Monte Sano State Park

Title: Nature's Embrace at Monte Sano State Park Campground

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Our stay at Monte Sano State Park Campground was a delightful surprise, turning an unplanned reservation into a memorable mountain retreat. Nestled at the mountain's pinnacle amidst a hardwood forest, this campground provided an enchanting backdrop for our visit to the area.

The journey to the campground, albeit adventurous, revealed the beauty of the location. The mountain road, with a 5 to 6 percent grade, added a touch of excitement to our ascent. While a challenging switchback initially gave us pause, we later discovered a more accessible route from the Huntsville side, ensuring a smoother entry for those towing vehicles.

The check-in process was seamless, with a well-organized station and ample parking before entering the campground. For late arrivals, a helpful Camp host at the entrance gate's left side ensured easy access with the necessary code.

Our stay at site #3 was both comfortable and scenic, featuring full hookups, a gravel base, a picnic table, and a fire pit. The off-season visit granted us the luxury of choosing from numerous open campsites, showcasing the campground's capacity of 85 RV sites and a designated area for tent camping.

As a traveling photographer, I found two experiences particularly memorable. The first was the breathtaking sunrise from the scenic overlook to the east—a perfect spot for capturing the dawn's beauty. The second occurred during RV setup when I turned around to find several deer quietly observing from just a few feet away—an unexpected encounter that left me in awe. (Video link attached)

The campground's abundant wildlife, including squirrels, birds, and even a coyote, added to the allure of the stay. Over our four-day visit, tranquility prevailed, making it a peaceful escape.

I highly recommend Monte Sano State Park Campground to fellow travelers, with the friendly suggestion to approach it from the Bankhead Parkway via US-431 for a more convenient and scenic route. This campground is a haven for nature lovers and those seeking a serene mountain retreat.

Hiked south loop trail and it was all well marked and stopped near the campsite for the view! Bathrooms were clean and loved the Japanese Garden. Even saw a momma deer and her fawn and they weren't scared of us at all!

The park is very well-maintained! The trails and views are simply breathtaking. There is so much to do here from overnight stays in the cabins. We’re bringing your camper up here and enjoying the fresh mountain air. This is truly a great place to bring your family and friends for a nice day out enjoying nature.

There is so much to do and see. I went to 2 different look outs, found one of the 2 water falls (it hadn't rained so only a trickle of water) so relaxing. I was only able to hike about a mile due to time but what I did do was amazing. The silence other than nature was perfect. I will definitely go again next time I am in the area.

Great location. There are many trails and bike paths. The Japanese garden inside is also unique. Please come and visit us.

Great place to visit a lot of places at the same time! Plenty of trails and views to explore

We went down to Monte Same park for Memorial day. We were there for 5 days and loved it. The campground was nice, mountain biking was great. Plenty of trail for the beginners, the way to experienced. We rode about 30 miles in 3 days. We would definitely consider revisiting again.

Absolutely beautiful! Biking and hiking trails everywhere. Bath houses and restrooms were clean. Really cool place to camping. There are even sections set aside for people who like to "rough it"

A gorgeous state park with LOTS of great hiking trails for moderate levels. The trails have lots of roots, rock & exposed bedrock. Gorgeous tall pine trees & sweet smell. Visiting in late October ZERO bugs harassing us. Lots of parking at each lots & many trail options. Day pass is $5 or $4 for seniors or those with golden access cards.

What a gem! Very friendly and knowledgeable staff, they went above and beyond! Eager to interact. Spacious campsites, clean. The bath houses were dated but clean and stocked.We've been coming to Huntsville for years and never knew that there was such a beautiful place within 15 minutes of downtown Huntsville!

This is such a beautiful place to go hiking they have trails that are marked well so u won't get lost.. and the scenery at the top is so beautiful and breathtaking... I would love to see it during sunrise or sunset and take a... But I did get some beautiful pictures picture🥰

North Alabamas best kept secret. This is everything you want a state park to be. For campers the sites are large and well spaced. The rental cabins are rustic stone construction. Amazing. For hikers the trails and bluffs are breathtaking. All set in a beautiful mountaintop forest. Facilities are clean and well thought out as not to interfere with the natural beauty. Planetarium, CCC Museum, North Alabama Birding Trail. Literally something for everyone. Can’t say enough.

The view was beautiful I wish I had remembered my tennis shoes so I would have been more comfortable. I wore flip flops (do not reccomend flipflops) there were many cyclists they fly by you so watch out for the little ones. We dodnt spend as much time as I would have liked but next time I will wear the correct foot wear

Great campground. We spent a week there and will be back. We saw complaints about dated facilities. Yes they need to work the wood infrastructure of the sites and the bathroom fixtures could use some updating. They are fine for now. However? The site electrical is new and first class. The sites with black/gray water drops are in excellent shape.

We did some hiking and it easy fabulous. We stayed on the easier trails. The trail that goes around the rim is beautiful. The fire tower trail is also a good hike.

Stayed here with our big rig. The site is well laid out and easy for large RVs. The wooded sites are beautiful. We stayed where there was cold mornings and early spring rains. The morning fog made for great walks on the trail - quiet and cool. The location is remote even in the city, and it is a bit of a drive to get to sites and restaurants - but, in reality, that is not an issue. This is definitely a place we will stay at again when we visit this summer.

Love this place. Plenty of trails, wildlife and cabins other areas and activities to explore. Very nice wedding chapel also.

Beautiful fall weather! Many miles of hiking for old and young

I had the best time playing in the stone cuts. Felt like a kid again. The trails are very well marked. The campground is well taken care of. Sights were large and not very close to our neighbors. Restrooms are super clean . We spent 3 days there and it just wasn’t enough. Next time we will book for a week.

Very clean, well kept. Plenty of areas for both families to have picnics and to explore. I wish the maps were labeled w the waterfall information, but otherwise this park has incredible views and a great variety of length & difficultly for the trails. You can also bring your dog and multiple restrooms on site (some portapotties and regular ones at the information cafe). Insta @doodlenikiproctor for more 💛

Wildflower trail was lovely but only for the sure-footed. Saw an Eastern Chipmunk and the spider and water snake.
Japanese Garden seemed to share land with the Disc golf coarse.