For college football fans, a Saturday in Tuscaloosa can move quickly. There’s the drive in, the tailgate, the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium and, before long, the drive home.
But about 15 miles from the center of Tuscaloosa, Lake Lurleen State Park offers another way to spend a football weekend — one that leaves room for a little more time outside.
The 1,625-acre park in Coker has become a destination for camping, hiking, fishing and time on the water, and recent improvements to its campground have made it easier to turn a game-day trip into a weekend in the outdoors.
(Lake Lurleen State Park/Contributed)
“You can spend the day cheering on your team, then come back to the park to relax around a campfire or stroll along the water,” said Dee White, park manager. “It’s a great excuse to get outside and experience everything our park has to offer and a completely different way to spend a football weekend.”
The park’s 67-site campground now includes new full-hookup campsites, upgraded electrical service, water and sewer connections and longer, level pull-through sites designed for modern RVs. Nine new bathhouses feature private showers, new fixtures and climate control, while other improvements include a camp store, expanded Wi-Fi and newly paved roads throughout the campground.
For visitors who would rather spend their fall weekend away from the stadium, there are plenty of ways to fill the hours. Lake Lurleen’s beach and new playground offer options for families, while anglers can fish for bass, bream and crappie. The park also has 23 miles of multi-use trails, picnic areas and seven new pavilions.
It’s a different kind of game-day ritual: a morning on the trails, an afternoon in the stadium and an evening back at the campsite. Or perhaps a weekend that has little to do with the score once the game is over.
“Lake Lurleen is a great example of what we are doing across Alabama State Parks to improve the visitor experience while creating places where people want to spend more time,” said Alabama State Parks Director Matthew Capps. “We have invested significantly in this park, from the campground and bathhouses to the waterfront and recreational amenities. We want people to come for the game, but we hope they leave having discovered something new and telling others what Alabama State Parks has to offer.”
With several Alabama football weekends still available for reservations, Lake Lurleen offers an option for fans who want to make a trip to Tuscaloosa feel a little less like a day trip and a little more like a fall weekend in Alabama.
Reservations can be made through Alabama State Parks at alapark.com or by calling 1-800-252-7275.
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