Little River State Forest - Atmore, AL - an ideal setting to get closer to nature

Originally the Claude D. Kelley State Park the Little River State Forest is located at 18997 Highway 21and 580 H. Kyle Road in Atmore, Alabama. The park is twelve miles away from Interstate 65 to the north. The park is 960 with a 25 acre lake that allows vast options for recreation such as camping, swimming, fishing or hiking. The park can be enjoyed from sun up to sun down.

There are a number of options for staying at the park including the rustic cabins that are $45 a night Sunday through Thursday and $55 a night on Friday and Saturday. These cabins hold up to four people. The cost of campsites ranges from $10 to $16 each night depending on if they are primitive, have water and electric or full hookups.

The Little River State Forest offers the opportunity for boat rentals. Pedal boats are $5 an hour, John boats can be rented for four hours at a cost of $5 or $7.50 for eight hours. Canoes can be gotten for four hours at a cost of $5 and for $7.50 you can rent them for eight hours. The charge is only $7.50 for an entire day for campers. There are pavilions available to rent for $15 to $50 a day depending on the size and length of time for the rental.

The park is between Escambia and Monroe counties with a longleaf pine forest covering most of the park. There is not a wide scale of hunting allowed at the facility but does have one Alabama's few handicap hunting locations. The departments for conservation, wildlife and fishing set the regulations and rules. There are small entry fees for swimming, hiking and fishing at the park.

There are primitive roads at Little River where visitors can go horseback riding and have ample opportunities to see a wide array of wildlife. The park office can assist with reservations for the pavilions and the cabins. Those up to five years of age are admitted to the park at no cost. Those aged six to eleven pay a charge of fifty cent to enter the park as do those aged sixty-two and over. Those aged twelve to sixty-one pay $1 for admission to the Little River State Forest.

The goal of the park was to provide a location that was aesthetically pleasing for the general public to enjoy the great outdoors. There are a variety of events including church functions and family reunions held at the facilities in the park each year. Alabama Forestry Commission owns and operates the forest now and the overall health of the area is the main focus.

In the early 1930's the privately own land that the forest occupies was deeded to Alabama's Forestry Commission. There were several ideas implemented by President Roosevelt during the Great Depress to help people get back on their feet and the Civilian Conservation Corps was one of them. The group was designed to construct parks and plant trees in an effort to rebuild the countries natural resources. In 1934 the group went to Atmore and began construction on the Little River State Forest.