy of Alabama