Payne Lake Recreation Area
Moundville, Alabama · on Payne Lake · Talladega National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $18/night
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Payne Lake Recreation Area
Payne Lake Recreation Area is a U.S. Forest Service campground and day-use site on a 110-acre lake in the Oakmulgee Ranger District of Talladega National Forest, near Moundville, Alabama. An official developed swimming beach with bathhouses makes this a proper swimming hole and a dependable lake to swim in, and the site is also used for camping, boating, and fishing.
The recreation area sits within a mixed hardwood-pine forest with an adjacent cattail swamp and rolling hills, described by regional tourism sources as a microcosm of the surrounding Oakmulgee division of Talladega National Forest. It lies along the West Alabama Birding Trail and includes a 1.5-mile trail around the lakeshore.
Swimming at Payne Lake Recreation Area
Swimming takes place at a Forest Service-developed lake beach (sources describe either one beach with two bathhouses or two sandy beaches) with restrooms and hot showers on site. This is a calm, shallow-entry lake swim suited to families and campers rather than a whitewater or waterfall experience.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Centreville, Alabama: take US Route 82, then State Route 25/6 west for 3.9 miles, turn left onto Route 5 south for 5.9 miles, continue onto Route 25/Payne Lake Road and travel 16.2 miles to the National Forest Recreation Area sign.
The hike in
No hike is required to reach the swim beach, it is a developed, drive-up USFS day-use/campground beach. A separate, optional ~1.5-mile shoreline loop trail circles the lake for hiking/birding (West Alabama Birding Trail) but is recreational, not a required approach to the swimming area.
Swim beach is reached by a short walk from the parking/day-use area, not a backcountry approach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
USFS-developed sandy swim beach on a calm 110-acre lake with non-motorized boating only, which suits families, but official sources do not mention lifeguards on duty, so young children should be supervised closely.
Parking
Paid
A day-use pass (purchased via Recreation.gov Activity Pass) is required for the swim beach/day-use area; exact day-use dollar amount is not published on the official pages reviewed. Parking is restricted to designated areas only, vehicles parked elsewhere risk fines or towing, and the pass itself 'does not guarantee parking availability.'
Restrooms
Yes
Two bathhouses serving the recreation area, each with flush restrooms and hot showers, per the official USFS page and Recreation.gov listing.
Hours
Open year-round. Camping check-in 2:00 p.m., checkout 12:00 p.m.; quiet hours 10:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. No separate day-use gate hours were published on the sources reviewed.
On the water
Restrictions: Non-motorized boating only, the official USFS regulations state 'only non-motorized boating permitted' on Payne Lake, so kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards are allowed but motorboats and jet skis are not.
What regulars say
The one available first-hand account is a camper review from November 2019: the visitor described waking up 'parked by the lake with a view of reflecting fall foliage and mist,' called it a 'gorgeous location,' and noted 'not many people' during their early-November stay before a cold snap (lows in the 20s°F) ended the trip early. That account did not address summer crowd levels, water clarity, or the swim beach specifically, and the eastern campground was reported closed as of that review (status not reconfirmed here).
Payne Lake Recreation Area: FAQ
Does Payne Lake Recreation Area charge a fee?
Overnight camping: $18/night for a single site, plus $12/night for water & electric hookup or $5/night for water only. A day-use pass is required for the swim beach/day-use area (America the Beautiful and Golden Age/Access passes accepted for discounts); the exact day-use dollar amount was not stated on the sources reviewed.
Is Payne Lake Recreation Area kid friendly?
USFS-developed sandy swim beach on a calm 110-acre lake with non-motorized boating only, which suits families, but official sources do not mention lifeguards on duty, so young children should be supervised closely.
Do I need to hike to reach Payne Lake Recreation Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Payne Lake Recreation Area?
A day-use pass (purchased via Recreation.gov Activity Pass) is required for the swim beach/day-use area; exact day-use dollar amount is not published on the official pages reviewed. Parking is restricted to designated areas only, vehicles parked elsewhere risk fines or towing, and the pass itself 'does not guarantee parking availability.'
What are the rules at Payne Lake Recreation Area?
Check-in 2:00 p.m., checkout 12:00 p.m.; quiet hours 10:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.; only non-motorized boating permitted; parking is restricted to designated areas and illegally parked vehicles may be fined or towed.
What water body is Payne Lake Recreation Area on?
Payne Lake Recreation Area is on Payne Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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