Rocky Branch Day Use Park

Black Warrior and Tombigbee Lakes — lakeside, hiking

Location: Cottondale, AL, AL

Price: From $40 per night

Rating: 5 out of 5 (1 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Rocky Branch Day use park is located on Holt Lake on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway northeast of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The facility is in a beautiful forest along the shoreline, providing day-use visitors with access to water sports, boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and biking. Boat ramp available year round is adjacent to seasonal day use facilities.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: AT&T. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/rocky-branch-day-use-park to be notified when sites open up.

Rocky Branch Day Use Park offers a beautiful shoreline setting on Holt Lake with access to water sports, boating, fishing, swimming, and hiking. Google reviewers praise it as a great family destination with a safe swim beach for young children.

Wildlife alert: North American River Otter, Woodchuck, Virginia Opossum, Gray Ratsnake, Alabama Map Turtle, and Stripe-necked Musk Turtle observed in the area.

Insider tips for Rocky Branch Day Use Park: Only 2 tent sites available — book early as this is a federal campground Start hiking at the boat launch for trail access to the dam Swim beach area is designed for shallow water, ideal for families with young children

Skip Rocky Branch Day Use Park if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available. You expect maintained sight lines on trails — vegetation has grown in thick in some areas. You prefer heavily trafficked trails with regular maintenance.

Best time to visit Rocky Branch Day Use Park: Year-round — Verified as year-round operation, though seasonal operations noted as potential variable.

Nearby campgrounds: Deerlick Creek (TUSCALOOSA, AL), Burchfield Branch Park (ADGER, AL), Lock 8 (Demopolis, AL), Finches Ferry (Demopolis, AL).

Cell Phone Coverage at Rocky Branch Day Use Park

Cell signal at Rocky Branch Day Use Park (Cottondale, AL): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: AT&T.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Black Warrior and Tombigbee Lakes — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Rocky Branch Day Use Park

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Cottondale, AL, AL★ 5 (1 reviews)From $40/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Rocky Branch Day use park is located on Holt Lake on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway northeast of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The facility is in a beautiful forest along the shoreline, providing day-use visitors with access to water sports, boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and biking. Boat ramp available year round is adjacent to seasonal day use facilities.

Best for:HikersSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Boat Launch

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — no hookups available✕ You expect maintained sight lines on trails — vegetation has grown in thick in some areas✕ You prefer heavily trafficked trails with regular maintenance

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Only 2 tent sites available

book early as this is a federal campground

Start hiking at the boat launch for trail access to the dam

Swim beach area is designed for shallow water, ideal for families with young children

Best: Year-round

Verified as year-round operation, though seasonal operations noted as potential variable

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G + 5G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: AT&T.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: North American River Otter, Woodchuck, Virginia Opossum, Gray Ratsnake, Alabama Map Turtle, and Stripe-necked Musk Turtle observed in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Gatehouse 205-554-1684 Resource Office 205-553-9373· Black Warrior and Tombigbee Lakes
Getting there →

Coming from Birmingham going south on I-20/59 in Alabama, take Exit 86 (Covered Bridge Road) toward Brookwood. Turn right on Covered Bridge Road and continue for 5.5 miles to traffic light. Turn left at traffic light onto Highway 216 and continue 3.6 miles. Turn right on Rocky Branch Road and continue 2.5 miles until you get to the park gates on your right. Coming from Tuscaloosa at the intersection of University Blvd and Veterans' Memorial Parkway, continue on Highway 216 for 7.4 miles. Turn le

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Black Warrior and Tombigbee Lakes fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Black Warrior and Tombigbee Lakes before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Rocky Branch Day Use Park cost per night?+
Rocky Branch Day Use Park costs $40 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Rocky Branch Day Use Park open?+
Rocky Branch Day Use Park is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Rocky Branch Day Use Park have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Rocky Branch Day Use Park?+
Rocky Branch Day Use Park is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Rocky Branch Day Use Park?+
Rocky Branch Day Use Park is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Rocky Branch Day Use Park?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Rocky Branch Day Use Park is rated strong. Best carrier: AT&T. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Rocky Branch Day Use Park open, and what are check-in times?+
Rocky Branch Day Use Park is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$40 /night★ 5 (1)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Rocky Branch Day Use Park cost per night?+
What season is Rocky Branch Day Use Park open?+
Does Rocky Branch Day Use Park have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Deerlick Creek

TUSCALOOSA, AL

From $20/night

Burchfield Branch Park

ADGER, AL

From $20/night

Lock 8

Demopolis, AL

From $25/night

Finches Ferry

Demopolis, AL

From $25/night

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