Have any of you ever camped @ Monte Sano? I'm just looking for an easy spot to hang to bring a newbie for her first camp out with decent views. She heard this park is "high" and she wants a place to sit and "stare in to the distance" for a little while. How does it compare to Cheaha?
Thanks for any insights you can share.
Charlotte
Overall Monte Sano is very convenient to Huntsville. It is the type of campground that has a bathhouse.
It is a pleasant site with good views and hiking trails.
Are the campground spots friendly to hammocks?
Some of the sites have a decent view - now - since the small tornado hit the back side of the campground last fall along the North Plateau Loop trail. Before that there weren't any views due to the tree coverage and the camp ground is mostly in the "top - middle" of the mountain. I hike Monte Sano at least once a week but I've never camped there as I like back country camping. I'd recommend calling to see if they are hammock friendly as I'm curious about this myself. The cabins at Monte Sano have the best views in the park other than the overlook which you can drive to. If you have any other questions let us know.
Originally Posted by xMagnolia
yes. that's where I first started camping in my hammock and spend many of nights there. if it's just going to be 2/3 people try and get primitive site #1 lots of trees and shade and plenty of room for 2 people. it's it's going too 4 or more people get primitive site 10, it's a fairly big site with enough room for at least 6 hammocks. they will let you go back there and look at the sites before you pick one. when I go there solo I always try and get primitive site #1.
the below picture is a picture of one trip me and friends did to monte sand and I believe this is primitive campsite #10 (this was my beginning hammock days)
I've never been to Cheaha so I can't tell you how it compares to it. I believe there is 19 miles of trails inside the park ranging for green diamonds (easiest) to double black diamonds (hardest). most of the trees on top of the mountain is Elm so lots of coverage and it get dark fairly early there, but like trail slug said a tornado took down some of the trees that's close to the primitive site. you can get the powered sites also and hang a hammock there as long as it's not a pull through site but the primitive sites are bigger sites. if you go definitely go back and look before you decide which site you want. check out time is 11am and the store closes at 5pm but if you arrive later than that you can go to the camp host and get a site and you pay the next day. the rules says 2 cars per site but they don't force it (or they didn't the last time I was there) because we have had 4 or 5 cars at our site before.
if you have anymore question let me know and I may be able to help
There's magic in the woods,
if you know where to look for it.-Pete's Dragon
Thanks- that's exactly the info I needed!
Charlotte
I took my kids camping there and we stayed in one of the cabins. It is one of my favorite places in Alabama. We stayed there when we visited the space center.
Welcome
There's magic in the woods,
if you know where to look for it.-Pete's Dragon
Looks like a great place Charlotte! I will need a full trip report!
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