After a hectic work week, a relaxing weekend is what the majority of people seek throughout Chilton County.

An opportunity to escape reality for a couple of days is provided at Minooka Park in Jemison.

“The campground has really been a good addition to the park,” Chilton County Parks and Recreation Director Gerald Arrington said. “We stay busy, and the revenue from the campground has increased every year since it opened.”

According to Arrington, although a large portion of campground guests have pulled off the highway and are looking to stay for one night, there are also a lot of locals that are looking for a place to unwind.

“They don’t want to drive to far, but they still want to have a place to get away,” Arrington said. “We get a lot of repeat customers.”

Weekends are the time when the campground sees the most guests, with camping groups or organizations reserving multiple sites at one time.

With spring and warmer weather quickly approaching, Arrington understands that business is about to pick up.

“There are certain times of the year when we know that it is going to be full capacity,” Arrington said.

According to Arrington, holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and spring break have been routinely full each year.

The 40 acres that the campground currently sits on was not part of the original plan but was bought that at a later time.

The rest of the property throughout the park is a hilly terrain and not suitable to build a campground on.

Construction at the campground broke ground on in January 2010, and the project was completed in June 2010.

“The problem was finding a suitable place for the campground, because you couldn’t have any over-head wires,” Arrington said. “They all had to be in the ground.”

Eighteen spots make up the campground, with 10 having full-hookup capability with water, power and sewage, while eight spots do not have the sewage option.

“One of the things that people really like about our campground is that all the spots have concrete pads and patios,” Arrington said. “That way you don’t have to worry about leveling your camper.”

Amenities include a picnic table and fire pit with a fold-down cooking grate at each site. Restrooms sit at the entrance of the campground as well as a lake to fish in and several trails throughout Minooka Park.

According to Arrington, a bathhouse containing showers is one of the most common requests among the feedback he receives from visitors. As a result, it is currently at the top of the priority list.

The nightly rate is $20 for water and power and $23 for water, power and sewage. The weekly rate for water and power is $110 and $128 for water, power and sewage. A 15-percent discount is offered to senior citizens 62 years or older.

Opportunities are also available for a monthly rate of $418.56, which includes tax.

The campground is open throughout the year, and anyone interested in camping at Minooka Park is asked to make reservations by calling (205) 312-1376 or (205) 287-1214.