Photo by Roy L. Williams.
OSMP Cabins
Oak Mountain’s cabins are located on Lake Tranquility, which is reserved for the private use of cabin guests. The cabins come with access to boating equipment.
Hidden in Oak Mountain State Park is an oasis in the woods.
The cabins at Oak Mountain, 10 two-bedroom units surrounding a pool of water appropriately named Tranquility Lake, are hard to find but remain a popular destination, said Kelly Ezell, superintendent of Oak Mountain State Park.
Though the busiest time of the year is the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Ezell said the cabins are also full during October when the leaves in the park are changing colors for the fall season.
“We are booked a year in advance for the holidays,” Ezell said, adding the 10 cabins are completely rented out for the Fourth of July 2016 weekend.
The amenities of Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama’s largest public park, are the key to the cabins’ appeal, Ezell said. Lake Tranquility is reserved exclusively for use by cabin guests. Each cabin has life jackets, and there are canoes and fishing boats that can be used for fishing or fun on the lake, she said.
“We appeal to a wide range of people—families, family reunions, church retreats and youth groups,” Ezell said.
Large groups can reserve the Tranquility Room adjacent to the cabins to hold meetings, and there are picnic tables next to Lake Tranquility. The 10 cabins all have the same floor plan— two bedrooms (one with double beds), a full kitchen and den area. One of the 10 cabins is handicap-accessible, while two of them are pet-friendly.
At 500,000 visitors a year, Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama’s second most visited public state park. It is only surpassed by Gulf State Park, which has the plus of being near the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
While most of Alabama’s state parks average 50 percent of visitors from out of state, about 75 percent of Oak Mountain State Park’s visitors are what Ezell called “local traffic” within a few hours away.
“The key to our appeal is that there is so much to do here,” Ezell said. “We have hiking trails that come near the cabins, boats available, a golf course. A lot of people come to use our bike trails. We have one of the best mountain bike trails in the world.”
Oak Mountain State Park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours are seasonal and change as the daylight shortens. Typically the park closes one hour before sundown throughout the year. Daily admission is $4 for adults 12 and older, $1 for children ages 6 to 11, and free for kids ages 5 and under.
Visit alapark.com or call 620-2520 for more information about Oak Mountain’s cabins and other facilities.
