Wind Creek Where you are never too old to play outdoors STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS & BETSY ILER
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ind Creek State Park is the third most profitable park in the state of Alabama. In May, the director of Alabama’s state park system, Greg Lein met with engineers and architects to discuss options for improvements and campsite renovations at Wind Creek. Lein said the meeting was advance planning for funding that may be available if a bond issue for system-wide improvements is approved by voters next year. Improvements at Lake Martin’s state park are a priority, Lein said, as cabin and campsite rentals, which more than doubled at the park last year during COVID-19 travel restrictions, continued to rise into summer 2021. “Wind Creek is a core park. Most of its revenues come from camping and day use. That’s different from the resort parks in the system, which are designed around other amenities,” Lein said. “I think we’ve turned the corner here to attract people in the shoulder seasons and in the winter, as well. We’d like to see more of those winter customers, and I think we may find that many of the visitors to those resort parks may find this park, which is on a lake, attractive also.” Lein said last spring's conversation focused on upgrading at least one section of existing campsites to include 50-amp electrical service and adding more cabins. These accommodations at Wind Creek are filled to capacity almost year-round now, according to the park’s superintendent, Bruce Adams. While the park contributed some $377,304 in
24 | 2021-2022 THE SOUTH'S BEST KEPT SECRET
profit to the state system’s bottom line in pre-COVID fiscal year 2019, profits soared to $922,784 for the fiscal year ended September 2020. Adams said the park is busier this year than it was last year and is on track to top last year’s camper numbers. “We had a lot of new campers last year, and I think they figured out they’re liking it, and they’re coming back,” Adams said. That’s the story for Montgomery’s Randy Taunton. “We go to the beach, and it’s not like this. There’s nothing like being at Wind Creek,” Taunton said. “There’s no traffic. This is just relaxing. We love the campfires in the evening, the smell in the air of people cooking. Everybody here is neighborly.” Taunton had snagged a site midweek last spring's and was preparing for a visit from his grandchildren over the weekend. “I’ve taught them how to fish, and they love it. Taught them how to bait their hook, how to throw. Right now, I’m just looking for a good fishing spot to take them to here this weekend,” he said. Local guests like Taunton make up a high percentage of the park’s overnight guests, Adams said. The majority of the 183,482 nights rented in cabins and campsites last fiscal year were rented by Alabama residents, like Alexander City’s Robert Meniefield and his family. The Meniefields rented a cabin over Mother’s Day weekend, but they come as often as they can to cook out and enjoy the recreational activities the park
