Cotton Bayou Public Beach Access — Attraction in Orange Beach

It's good if you're local and have an annual parking pass and just want to stop by and walk on the beach. I would not recommend this public beach access to either locals or visitors for anything else.

The bathrooms are not clean and the outdoor showers are poorly configured. In fact, there are times when they are missing the shower head. It is clear they are very cheaply installed and given the cost of an annual parking pass or parking fees if visiting there's no excuse for the lack of cleanliness or lack of effective and functioning outdoor showers. Lastly, because of the poor shower configuration I've observed people and young kids slipping and falling.

I've observed inconsistent ordinance enforcement. Sometimes they will force people to move their tent, canopy, etc and sometimes not. This is particularly an issue at times of low volume of beach goers. I've observed people walking their dogs, not service dogs either, right past a Coastal Resource vehicle or an Orange Beach officer with no action to support the ordinance taken. However, they will make someone move because they are ten yards past the line for their tent or canopy.

Overall, the beach itself is nice and again great for walking. Given the cost to park for visitors and the small size of the beach area I would suggest Orange Beach to reallocate the funds and staffing being used for the Coastal Resource officers and Orange Beach police ordinance enforcement to instead bring on staff for keeping the facilities clean and improving the outdoor showers and keeping them...

I recently visited Cotton Bayou Beach Access during a quick stop in Orange Beach, and I’m thrilled I did! This place is a hidden gem—easy to miss if you’re not looking, but totally worth the detour.

Parking was surprisingly easy (free when I went), with plenty of spots considering how close it is to the water. The access path is short and well-maintained, making it super easy to bring beach gear or just go barefoot straight to the sand.

The beach itself? Absolutely stunning. Clean white sand, warm Gulf water, and not too crowded even during peak hours. There were showers and restrooms nearby—basic, but functional—and everything felt safe and family-friendly.

What I loved the most was how relaxed and chill the vibe was. No giant resorts towering overhead or packed commercial boardwalks—just pure beach bliss. Perfect for a stroll, a dip in the water, or just to relax and watch the sunset.

If you’re in the Orange Beach area and looking for easy, hassle-free beach time, Cotton Bayou is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be back next time...

We put up a very very small 4 ft square only 3 ft tall and shorter than a beach umbrella with little sand bags type canopy for shade and some man in a truck came and told us we had to move it behind some flag line but DID not tell the family right next to us who had a pop up TENT taller than my shade canopy to move their tent!!!! I am an older handicapped adult and asked if we could just move it next time we come to the beach since this was our first time there and he said the police will probably give me a ticket!!! I just don't understand why the family with their taller pop up tent didn't get told to take their tent down right next to ours???? We had chairs with out of state flags on them too!!! Is this how they treat the tourist here all...