Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville was among seven state parks to win nine TripAdvisor Hall of Fame honors, according to a press release.

Twelve parks in the state’s 22-park system also earned certificates of excellence from TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website.

To earn Hall of Fame recognition, a park, attraction or business must have received a certificate of excellence for five consecutive years. The certificates are awarded based on users’ reviews and opinions on TripAdvisor.com.

In addition to Wheeler, the other Hall of Fame state parks are Cathedral Caverns, Chewacla, DeSoto, Gulf State, Monte Sano and Oak Mountain.

To qualify for a certificate of excellence, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor rating of at least 4 out of 5, have a minimum number of reviews and have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

“The most rewarding facet of this recognition is that it comes from visitors’ opinions and rankings,” said State Parks Director Greg Lein. “For seven parks to receive certificates of excellence for five straight years is remarkable. We are so proud of our staff and volunteers for the hard work they do that is reflected by the high regard our visitors hold in the parks.”

For more information about Alabama State Parks, go online to www.alapark.com.