A few weekends ago I was sitting in front of a fire at home when a friend, Scott, called to ask if my three year old daughter, Kelley, and I wanted to join him and his four year old son, Wyatt, for a camping trip at the Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The Gulf State Park camping area is on the north side of Middle Lake which is just east of Lake Shelby. While the campground is geared more toward RV camping, we were comfortable in our tents. There are picnic tables at each site, small charcoal grills and RV-type hook-ups for water, sewer and electric. Tent camping is definitely not the norm, but there were other tents scattered about.
Camping with children can be especially challenging and having a clean bathroom nearby is especially helpful. If you camp with kids it is a good idea to ask for a site close to the bathroom. The Park's restroom was just across the street from our campsite and was clean, well-lighted and convenient.
Middle Lake does have alligators and snakes, so keep an eye out for them in warmer weather. I have seen snakes in South Alabama even in winter months; if it is warm they may become active. Our campsite was on the lake so we had to be careful.
We tried some fishing but did not catch anything substantial. I did hook a small speckled trout but he got off the line before I could bring him in. I understand the park lakes are still recovering from the damage done by recent hurricanes, so the fishing may be better in the future. It would have been easy to launch a canoe from the bank, which would have opened up the fishing opportunities on the lake. (Note: The new and improved Gulf State Park fishing pier is slated to open in March, 2009, which will allow convenient no-boat access to some excellent salt water fishing.)
We had a good time during the evening. We built a campfire in the small iron grill. It provided some ambiance, but not a lot of heat since the grill is about three feet off the ground. Much to my surprise Kelley fell asleep around six o'clock, so I was able to relax in front of the fire without keeping up with her.
One thing we did not expect was Hank Williams, Jr. At first I thought one of our neighbors was being inconsiderate, but I finally realised we were hearing a concert at The Wharf, an amphitheater venue in Orange Beach. Thankfully the music did not last too late so it was not really a big problem. I don't imagine the people in RVs could hear the concert, but in our tents it was loud and clear. If the music would bother you I suggest checking the concert schedule before planning a trip. Hank wasn't too bad, but a heavy metal band could be different!
We were up at sunrise in the morning and were able to enjoy the sound of waves crashing on the beach. Kelley and Wyatt got to play while Scott and I enjoyed a cup of coffee. Kelley and I had some plans for later in the morning so we all packed up and were out of the campground by nine o'clock or so.
Kelley and I had a great time at the Gulf State Park. I would recommend the campground to families interested in camping with convenience. There are many recreational opportunities in the Park, including biking, nature trails, boating, fishing and golf. In addition, the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have excellent restaurants and entertainment. Additional information on the park can be found at http://www.outdooralabama.com.
