National Hop-A-Park Day is just around the corner!

Whether it be a neighborhood park, state park, or even national park, July 1st is a day that encourages people to go outside and explore the nature in their area. While Alabama does not have any national parks, many people do not realize that it is home to twenty-one state parks. No matter where you are in the state of Alabama, you are within an hour of a state park. Let’s take a look at some of Alabama’s best and most underrated state parks!

Cheaha State Park

Cheaha State Park is home to the highest point in Alabama, located at the southernmost tip of the Appalachian Mountains. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Talladega Forest that extends for miles at an elevation of 2,116 feet. Located about halfway between Birmingham and Atlanta in Delta, Alabama, Cheaha is the perfect road trip stop for a scenic hike.

Oak Mountain State Park

Located in Pelham, Alabama, just outside of Birmingham, Oak Mountain serves as Alabama’s largest state park at over 11,000 acres. With over fifty miles of trails, Oak Mountain is a great spot for hiking or mountain biking. With activities such as canoeing, golfing, swimming, and even horseback riding, there is truly something for everyone. One unique feature of the park is the avian rehabilitation program that cares for injured birds native to the area.

DeSoto State Park

DeSoto State Park sits atop Lookout Mountain just north of Fort Payne, Alabama. Well known for its rushing waterfalls and beautiful wildflowers, DeSoto offers a scenic spot to enjoy a hike or a picnic. The park gives visitors the opportunity to participate in rappelling and bouldering excursions in addition to activities such as kayaking, fishing, and cycling.

Gulf State Park

Located right on the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf State Park is home to two miles of beaches where visitors can enjoy surf, sand, and sun. Visitors can take a break from swimming in the gulf by paddle-boarding on Lake Shelby or exploring the park’s biodiversity at the Nature Center. One of the park’s biggest accomplishments is the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, a 28-mile paved trail system that USA Today awarded as the country’s best recreational trail in 2023.

Rickwood Caverns State Park

Rickwood Caverns State Park is home to a giant cave containing formations that are 260 million years old-- making the park a must-see attraction. Visitors can embark on a mile-long guided tour of the cave that lasts about an hour. After the cave tour, visitors have the option to mine for gemstones, hike the trails, or hit the swings on the playground.

Blue Springs State Park

Visitors at Blue Springs State Park in Clio, Alabama can enjoy a swim at the park’s two spring-fed swimming pools. While the pools are the main attraction, visitors can also play a game of volleyball, do some fishing, go on a bike ride, and more. With forty-seven modern campsites, the park also serves as an ideal spot for a campout.

Chewacla State Park

Located right here in Auburn, Chewacla is the perfect place for a study break or a breath of fresh air. Visitors can go fishing in Chewacla’s twenty-six-acre lake, which is home to bream, bass, crappie, and catfish. Not into fishing? Beat the heat by going for a swim or taking a hike over to the beautiful falls.

For more information or to find a park near you, visit https://www.alapark.com/ and…

Be well, Auburn.