Gulf State Park

With 2,448 ft. of fishing space, the Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier is the largest pier in the Gulf. It’s also Alabama’s only public pier in the Gulf. On the pier you will find an indoor retail store, a concession area and plenty of shaded seating. You can also purchase bait and tackle and rent rods and reels. If you’re a pier fishing novice, consider attending Angler Academy. This two-hour signature experience provides you with all of the tools and rules needed for this introduction to saltwater fishing.  

The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail is an award-winning 28+ mile paved trail system that takes visitors throughout the 6,150 acres of Gulf State Park. In 2003, the first section of the trail was completed and named Hugh S. Branyon after the former Gulf State Park Superintendent who served from 1970 to 2009. USA Today named the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail the best recreational trail in the country for 2023, 2024, and 2025. The trails are multi-use, meaning they are suitable for hikers and cyclists and are ADA-accessible. Trailheads surround the park's perimeter, making it easy to find and access while vacationing on our shores. Check out the trail map and begin exploring!

If you’d like to travel the trails by Segway, contact Coastal Segway Adventures at the main park office near Lake Shelby. They offer guided tours throughout the park that last 2 hours. Their knowledgeable staff will first run through some safety drills and information. Then, they’ll guide you along the trails, sharing information about the park and its wildlife. Most tours also include a stop to say “hi” to the park’s resident alligator, Lefty.

Surrounding the lake, you will find plenty of picnic tables and pavilions with charcoal grills available first-come, first-served basis or to rent for events and other gatherings. You can also access the lake on the Backcountry Trail via several piers and lookout stations. And, fun fact: Lake Shelby is one of the closest freshwater lakes near saltwater on the Gulf of Mexico.

Located right next to the Gulf State Park Beach Pavilion is the park’s Interpretive Center. The center is pursuing both LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge certifications, making it the most environmentally friendly building in the state. Visitors to the beachfront facility learn more about why and how the park plans to meet these certifications while also becoming educated on the park’s sustainability initiatives.

Learn everything you need to know about the flora and fauna in Gulf State Park at the Nature Center. This is a living museum that showcases plants and animals that are native to the Gulf Coast region. The center’s knowledgeable staff is available to answer all of your questions. Throughout the year, they host educational events and activities to give visitors hands-on experience with the natural wonders found along Alabama’s Beaches.

Woodside Restaurant is a relaxing eatery with creative Southern-style dishes. Offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you’ll find plenty of menu options, including burgers, salads, seafood, and delicious cocktails. Guests can choose to enjoy their meal in the indoor dining room, on the screened-in porch or outside on their shaded deck. Woodside is the ideal spot to kick off or end a day of biking because it’s one of the locations for the park’s bike rental program. The restaurant also hosts live music weekly, as well as other seasonal events.

Also at The Lodge is Perch, the hotel’s elevated dining experience. Overlooking the sugar-white sand beaches and pristine Gulf waters, this eatery is one you’ll be craving to return to year after year. Like Foodcraft, Perch prides itself on sourcing products from local fishermen and regional farmers. Open for dinner only, Perch's menu features fresh Gulf seafood and perfectly prepared steaks. After dinner, cozy up with a handcrafted cocktail and dessert on the patio deck, which includes two fire pits and plenty of spacious outdoor seating.

For an immersive lodging experience within the park, look no further than the Eagle Cottages! These beautiful houses along Lake Shelby offer spacious comfort and a true connection to nature. Each features three queen bedrooms, three bathrooms, generous living and kitchen spaces, two screened porches, and an inviting outdoor dining area. Guests can relax in Adirondack chairs around the fire pit, swing on the porch, grill out under the stars, or explore the park on provided bicycles. Enjoy a delicious complimentary breakfast each morning, daily housekeeping, and guided nature tours with our on-site naturalists included with every stay.

The Gulf State Park Campground offers 496 full hook-up campsites, accessible for both RVs and tents. The campground’s amenities include air-conditioned bathhouses, a small camp store, laundry facilities, a swimming pool, and volleyball and tennis courts.

The Outpost, a hike-in camp, provides campsites with raised, canvas-covered shelters with front porches and cots. These primitive sites also have running water, fire pits, outdoor showers and rustic bathrooms located nearby.