Lake Guntersville State Park

Lake Guntersville State Park is located in the northeast part of the state and sets on over 6,000 beautiful acres.

Rolling hills overlooks the Lake, and this gorgeous park offers both a resort-style retreat and outdoor adventures.

The natural woodlands offer outstanding fishing in the State’s largest lake, as well as over 36 miles of hiking and biking trails.

One of the major attractions of this natural beauty is the Bald Eagle population located there, and thanks to conservation efforts, their population is increasing.

The Eagle Awareness weekends coincide with the Alabama’s Bald Eagle Restoration Program created in 1985 and happens on Friday through Sunday.

This event features live bird demonstrations, as well as guided tours to view these magnificent creatures’ natural habitat.

The park was opened in the year 1974, but was severely damaged in 2011 by a tornado, which damaged or destroyed most of the facilities, the camp lodge, as well as numerous trees.

Then, to make matters even worse, a second tornado hit, which damaged the park entrance as well as the golf course.

The Rebuilding of the Lake Guntersville State Park

The Entrance Sign at the Lake Guntersville State Park

In the year 2013, the Lake Guntersville State Park officially reopened, after the rebuilding and upgrading of the facilities, and planting more than 400 new trees.

Then in 2017 the boat ramp was repaired, and new boilers were placed in the lodge.

In 2018 additional renovations were completed, and this gorgeous park was fully up and running again.

The Places to Stay at Lake Guntersville State Park

Boat Ramp at the Park

There are several options for you and your family as where to stay when you visit the Lake Guntersville State Park.

There are two campgrounds, and they offer both modern as well as primitive options.

The modern campground in located near the beach and has over 200 sites that are fully equipped with water, sewage, as well as electrical hookups.

The primitive campground is located is located on Town Creek and is for tents.

If you want more modern accommodations, there is the Park Lodge, which sets on Taylor Mountain, and offers 112 rooms as well as suites.

It also has a restaurant as well as convention center, that is also available for banquets

There are also cabins that set on the bank of the beautiful Guntersville Lake.

Things To Do at Lake Guntersville State Park

Lake View at The Park

There are several things to do at the Lake Guntersville State Park, and they include the following:

Fishing
Nature Center
Hiking, Biking, and Horse Trails
Golf
Area Attractions

Fishing

Fishing leads this list of things to do, and it is the parks biggest attraction by far and away for two major reasons: largemouth bass and crappie.

Lake Guntersville is famous not only in the south, but nationally, for its largemouth bass as well as the crappie fishing.

In fact, it has been named as one of the sixth best largemouth bass lakes to fish in the winter months and is the host to several national tournaments.

The Town Creek Fishing Center has fishing licenses if you need them, as well as live baits and snacks.

It also has numerous boats for rent, including canoes, pontoons, as well as bass boats and a boat launch.

This gorgeous lake stretches over 69,000 acres, and also is the home to bream, bluegill, redear sunfish, sauger and catfish.

It is also the home to several different fishing tournaments, that run from May through October.

The Nature Center

The Nature Center offers several nature programs during the year, including guided hikes to show you and your family the local nature.

Every Saturday, a park naturalist leads guided tours that follows very moderate hiking trails, and the local nature includes deer, waterfowl, as well as the famous Eagles.

Anglers Getting Ready to Go Fishing at the Park

Hiking, Biking, and Horse Trails

Next on the list of things to do at the Lake Guntersville State Park is the hiking trails, and they transverse the parks 6,000 acres of wooded land.

The 38 miles of hiking trails will range from short trails, easy to quite lengthy, as well as difficult with extreme elevations.

Here you and your family can see hidden waterfalls, rocky ridges, as well as caves.

There is also a 16-mile-long horse trail, that will take you along the mountainous terrain that winds up and down steep ridges and valleys.

Golf

The next of the things to do is Golf, and the Eagle’s Nest Golf Course.

It is an 18-hole championship golf layout and is located on the top of Taylor Mountain.

It provides outstanding views of the Lake, with occasional sightings of Bald Eagles and white-tailed deer.

Because of its location, it offers rolling hills and elevation changes.

Area Attractions

The area attractions near the park include the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.

There is also Cathedral Caverns State Park, Bucks Pockets State Park, and the Halls County Park.

If you and your family or friends have never visited the Lake Guntersville State Park, you are in for a special place, especially if you like to fish.

References

Lake Guntersville State Park | Encyclopedia of Alabama

Lake Guntersville State Park | Alapark