Fort Rucker home to recreational paradise

By Nathan Pfau, Army Flier Staff WriterMay 4, 2017

Fort Rucker home to recreational paradise
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Fort Rucker home to recreational paradise
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FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Oftentimes, it feels like summer really never ends in the Wiregrass, but, the official summer season is still just around the corner, and Fort Rucker Outdoor Recreation provides numerous reasons to head out to the great outdoors and hit the water.

From cabins to boats to water slides at Lake Tholocco, people will be hard pressed to find themselves without something to do when it comes to outdoor recreation on the installation, said Megan Royer, Lake Tholocco Lodging business manager.

The area around the 640-acre lake boasts 22 cabins, 21 of which are two-bedroom cabins and one three-bedroom cabin, all available for rent to active-duty and retired service members, families, and Department of Defense civilians.

People can take advantage of everything the cabins have to offer, including: fully-furnished accommodations, fully-equipped kitchens, screened-in back porch, 32-inch flat screen TVs, satellite and DVD players, and complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access.

The Singing Pines Cabins are found on the lake's West Beach, where people can enjoy breathtaking sunrises, said Royer, and more cabins that are on the East Beach side, where people can enjoy a view of an Alabama sunset.

The Singing Pines cabins include: two bedrooms with queen beds and one bath; fully-equipped kitchen with refrigerator, stove and microwave; and furnished living space with satellite TV and WiFi. Pet friendly cabins are also available at additional cost.

The East Beach cabins come in two-bedroom varieties and one three-bedroom cabin, and include the same amenities as the West Beach cabins, but pets are not allowed on the East Beach cabins.

For more information or rates, call 255-4234.

RV park or rent

In addition to cabin rentals, there is also a recreational vehicle park that people can take advantage of.

"We have a total of 48 camp sites, 18 of which are long-term sites -- the rest are short term that are rented at a maximum of two weeks at a time," said Royer. The short-term sites rent for $18 per night and the long-term sites can be rented for $16 a night for two to three months at a time depending on the season.

People can also rent travel trailers -- there are six trailers and two cool-camps available for rent that can sleep anywhere from two to six people. They are $45 a night or $200 for six nights, and they can go off the installation with no mileage limits.

Camping equipment is also available for rent.

West Beach

One of the largest and most well-known attractions on Fort Rucker is Lake Tholocco's West Beach, which is the designated swimming area for the lake. West Beach is fitted with a water trampoline and two water slides.

"We also have nine pavilions available for rent, two of which are indoor and air conditioned, and they are open to the public," added Melissa Kelley, ODR lead recreation assistant. The rental rates range from $25-$85 per day with weekly rates available, as well, and there are also canopies available for rent ranging from 10'x10' to 20'x30', along with folding chairs, tables and basically anything people need for outdoor parties.

To go along with people's camping or cabin experience, outdoor recreation also has what they need to take to the water.

"We have boat rentals available ranging from Jon boats, pontoon boats and ski boats, and we also have canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and new jet skis that are available on a first-come, first-served basis," said Kelley.

To be eligible for the boat rentals, people must be a DOD civilian, active-duty military or a retired service member. Boat rental prices depend on the amount of time people would like the boat for.

Boaters are not required to have the Alabama vessel requirements to rent boats, said Kelley, but they do need to complete the Fort Rucker Boater Safety Course, which consists of 25 questions and is an open book exam that people can take free of charge. The course must be taken on site at the outdoor recreation service center.

For more information, call 255-4305.

Related Links:

USAACE and Fort Rucker