Four Day Itinerary at DeSoto Bluffs Campground

Your base camp

DeSoto Bluffs Campground | 2350 Dogtown Road SE, Fort Payne, AL 35967. This four-day, three-night itinerary begins with 3:00 PM check-in and ends with 11:00 AM checkout. All itinerary times are Central Time. Quiet hours are 10:00 PM–7:00 AM.

Before you go

Best suited to warm-weather visits when swimming conditions and pool operations permit. Leave the RV set up and use your tow vehicle for day trips.

If necessary, drop into Fort Payne, a 5 mile drive from our Campground entrance, and visit a grocery store to pick up provisions for evening grilling, fresh veggies, and s’mores.

Day 1 | Arrive, settle in and take a hike

Theme: A relaxed first afternoon with every activity on the campground property.

3:00–4:00 PM | Set up your RV

Check in, park and connect your rig. Call the staff for open paths, fire rules and the 28-mile cycling map. Set out camp chairs and prepare your outdoor cooking area.

4:00–5:15 PM | On-site woodland hike

Walk directly from your RV to the campground’s woodland trails. Plan a 45–75-minute exploratory outing rather than a fixed-mileage loop; call the staff to identify a suitable route and turnaround point. Enjoy the forest and use only authorized viewpoints, staying well back from bluff edges. Return before dark.

Proximity: on property, no vehicle trip.

5:30–7:00 PM | Grill your first campsite dinner

Suggested menu: burgers or portobello mushrooms, grilled peppers and zucchini, and corn. Bring your own permitted grill and fuel unless staff confirms equipment is provided. Prepare vegetables in the RV, then cook outdoors at the approved location.

Proximity: your campsite.

7:00–8:00 PM | Campfire dessert

Make s’mores or warm foil-wrapped apple slices with cinnamon over coals. Use the approved fire pit. Keep water ready and extinguish the fire fully before turning in.

After dark–10:00 PM | Stars from your campsite

Recline in camp chairs, dim nonessential lights, let your eyes adjust. Use a red-light setting and a date-specific sky app to identify constellations.

Quiet hours begin at 10:00 PM.

Preparation for tomorrow

• Pack swimwear, towels, water shoes, water, sun protection and a picnic lunch.
• Check river conditions and closures; choose the DeSoto State Park pool instead if river conditions are unsuitable.
• Download maps before leaving camp and confirm the next day’s destination.

Day 2 | Swim nearby, cook over coals

Theme: A nearby water adventure with an easy return to your RV for dinner.

7:30–8:30 AM | Campsite breakfast

Make oatmeal, eggs or breakfast burritos in the RV or on your camp stove. Pack sandwiches, fruit and plenty of drinking water.

9:00 AM–noon | Blue Hole swimming outing

Primary destination: Blue Hole in Little River Canyon National Preserve, on AL Highway 35 about ¼ mile east of Little River Falls. The National Park Service describes relatively calm water, nearby parking, picnic benches and fixed charcoal grills. Parking can fill by 11:00 AM on late-spring and summer weekends.

Plan a 3-hour outing including travel, swimming and lunch. Swim only when conditions are safe.

Alternative | DeSoto State Park swimming pool

If you prefer a pool instead of natural-water swimming, navigate to DeSoto State Park, 7104 DeSoto Parkway NE, Fort Payne, AL 35967. Confirm the current pool entrance, hours, admission and operating dates before departure.

Proximity: 15 minutes from camp to the state park, plus pool access time.

1:00–3:30 PM | Recharge at camp

Return to your RV for a shower, lunch if you did not picnic, and a shaded rest. Add an optional 20–30-minute walk on the campground trails if energy and weather allow. Proximity: all afternoon activities are on property.

5:30–7:00 PM | Cook dinner over the campfire

Suggested menu: foil-packet sausage or beans with potatoes, peppers and onions; skillet cornbread as an optional side. Prep ingredients in the RV. If permitted, cook with an appropriate grate or camp cookware over coals rather than tall flames. If fires are restricted, use the RV kitchen or a stove instead.

After dark | A second night under the stars

Enjoy a quiet campsite sky session. Compare the stars with last night, look for the brightest visible planets using a current sky app, and put away food before bedtime. Keep noise low after 10:00 PM.

Day 3 | The 28-mile bike ride

Theme: Your main cycling day, followed by a relaxed evening at the campsite.

7:00–8:00 AM | Breakfast and bike check

Eat a substantial breakfast. Check tires, brakes and shifting; carry a helmet, water, snacks, repair kit, charged phone and the downloaded route map. Review the actual route surface, climbing, road traffic and weather before deciding whether the full distance suits your group.

8:00 AM–1:00 PM | The Ride. Savor the journey, not just the destination.

Ride the 28-mile route outlined on the DeSoto Bluffs Campground website. Reserve roughly 4–5 hours for riding, rest breaks and photo ops. Start earlier in hot weather and adjust the schedule to your pace.

Begins at DeSoto Bluffs, roll out from your campsite and return directly to your RV site.

1:00–4:00 PM | Lunch and recovery at your RV

Return to camp for wraps, leftovers or a pasta salad, then rest. Keep any afternoon hike brief and optional; the on-property trails provide a no-driving alternative if you still want time in the woods.

5:30–7:00 PM | Grill a celebratory dinner

Suggested menu: grilled chicken, tofu or vegetable skewers with rice prepared in the RV. Add grilled pineapple for dessert. Use your grill setup, keeping hot surfaces away from the RV, awning and vegetation.

Evening | Campfire conversation and campsite stargazing

Enjoy a small fire at the fire pit with a hot drink. After you extinguish the fire, lower campsite lighting for a quieter view of the sky. Stargaze from your chairs until bedtime.

If the ride cannot go as planned

Skip cycling during thunderstorms, unsafe heat or unsuitable road conditions. Substitute a shorter staff-recommended on-site hike and campsite cooking; reschedule the full route rather than creating an unverified shortcut.

Day 4 | One last hike, then an optional swim

7:30–9:00 AM | Breakfast and a final on-site walk

Enjoy coffee and pancakes or fruit at your RV, then take a 30–45-minute walk on a familiar campground trail.

Proximity: steps from camp, with no packing or driving required before the walk.

9:00–11:00 AM | Pack and check out

Cool and clean cooking equipment, dispose of trash properly, ensure all coals are cold, and disconnect utilities safely. Check out by 11:00 AM. This completes the four-day, three-night stay. An additional night is needed if you want a fourth campsite dinner and stargazing session.

Optional late-morning / afternoon | Little Falls swimming hike

For an extra swimming stop, visit Little Falls, formerly Martha’s Falls, in Little River Canyon National Preserve. Access is from the Little River Falls parking lot on Highway 35. The approach is a ¾-mile hike each way with 137 stone stairs down to the river; allow approximately 1½ miles round-trip plus swimming time.

Note: uneven terrain and a substantial stair climb.

Proximity: in the same canyon area 10 minutes from DeSoto Bluffs, plus driving to the specific lot and the hike. Schedule it after checkout only if you have a suitable passenger vehicle and an authorized place for the RV; do not assume you may leave your rig at camp or fit it in a busy park lot.

Swimming, fire and nighttime essentials

• Check water levels, weather and access notices before every natural-water outing. Avoid swimming after heavy rain, in strong currents or during lightning; do not jump from cliffs or dive into unknown water. Keep children closely supervised and use appropriate flotation.
• Bring suitable footwear for slippery rocks and trails. Treat the campground pond as a nature-viewing feature, not a confirmed swimming facility.
• Call the staff to confirm fire restrictions, approved fuel, grill placement and fire-pit arrangements. Never use grills inside the RV; never leave a fire unattended.
• Pack helmets, repair supplies, swim gear, first-aid supplies, sunscreen, insect repellent, camp chairs, a red-light headlamp and cookware. Keep food and waste secured.