GULF SHORES — Gulf State Park unveiled its newly expanded RV resort Monday, adding 103 campsites and making it the largest state park-operated RV campground in the country, according to state officials.

Located in Gulf Shores, Gulf State Park attracts visitors year-round with its beaches, trails, fishing pier, campground facilities and now a new RV resort.

The expansion increases the park's total number of RV sites to 607 and adds several new amenities, including a clubhouse, pool, splash pad, pickleball courts and updated bathhouses.

State and local leaders celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the project, which transformed a former golf course into a new campground and recreation area.

"The campground at Gulf State Park stays at least 90% occupied year-round," said Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. "We knew we had to grow to meet the demand. Now that construction is complete, we're confident visitors will be truly wowed by this expansion."

The resort's additions include 103 new RV campsites equipped with water, sewer and electrical hookups, along with a new administration and check-in building. The project also features a clubhouse with meeting spaces, catering facilities and a snack bar.

Other amenities include two bathhouses with private family-style suites, a saltwater pool and splash pad, a putting green, pickleball courts, a new accessible playground and four pavilions designed for gatherings and events. The campground also includes paved roads, a four-lane camper entrance, a 24-hour laundry facility and mulched hiking trails.

Matthew Capps, director of Alabama State Parks, said the expansion builds on the park's popularity as one of the state's top outdoor destinations.

"From the iconic Gulf State Park Pier and our gorgeous beaches to the tranquility of Lake Shelby and the scenic beauty of the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, the park never disappoints," Capps said. "We're confident that the new RV resort will continue to make visitors want to come back over and over again."

Officials said the campground expansion was funded through Alabama's $85 million state parks investment package approved by voters in 2022. The funding has also supported renovation projects at other state parks, including the recent reopening of Lake Lurleen State Park and ongoing construction of a new lodge at Cheaha State Park.

State Rep. Frances Holk-Jones said the project represents a continued investment in tourism and outdoor recreation along Alabama's Gulf Coast.

"Gulf State Park is truly one of Alabama's crown jewels, and this new addition reflects the continued commitment to preserving and enhancing one of our state's most treasured public resources," Holk-Jones said. 

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.