The Gulf of Mexico at Gulf State Park in the morning
Beaches

Gulf State Park

Gulf State Park covers 6,150 acres, with more than 3.5 miles of beach in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, a fishing pier, Lake Shelby and more than 28 miles of paved trails. A $15 day pass covers parking at all six beach accesses. You can sleep at The Lodge on the beach, in cabins and cottages on Lake Shelby, or at the campground.

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Plan your visit
Checked November 5, 2026$15 day parking28+ miles of trails

Gulf State Park, Alabama · Photo: Jodybwiki / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Credits

The short answer

Gulf State Park in brief

Stop at the Visitor Center for a trail map, then pick a beach access or a trailhead.

Source: Alabama State Parks: Gulf State Park.

Address
20115 State Park Road, Gulf Shores
Size
6,150 acres, with more than 3.5 miles of sand beach
Day parking
$15 per car, good at every park beach access that day
Trails
More than 28 miles, paved, open dawn to dusk
Maps
Trail maps at the Visitor Center in the Lake Shelby picnic area
Phone
Park 251-948-7275; The Lodge 251-540-4000; cabins and cottages 251-923-3900
Beaches

Six beach accesses, one day pass

The pier and the Beach Pavilion are on East Beach Boulevard. Romar Beach, Cotton Bayou, Alabama Point East and Shell Beach are along Perdido Beach Boulevard in Orange Beach. You pay with a QR code and your license plate, so there's no receipt to leave on the dashboard.

  • Gulf State Park Pier

    Address20800 E Beach BlvdFacilitiesParking, restrooms

  • Beach Pavilion

    Address22250 E Beach BlvdFacilitiesParking, restrooms with showers

  • Romar Beach

    Address24450 Perdido Beach BlvdFacilitiesParking, restrooms

  • Cotton Bayou

    Address25900 Perdido Beach BlvdFacilitiesParking, restrooms, wheelchair accessible

  • Alabama Point East

    Address28100 Perdido Beach BlvdFacilitiesParking, restrooms

  • Shell Beach

    Address28282 Perdido Beach BlvdFacilitiesParking, portable toilet

Source: Alabama State Parks: Gulf State Park beaches.

All beaches and public accesses

Parking

Day pass, annual pass and free passes

At the pier, the $15 day pass also covers one fishing permit or three sightseeing passes. Parking at The Lodge is separate: $15 a day to park yourself, $22 for valet.

Fishing and fees at the pier

Day pass, car
$15, good at all six beach accesses that day
Trailer, bus or large RV
$35, only at the pier and the Beach Pavilion
Annual pass
$200 per vehicle for the calendar year, from headquarters (Monday to Friday) or the Visitor Center (daily)
Orange Beach residents
Free, from Orange Beach City Hall
US military
Free for active duty, former service members and veterans; the pass doesn't expire
Overnight
No overnight parking or camping in the beach lots
Beach Pavilion

Showers, snacks and rentals at the Pavilion

The Beach Pavilion at 22250 East Beach Boulevard has air-conditioned restrooms with showers, ramps and picnic tables. In summer, the Beachin' Eats stand sells snacks.

Ike's has beach chairs, umbrellas, beach wheelchairs and volleyball here, plus banana boat rides and parasailing. Pure Aloha Adventures rents paddleboards and teaches lessons.

Sources: Beach Pavilion, outdoor adventures, dining.

Backcountry Trail

The trails on foot or by bike

More than 28 miles of paved trail run through nine ecosystems. They're open to walkers and cyclists, wheelchair accessible, and start from trailheads all around the park.

Bikes

The Lodge and the park run a free bike share. To rent, go to the Camp Store, which has adult and kids' bikes, or to Beach Bike Rentals in the shopping center at the Rosemary Dunes trailhead.

Rules

No cars or golf carts on the trails. On the Orange Beach sections, the limit since September 9, 2026, is 12 mph, and 10 mph within 50 feet of people on foot, who have the right of way. Riders under 16 wear a helmet, and high-powered e-motos aren't allowed.

If something happens on the trail, open the what3words app and give the three words to Baldwin County 911.

Sources: trails, outdoor adventures, Orange Beach city ordinances.

Parks and trails in the area

Gulf Oak Ridge, under live oaks hung with Spanish moss
3.0
Catman
2.7
Lakeview
2.2
Campground Trail
2.2
Rosemary Dunes, where you might see a bobcat
2.1
Coyote Crossing
2.1
Gopher Tortoise, along the edge of Lake Shelby
1.5
Beach Mouse Bypass, a boardwalk
1.1
Lake Crossing, a boardwalk
0.6
Away from the beach

Lake Shelby, the Nature Center and the Dog Pond

Guided Segway tours start at Lake Shelby. The swim area, the Visitor Center and the Dog Pond are all in its picnic area.

Sources: Lake Shelby, Nature Center, Visitor Center, Dog Pond.

The nature center at Gulf State Park
The Nature Center at Gulf State Park.Gulf State Park, Alabama · Photo: Farrargirl / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Shelby
900 acres of fresh water. The picnic area has the swim area, charcoal grills, restrooms, picnic tables, two covered pavilions and a playground
On the water
A boat and kayak launch; Ike's rents canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. No jet skis
Nature Center
Free entry; owls, turtles, alligators and snakes live here
Programs
Every week: guided nature walks, beach and pier walks and Nature Time; free unless marked otherwise
Driving to the Nature Center
It's in the campground at 22120 Campground Road: $5 per vehicle for day visitors, free for park guests and veterans
Visitor Center
Trail maps, annual passes and the park shop
Dog Pond
Dogs need their shots and a tag, stay leashed going in and out, and can't wear choke or prong collars. Under 16 only with an adult
Hours

Opening hours

From September 8 to March 1, the pier is staffed from 6 am to 5 pm. Outside those hours you pay at the honor box.

Trails
Dawn to dusk, daily
Beach Pavilion
7 am to sunset, daily
Beachin' Eats at the Pavilion
11 am–5 pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day
Pier
Open 24 hours; staffed hours change with the season
Visitor Center
9 am–4 pm, daily
Nature Center
9 am–4 pm, Monday to Saturday; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and January 1
Dog Pond
8 am to sunset
Headquarters
8 am–4 pm, Monday to Friday
Campground office
7 am–5:30 pm, daily
Staying in the park

The Lodge, cabins, cottages or a campsite

The Lodge is on the beach. The cabins and Eagle Cottages are on Lake Shelby, and the Nature Center is inside the campground.

Cabins and cottages: 251-923-3900. Camping: 251-948-7275, extension 1.

Sources: The Lodge's own FAQ; cabins, Eagle Cottages, campground, park rules (October 2025).

The Lodge in detail

The campground

The Lodge at Gulf State Park
350 rooms on the beach, with two boardwalks to the sand and two outdoor pools, one for 21 and up. Check-in from 25, no pets except service animals, self-parking $15 a day or valet $22, no resort fee
Cabins
24 furnished cabins, 20 on Lake Shelby and 4 among longleaf pines, from studios to two bedrooms, each with a kitchen, a screened porch, a grill, a fire ring and WiFi. Cleaning $180 a stay, pets up to 50 lb $175, both plus tax
Eagle Cottages
11 cottages on Lake Shelby, each with three bedrooms and three baths, for two to six people. Breakfast, walks with a Master Naturalist, bikes, daily housekeeping and WiFi are included
Campground
496 sites, including full-hookup, waterfront, ADA, primitive and glamping sites, with 11 bathhouses, a pool with a splash pad and a camp store
RV Resort
104 sites with concrete pads and fire rings, a clubhouse, a playground and direct access to the trails. Guests of either campground can use the pools and playgrounds of both
Booking a campsite
Up to a year ahead, 13 months for Alabama residents. 14 nights at most per stay; monthly stays November to March
Food and rules

Food, rules and wildlife

Food in the park: Beachin' Eats at the Beach Pavilion in summer, ByWater Beachside Beach Bar & Grill at the pier, and the restaurants at The Lodge. The Camp Store sells groceries, firewood and camping supplies.

Sources: dining, park rules (October 2025), Lake Shelby.

Beach rules in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach

Alcohol
Not allowed on the park beaches, including the Pavilion lot, or at the Lake Shelby swim area and its lot
Glass and fires
No glass in the Pavilion lot, under the pavilion or on the beach, and no fires
Dogs
Not allowed on the park beaches. Elsewhere on a leash of 6 feet or less, including the Lake Shelby picnic area
Kids
Under 14 only with an adult
Swimming in Lake Shelby
Only at the swim area in the picnic area, not from campsites or other parts of the shore
Alligators
They live in Lake Shelby and along the Gopher Tortoise Trail
Getting there

Driving to the park and between accesses

Times are by car without traffic.

Getting around Gulf Shores and Orange Beach

From Gulf Place to The Lodge
About 1.6 miles, 5 minutes
From The Wharf to The Lodge
About 7.2 miles, 14 minutes
From The Lodge to Cotton Bayou
About 5.4 miles, 10 minutes
From Cotton Bayou to Alabama Point East
About 2.7 miles, 6 minutes
Trailers, buses, large RVs
Park only at the pier or the Beach Pavilion
Tours

Segway through the park, parasail off the beach

Ike's runs the guided Segway tour on the park's trails and the parasail flights off the beach. Prices and ratings as of November 3, 2026.

Segway eco tour in Gulf State Park
Photo: Ike's Beach Service via Viator

Ike's Beach Service

Gulf State Park Segway Eco Tour

2 h 15 min

Roll through the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail with a guide who shows you the park's habitats and wildlife, without a long walk.

Kids 12 and up can ride, and anyone who finds long walks hard still gets deep into the park.

  • Guided tour, helmet included
  • Several tour times a day, weather permitting
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Good to know
  • Meets: Ike's check-in counter; park in the free lot and follow the signs
  • Ages 12 and up

4.9 · 22 reviews on Viator

From $93.50 on Viator

Check Prices & Availability
Parasailing in Orange Beach
Photo: Ike's Beach Service via Viator

Ike's Beach Service

Orange Beach Parasailing

1 hour

See the coast from above with Ike's, which has flown visitors along the Alabama and Florida beaches for more than 20 years. Fly solo, in pairs or three at a time.

  • Single, tandem and triple rides
  • Free parking at check-in
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Good to know
  • Meets: Ike's check-in counter; park in the free lot and follow the signs

4.3 · 27 reviews on Viator

From $98.99 on Viator

Check Prices & Availability
Stay nearby

Hotels in and next to the park

Distances are by road from The Lodge.

Gulf Shores vacation rentals on Vrbo Orange Beach vacation rentals on Vrbo

What people ask

Quick answers

Is Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?

Both. The park's address is 20115 State Park Road in Gulf Shores, and the Beach Pavilion is in Gulf Shores; Romar Beach, Cotton Bayou, Alabama Point East and Shell Beach are in Orange Beach.

Where can you rent bikes in Gulf State Park?

At the Camp Store, which has adult and kids' bikes, or at Beach Bike Rentals in the shopping center at the Rosemary Dunes trailhead. The free bike share starts at The Lodge and other spots in the park.

Where is the Romar Beach access?

At 24450 Perdido Beach Blvd in Orange Beach, with parking and restrooms. The $15 day pass covers it.

Where do you park for the Gulf State Park Pier?

In the pier lot at 20800 E Beach Blvd. The $15 day pass includes one fishing permit or three sightseeing passes; you still need an Alabama fishing license.

Are the Gulf State Park cabins on the beach?

No. Twenty of the 24 cabins are on Lake Shelby and four are among longleaf pines. For a room on the sand, book The Lodge.