roadtripper9537891

We stayed here in early July 2020 during the Covid-19 outbreak. This was our second stay (stayed last year also). The park is impeccably clean. The wi-fi is so good we could actually stream video (new this year). There is a store on site for supplies, sundries, and the most extensive rv supplies section this side of Camping World. The owners are absolutely the best. Super helpful and friendly, but not intrusive. Plenty of shade and green space. The park is located just north of the quaint town on Ione and a short drive south of Metaline Falls, which is a bit larger and quite lovely. If you're headed to Canada, this is a great stop. If you're headed west, WA hwy 20 is a beautiful drive through the mountains. The campground is close to the road, but we did not find road noise to be bothersome.

We were looking for a secluded campground that was close to home, yet uncrowded and quiet. We found it. This is not Glamping World. We like glamping as much as anyone, but also love getting back to nature in a more rustic setting. The park rests atop a large hill overlooking the Talladega National Forest to the west. Sunsets are amazing. There is almost always a breeze (at least) of 5-10 mph prevailing from the southeast, so temps are pleasant in summer and early fall and likely chilly in early spring and winter. Sites are level, spacious and gravel. Canopy sites allow for using them as your 'awning' and we will do that next time. Too much wind for consistent awning use during our stay. Brilliant design by owners. All site facilities are new and very thoughtfully laid out. A laundry is planned, followed by a bath house over the next few months, so be aware that you will need to use your onboard facilities until then. The owners, Gary and Trisha Frank, have built this campground themselves with much tender loving care. They are super friendly and helpful, but are also respectful of their guests' privacy. Access is via a gravel road and is fairly steep in places, so be sure you are aware in case of inclement weather. Ashland is 15 minutes north and has a Piggly Wiggly, gas station, a few local restaurants and diners and a medical facility. Courthouse building is awesome. Walmart and fast food, etc., are available within a 30-45 minute drive west or south. This is a great getaway from "city life" and allows nature's beauty to sink in. Finally, you can hear a pin drop from 20 miles away at night!

Extremely disappointed in this state park...so much so that we did not stay. The roads are very narrow and poorly marked. Sites were invisible due to fallen leaves and pine straw. Picnic tables are warped and weathered. Ours was burned through. Site E30 is literally 9 feet wide and very difficult to walk around the camper due to sloping and unmaintained area. We drove through the rest of the campground because we could not believe the rest of the park was like this. We got lost in area C because there are no exit markings. There appeared to be several "campers" that had been there a bit longer then 14 days and the area was, for lack of a better term, trashy. Area B had some paved pads and could be acceptable if rules were enforced and park maintained. Dogs on the loose in several sites and many, many unsupervised children in groups playing in roads in area B. To be fair, we arrived early on Friday afternoon of Veterans Day and the nicer areas B and C were pretty full, so perhaps area E was last to be cleaned up that day. Maybe in high season things are better. The land itself is beautiful with lovely lake view sites. We had heard that Guntersville and Cheaha state parks are wonderful, so we thought this park would be also. From what I read after returning home, the park was renovated in 1982. It is long overdue for a face lift.