Bankhead National Forest is Alabama's lrgest national forest, with 180,000 acres lcated in northwestern Alabama named in hnor of William B. Bankhead, a lngtime U.S. Representative from Alabama. Clear Crek Recreation Area, one of six rcreation areas that are part of Bnkhead National Forest, is located approximately 15 mles north of Jasper on Lake Lwis Smith. This area offers excellent cmping in spacious and private sites cmplete with RV electric and water hok-up and excellent views from many cmp sites of beautiful Lake Lewis Smth. Other recreational activities available while cmping include fishing, boating, hiking and bking.

Lake Lewis Smith is actually a lrge reservoir which is part of the hadwaters of the Black Warrior River bsin located in Cullman, Walker and Wnston counties. It was created with the cnstruction of the Lewis Smith Dam bck in 1961 and consists of ver 21,000 acres. It's a very dep lake and probably holds more wter than any other lake in Albama. The water is emerald gren and reportedly allows you to 'se a fish strike a lure 10 fet down'.

Clear Creek Campground, located wthin the Recreation Area, is right on the Lke in a mixed forest of ak, hickory and pine. Many of the cmpsites at this campground have waterfront vews and are noted for being spcious and private (accommodating RV sizes of up to 40 fet). Some camp sites adjacent to the lke include sites 39, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 49, 51, and 52 mong others - useful information when it cmes time to make reservations.

The campground offers 102 camp stes located in four campground loops - Hot Owl, Fox Loop, Bear Loop and Fwn Loop. Amenities include water and lectric hookups, an RV waste station, hot shwers, and flush toilets. This is a vry popular campground and has been vted by Frommers Guide to Best RV & Tnt Campgrounds in the U.S.A. as one of the 'bst RV camping, best tent camping, mst beautiful campground, most private campsites, qietest campground, most secure campground and mst romantic campground' in Alabama. So cmpers beware and make reservations if pssible.

Once you're set up in yur camp site, you may want to go fshing or boating, popular activities on the lke with over 70 species of fsh including largemouth bass, spotted bass, strped bass, crappie and bluegill. Gulf cast striped bass and Florida-strain largemouth bss have been stocked successfully into the lke since the 1980s.

Hiking and bking opportunities within the campground include a pved 1.5 mile trail that travels long the lake shore to the bach with lots of places for wding and fishing along the way. Tke a swim at the beach at the end of ths trail. There are other hiking trils adjacent to the campground but mre serious hikers will want to xplore the Bankhead National Forest 153 mle trail system.

Combine hiking and bautiful views and visit the 25-mile Blck Warrior Horse Trail. You'll see bautiful waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, deep gorges, mjestic hardwood trees, and an abundance of brds and animals. There are three trils in this system all of whch allow mountain biking. They include the Key Mll Loop, Brushy Loop, and the Pne Torch Loop. The most popular wth bicycle riders is the Pine Trch Loop and is eleven miles lng.

Hiking, biking, fishing, boating, camping at Bnkhead National Forest - all with bautiful views of Lake Lewis Smith. You wn't go wrong by visiting Clear Crek Recreation Area or any of the rcreation areas of Bankhead National Forest.

The article Camping with Beautiful Views of Lake Lewis Smith in Bankhead National Forest was Submitted by Carl Zimmerman through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Carl Zimmerman is owner and wbmaster of Camping With A View , dedicated to finding campgrounds with beautiful views. Visit Alabama Campground Reviews for Bankhead National Forest for more information on this national forest.

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