Serenity Campground - Mentone, Alabama

If you're ever in Northern Alabama and looking for a sweet, secluded place to park yourself...try to find this little campground. We got to stay here for the night and despite the drenching rain, it was one of my favorite spots on this trip thus far.
Mainly because of Frank Ross - it usually comes down to people, doesn't it?
Mr. Ross purchased this property 9 years ago and over that time has built, mostly with his own two hands, a beautiful park.
I ran that day and so was one of the first to arrive and meet Frank. In his early 60's, with a wide smile and a sort of boyishness to him, he was eager to point out some of the prouder features of his land.

"All these lots," he said, pointing to the tent area, "I put all these in by hand, laid the logs, tamped down the chert, levelled her off. Just tried to make it comfortable for folks."

One of the things I noticed immediately about this camp facility is that in each of the little tent sites, he left two or three trees. It's an unusual feature...most tent sites that are fabricated like that are usually devoid of nature, even though you're surrounded by it.

"Yeah well I did that on purpose. I like the nature, that's what people come here for and I'm not just gonna cut something down just to cut it down. I wanted to keep this place as beautiful as when I found it. Here, now have you ever had wild blueberries?"

He showed me the blueberry plants, along with the wild raspberry plants. Pulled off a leaf of sassafras, the likes of which I had never smelled before other than in tea. He talked about how he had the little lake built, has a paddleboat available for people and that his son keeps a tent sight at the end of the row and visits often.

I asked about the dog that followed him around.

"Oh, she's a wild one. Half coyote and half husky. I never have named her, she don't belong to me. She won't let anyone pet her...not even me, but she's a sweet old girl and I make sure she's always got food. She's good-natured, won't ever bark or nip at you, she just don't like to be touched. Mother's full coyote and will come around from time to time and check on her."



Mr. Ross made his living as a locksmith, like his father who passed away last year at the age of 98. He's preparing for the Ross Family Reunion which will take place this September in time for his Mother's 88th B-day.

I wished we could've stayed longer here...sometimes I always wish we could stay longer at a lot of places; but I suppose the good thing to know is that we get to visit all these beautiful places and can make my way back to these spots.

Thanks so much Mr. Ross!