Brushy Lake Recreation Area

No amenities but a great escape into Bankhead NF. It’s basically boondock camping except you have a camp pad. It was very quiet until someone started hunting during the night. It is close to hunting areas so be aware you may hear gunshots if a season opens, but they were far off. We arrived around 4:30 pm on a Saturday in late October 2022 and snagged the last spot. I think we were in site 12. The site was level with a picnic table and fire ring. There is a trail that follows along the lake but not all the way around. There is a vault toilet in the camp area and a larger bathroom in the day use area. There are also water spigots. This is perfect place to camp after hiking in the Sipsey Wilderness.

Stayed two nights at beginning of January. Easy walking distance to the lake via a semi-paved path, and the lake is within sight of some of the campsites. Running water (at site #5) and bathhouse (at main parking/picnic area) are turned off for the season; but vault toilets in the camping area are available and acceptably clean (no smell, no filth, no trash). The sites filled up fast on Saturday, so arrive early — we had no problems finding a site on Friday. Most are level, gravel/clay sites, and there are no hookups at the sites. I would not try this with anything larger than 25’.
NOTE: This is not the horse camp. That’s a few miles further up the road.

You camp with the horses is literal. People that ride the trails stay here overnight with their horses there are out houses and well water but no showers
Nice area of land within the forest. It is approximately 2 miles north east of Brushy Lake
It is slightly off of 33 on a dirt road and I’m sorry I don’t remember the access road number

Nice place, quiet, not a lot of traffic in campground. Only water faucet available in front of site #5. Flush toilets and shower available next door at day use area, just a short path away. Vault toilets in CG.
Logging trucks using road next to campground during the day, but not too often. Nice stream runs by to the lake. Coyotes last night howling nearby, but didn't bother us at our site. Folks have left a book exchange at the check in kiosk, it's above the bulletin board. Rangers check CG daily.
Must go to top of hill either way upon exiting CG to get 2 bars of service with Verizon. Road turns to gravel after CG, headed toward Owl Creek Horse Camp.

Nice place on the lake especially for the price. It’s only $2.50 if you have a National parks pass. Several water hook ups throughout the park but no electricity. Nice Hot showers and flush toilet in the day use area which is a short walk from the camp. Pit toilets at the campsite. We were there on a weekend and it was rather full. Paved road all the way into the site although you can take a shortcut that is 2 miles down a gravel road and cut off 10 miles of the paved route. We took the shortcut in our car but do not recommend it for the motorhome. Mother nature (frogs and crickets) were quite loud the first night but not the second night go figure. I was able to drown them out with my earplugs. Nice fishing dock and the kids were catching lots of fish.It is about 18 to 20 miles away from any town.