Guntersville Golf Course Re-opens
The Golf Course at Lake Guntersville State Park, which recently underwent a $2 million renovation, is now open once again. The 18-hole championship course has been a favorite among golf enthusiasts since it was built in 1974. The course closed in April 2009 for renovations that included the laying of new water lines, cart path improvements, and the sowing of new greens in Bermuda tiff dwarf. While renovations have long been complete, the course needed to remain closed to allow the new greens time to grow and mature. The spring season allowed them to do just that.
Reservations are now being taken for tournaments and golf retreats. Interested parties wanting to book a tournament should call the park’s pro shop at 256-582-0379. Those wanting to reserve accommodations under the park’s golf packages should call the sales office at 256-505-6601. Visit our website for rates and information to assist with your plans to play the course at Lake Guntersville State Park.
Cathedral's Gemstone Mine
Visitors to Cathedral Caverns State Park now have another activity to enhance their visit—a gemstone mine. Children and adults both are enjoying this fun experience.
Here’s how it’s done:
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Purchase a bag of prepackaged gemstone “rough” for $6 plus tax. Each bag is filled with a variety of rough-cut gems.
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Work the dirt in the water running through the custom-made flumes.
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Identify what you find using the gemstone identification display.
The new pool is now open at Lakepoint Resort State Park. The complex is available for guests of the hotel, cabins/cottages, and the campgrounds. This is a saltwater pool that is operated from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. There is also a new playground, located near the pool for children 12 yrs and under.
Monte Sano State Park – Serene Wedding Setting
Monte Sano, Spanish for “Mountain of Health,” rises more than 1,600 feet above sea level. The Monte Sano Lodge offers a serene mountain setting that is ideal for weddings. The beautifully furnished interior contains a large meeting room, small meeting room, break room, lobby or pre-function area, restrooms and a terrace.
The largest of the rooms in the lodge, the Oak Banquet Hall, can easily accommodate up to 112 persons in a banquet setting and between 72 and 175 persons in a conference setting. This room is ideal for large wedding receptions or business dinners and with easy access to the catering kitchen.
If a smaller room is desired, there is the Dogwood Room, which holds between 40 and 90 people. Fearn Hall, which is where guests will enter, can also be utilized. An outside terrace is also available for wedding ceremonies or receptions.
Lodging at the park includes 14 cabins and a campground. Other amenities include pavilions, playground, amphitheater and easy access to the city of Huntsville and all its shopping venues and attractions.
For more information on planning your Monte Sano wedding, call 256-539-7174 or visit us online.
Upcoming Events
6-25-2010
Join park staff for a campfire talk about the historic dam above DeSoto Falls.
6-26-2010
6-26-2010
6-26-2010
Free admission to those on bikes, music, food and more!
7-3-2010
Flag-making, parade and ice cream social.
7-4-2010
Flag-making and parade, 10 a.m., B-side campground pavilion.
7-16, 7-17-2010
Displayed on docks near the pool.
7-23-2010
An evening of free entertainment; bring your own chair; food for sale.
8-1-2010
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Did you know that many Alabama State Parks offer special dining and lodging specials throughout the year? Check out the specials page for all the details.
RECIPE OF
THE MONTH –
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
From Guntersville’s Pinecrest Dining Room
--Serves 6-8
2 C cold milk
4 C day-old buttermilk biscuits, cubed (or equal amount of day-old French bread cubes)
1/4 C butter, melted
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C raisins
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Whiskey Sauce (recipe follows)
Bring milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Place biscuit cubes in a large bowl. Pour scalded milk over bread. Let cool. Add remaining ingredients, excluding whiskey sauce, mixing well. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Put casserole dish in a pan of hot water, about 1 inch deep. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm drizzled with whiskey sauce (optional).
Whiskey Sauce
1/2 C butter
1 C granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 C whiskey
Combine butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until mixture is thick and sugar is dissolved, stirring often. Slowly add a spoonful of the mixture to the beaten egg, blending to keep the egg from cooking. Stir the egg into the butter and sugar mixture. Cool slightly. Add whiskey and stir. Spoon onto bread pudding servings as desired. Yield: 3/4 cup
Technology Grant Awarded to DeSoto
Senator Lowell Barron and Representative Todd Greeson recently awarded DeSoto State Park a law enforcement technology grant. This will allow park rangers to purchase necessary equipment and receive appropriate training for the eCitation (electronic citation) system, which is currently used by Alabama State Troopers, county and local police departments.
DeSoto State Park Superintendent Ken Thomas says that the eCitation system will allow state park rangers to perform their duties more efficiently and quickly, allowing them to return to their main responsibilities of running the park.
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