This was our first trip to Monte Sano State Park. Even when traveling to see family we find ways to create little road trips wherever we might be.

Monte Sano State Park is a publicly owned recreation area and mountaintop retreat encompassing 2,140 acres on the eastern portion of the top and slopes of Monte Sano Mountain on the east side of Huntsville, Alabama. The state park has 1930s-era, Civilian Conservation Corps–built rustic cottages, hiking trails and picnic areas with scenic overlooks, and modern campsites. In September 2020, Monte Sano State Park was one of eleven Alabama State Parks awarded Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award.

You’ll see pictures of a railroad, resort from 1887, and a chimney - which is all that remains of the 19th century resort. The history behind the railroad and resort are part of why it’s called Monte Sano.

The name "Monte Sano" derives from the Spanish for "mountain of health" and is the eponymous name of the mountain that is the main feature of the park. The name reflects the 19th-century tradition of sending diphtheria, cholera and yellow fever sufferers to retreats on the mountain. A week's stay at the Hotel Monte Sano, a three-story Queen Anne–style luxury health resort with 233 rooms that opened in 1877, cost $11 and included amusements like bowling, horseback riding, croquet and lawn tennis. A railway line built to carry patients up the mountain ran from 1888 to 1896 before going bankrupt.

If you’re ever in the area, it’s worth a visit - and honestly you could go several times and find something new each time. While it’s beautiful year-round, the vistas during the fall are spectacular and in winter you get a completely different view as the leaves fall away. (Note: If you have a teenager, it turns out they love the IG worthy pictures.)