A home away from home
Sherling Lake Park and Campground welcomes visitors Perhaps no one brags on Sherling Lake Park and Campground like Bill Smith. He came out of retirement a few years ago to manage the award-winning RV park known far and wide for its friendly service and well-groomed facilities. At age 73, he still enjoys cutting grass, and when guests arrive Smith sees to it that old-fashioned Southern hospitality holds sway among the staff. “We escort each camper to their site,” Smith says. “I enjoy the work, and I especially enjoy meeting new people. There’s a couple from England who have visited several times. They were children during World War II, and they can remember evacuating London during the German bombings. It’s like listening to the History Channel, except I’m getting the stories firsthand.”
Next door to the park is the 36-hole, four-course Cambrian Ridge golf complex, part of the highly acclaimed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail that includes 468 holes at 11 public courses throughout Alabama. The park also has a facility that can be rented for events. Known as The Lodge at Sherling Lake, it was built in 2017 to replace the Sherling Lake House, which was destroyed after a tornado swept through the area in 2011. The new building includes a chef ’s kitchen and a large, lake-view veranda with an outdoor fireplace built of native stone. The city of Greenville owns Sherling Lake Park and Campground. Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon says the new lodge reaches its potential as an entertainment space that attracts wedding parties, family reunions and corporate events. “From a commercial standpoint, the park facilities and RV camping are economic assets we promote on behalf of the city,” McLendon says. “People who camp at the park aren’t just visiting the park — they’re checking out other things Greenville has to offer, like its restaurants and historic downtown.”
Except for the children’s playground area, Sherling Lake Park and Campground fully reopened at the end of June. Visitors are reminded to social distance and to wear masks. Park management say the campground was busy at the end of June and early July shortly after reopening and that they expect more activity this fall when the park typically attracts Northerners en route to Florida for the winter. While some facets of the outdoor recreation industry have been hit hard by the pandemic, others have surged. According to the RV Industry Association, RV sales rebounded through the summer after manufacturing shut down in the spring during the initial COVID-19 outbreak. Industry officials say sales in some parts of the U.S. were up 170% over the same period last year as more travelers turned to RVs as a safer alternative to flying commercially or staying in hotels.
A safe place
Sherling Lake Park and Campground was closed from mid-March to early June due to COVID-19. Exceptions were granted to a handful of monthly workers who had jobs in the area and no place to stay other than their RVs. These workers had to leave their RVs parked at the campground — daytrips were prohibited — and they were not allowed outside visitors.
Sherling Lake Park and Campground is known for its friendly service and nice, clean facilities. PHOTOS COURTESY OF GREENVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Something for everyone
Sherling Lake Park and Campground is just off Interstate 65 and 3 miles west of Greenville. The park features 41 RV hookup sites, along with a few areas reserved for tent camping. The 30-acre facility offers a range of recreational options that can keep an outdoor enthusiast occupied for days. There are two small lakes on the property, both stocked with catfish, bass and bream. Boats are available for rent, and guests under the age of 16 fish for free.
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www.alabamaliving.coop
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