Campers who enjoy the peaceful serenity of the Cowford Campground in Limestone County will be paying a little more starting next month.

At Monday’s Limestone County Commission meeting, commissioners approved raising rates. Those increases will take effect Aug. 1.

Day rates will increase from $24 to $27.30, while weekly rates will go from $125 to $141.75. The monthly rate will increase from $330 to $367.50. The new fees include a 5% lodging tax.

Parks and Recreation Director Mike Nave said despite the increases, the campground is very competitive with campgrounds in other areas, including Scottsboro, Jackson County and Florence.

“Ours just happens to be on the river, so that’s a good thing for us,” Nave said.

The campground is at 8700 Cowford Road. Twenty-six of the campground’s 52 lots are located on the Tennessee River within the Round Island Recreational Area, which is part of the North Alabama Birding Trail. Though the pads are unpaved, the campground offers water, sewer and electrical access. It also has a bath house and laundry capabilities.

“We’re full now, and we’ve been full a while,” Nave said. “We’ve had people call and we just don’t have any lots available. We try to turn (the lots) over as quick as we can so more people can experience it.”

With the increase in fees, Nave hopes to make some improvements to the campground. He hopes county road crews can resurface some existing asphalt roads and also pave some roads that are now gravel.

Other plans include putting a new roof on the bath house and making improvements to the pier.

“We’ll probably have at least two more lots to offer next year, if not three or four,” Nave said.