Camping is a great way for people of all ages to get out and enjoy nature and the outdoors, as well as spend some quality time with family and friends on weekends. Whether campers are looking for a secluded, quiet basic site for tent camping or a full-service camping area with showers, water, and plenty of other activities to do, there are a wide variety of options for a fun and memorable camping experience throughout North Georgia. Camping destinations in this region range from privately owned and operated campgrounds to a large number of state parks.
Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge
Located just outside of Dawsonville near the mountains, Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge is a wonderland for nature lovers. Situated in the Chattahoochee National Forest just eight miles away from the famed Appalachian Trail, the state park is named for the magnificent Amicalola Falls, measuring approximately 729 feet in height.
Accommodations within Amicalola State Park range from camping to cabin rentals to a mountain resort offering stunning views of sunsets and natural scenery. In addition to camping, other activities in the park include zip lining, guided hikes, 3-D archery, scavenger hunts, a survivalist camp, and much more.
418 Amicalola Falls Rd, Dawsonville, GA 30534, Phone: 706-344-1500, View Map
Andrews Cove Campground
The Andrews Cove Campground is conveniently located within the Andrews Cove Recreational Area near Helen, Georgia off of Highway 75. The campground features a peaceful atmosphere and cool mountain stream, as well as amenities, such as clean restrooms.
Each of the campsites at Andrews Cove Campground include lantern posts, grills, picnic tables, and tent pads. The campground offers a woodland paradise in Georgia’s northern region, providing a cozy mountainside retreat away from busy city life. Along with camping, guests will find other outdoor activities in the recreational area, including fishing along Andrews Creek and hiking the Andrews Cove Trail.
15000 Hwy. 75 N, Helen, GA 30545, Phone: 706-754-6221, View Map
Appalachian Campground
The Appalachian Campground is a hidden gem of North Georgia, located in Hiawassee, Georgia. The popular camping destination draws visitors from as far as New Jersey and Nevada, catering to a wide clientele that includes motorcycle owners, retirees, RV owners, and families.
The campground offers twenty campsites, with fifteen sites located along the Hiawassee River, providing a camping experience for guests that’s more private than several other campgrounds in the area. The Appalachian Campground also features clean cabins available for rental and a big rig-friendly RV campground for campers who prefer a more comfortable camping trip experience.
1504 Moody Hollow, Hiawassee, GA 30546, Phone: 706-896-7243, View Map
Black Rock Mountain State Park
Black Rock Mountain State Park boasts the title of being the highest state park in Georgia, encompassing some of the Blue Ridge Mountains’ most amazing scenery. The state park is home to lush forests, waterfalls, streams, colorful wildflowers, four hiking trails, eighty-mile vistas, and peaceful camping areas.
A small children’s playground is surrounded by mountaintop cottages, while the campsites are nestled beneath gnarled oaks and rhododendron. The walk-in tent sites provide extra privacy, and picnic tables can be found at the summit visitor center. RV sites and backcountry campsites are available as well, along with a walking trail and fishing lake.
Black Rock Mountain State Park, 3085 Black Rock Mountain Pkwy, Mountain City, GA 30562, Phone: 706-746-2141, View Map
Chattahoochee Bend State Park
Chattahoochee Bend State Park preserves an excellent tract of North Georgia wilderness within Coweta County. Situated on one of the Chattahoochee River’s graceful bends, this state park is a wonderland for anglers, campers, and paddlers, and at approximately 2,910 acres, it’s one of the largest of Georgia’s state parks.
While much of Chattahoochee Bend is kept in a natural state, there are several options for campers wanting to stay overnight within the boundaries of the park. Both back-in and pull-through RV sites are available, as well as tent camping in traditional developed sites, walk-in campsites, and riverfront platform campsites.
425 Bobwhite Way, Newnan, GA 30263, Phone: 770-254-7271, View Map
Chattahoochee National Forest
The Chattahoochee National Forest in North Georgia offers sites for car camping near the Chattahoochee Gap and the Unicoi Gape, just outside of Helen, Georgia. The rolling forest encompasses 750,000 acres and is home to some of the state’s most popular camping, backpacking, and hiking areas.
The primitive, simple, yet beautiful sites for camping along Forest Road feature only gravel turn-offers for parking and stone fire rings. What they may lack in comfortable features, they make up for in scenery and privacy, nestled in shady hardwood forest. Campsites here are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Chattahoochee National Forest, Suches, GA 30572, View Map
Cloudland Canyon State Park
Cloudland Canyon State Park is located along Lookout Mountain’s western edge and is one of Georgia’s most scenic and largest parks. Home to abundant wildlife, dense woodland, cascading creeks and waterfalls, caves, sandstone cliffs, and deep canyons, the park provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation and adventure.
For visitors wanting an overnight camping experience, there are a number of different options available, ranging from backpacking and tent camping to quirky yurts to comfortable and fully-equipped cottages. Trails for mountain biking and hiking abound in Cloudland Canyon State Park as well, in addition to a fishing pond and disc golf course.
122 Cloudland Canyon Park Rd, Rising Fawn, GA 30738, Phone: 706-657-4050, View Map
Don Carter State Park
One of the more recently established state parks in Georgia, Don Carter State Park is located on the north end of Lake Lanier, which spans across 38,000 acres and provides outstanding opportunities for water recreation.
There are also many camping options within the state park for overnight guests, including two-bedroom cabins situated on the wooded hillsides, an RV campground, and a primitive campground for hammocks and tent camping.
The cottage loop and campground are gated, with access just for campers. Don Carter State Park also features boat ramps, multi-use trails, a bathhouse, and a sandy swimming beach.
Don Carter State Park, 5000 North Browning Bridge Rd, Gainesville, GA 30506, Phone: 678-450-7726, View Map
F.D. Roosevelt State Park
The largest state park within the state of Georgia, F.D. Roosevelt State Park encompasses nearly 9,050 acres and is a haven for backpackers and hikers. The park offers more than one hundred campsites for RVs, trailers, and tents, as well as several cottages and over a dozen backcountry sites. A wooded camping area is situated along the shores of a small lake for fishing and there are privately operated stables that provide guided horseback rides.
F.D. Roosevelt State Park also is home to over forty miles of hiking trails, winding through pines and hardwood, past waterfalls, and over creeks.
2970 Georgia Highway 190, Pine Mountain, GA 31822, Phone: 706-663-4858, View Map
Fort Mountain State Park
Fort Mountain State Park is located along a scenic stretch of Highway 52 near Georgia’s Cohutta Wilderness, offering campers with a peaceful mountain getaway. Some of the state’s most beautiful trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking can be found at Fort Mountain, winding their way through blueberry thickets and hardwood forest, circling a beautiful lake, passing an ancient rock wall and stone tower, and crossing streams.
Overnight camping options range from backpacking campsites to a campground to fully-equipped cottages. During the summer season, the lakeside beach provides a great spot to relax and cool off from the heat.
181 Fort Mountain Park Rd, Chatsworth, GA 30705, Phone: 706-422-1932, View Map
Fort Yargo State Park
Situated between the cities of Athens and Atlanta, Fort Yargo State Park is a popular park featuring a circa 1792 log fort constructed by settlers to protect themselves from Cherokee and Creek Indians.
Visitors today come to the state park for a wide array of outdoor activities and its natural scenery. Camping options at Fort Yargo State Park include cozy tent campsites, adventure cabins, and fully-equipped cottages. There are also yurts available to rent, offering a “glamping” experience by the lake. The park also contains boat ramps, fishing, a spacious swimming beach, around twenty miles of trails, and a disc golf course.
210 South Broad St, Winder, GA 30680, Phone: 770-867-3489, View Map
High Falls State Park
High Falls State Park is located in Jackson, Georgia, just northwest from the city of Macon. This park is well known for its tumbling cascades along the Towaliga River. Fishing docks, ramps, and boat rentals offer easy lake access and fishing opportunities at one of the top fishing spots in the state of Georgia for white and hybrid bass.
Campers at High Falls State Park can choose from lakeside yurts or the spacious campground for more traditional tent camping. Yurts include an outdoor grill, picnic table, and a small deck, as well as comforts like a ceiling fan, electrical outlets, and furniture.
High Falls State Park, 76 High Falls Park Dr, Jackson, GA 30233, Phone: 478-993-3053
Indian Springs State Park
Conveniently located along Interstate 75 near Flovilla, Georgia, Indian Springs State Park is one of the country’s oldest state parks and a very popular destination for a variety of outdoor recreation activities. The spring water here has been known for its healing qualities for centuries and visitors today can still try the spring waters that flow inside of the stone Spring House, which was built during the Great Depression.
Campsites and cottages can be reserved for visitors who want to stay overnight at Indian Springs State Park. There are also nature trails for walking and the Sandy Creek.
678 Lake Clark Rd, Flovilla, GA 30216, Phone: 770-504-2277, View Map
James H. Floyd State Park
Surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest and rural countryside, James H. Floyd State Park is a quiet state park within northwestern Georgia that offers a peaceful camping experience and excellent opportunities for fishing on two well stocked lakes. Four camping cottages and a small campground are situated on the park’s tree-covered hillsides.
James H. Floyd State Park also features a playground for children, a boardwalk along the lake from which visitors can feed ducks, swings for relaxing, and pedal boats available for rental. Hiking enthusiasts will find three miles of loop trails along the lake as well.
2800 Sloppy Floyd Lake Rd, Summerville, GA 30747, Phone: 706-857-0826, View Map
Jenny's Creek Family Campground
Jenny's Creek Family Campground is a family-oriented campground, designed so that families can spend quality time together. This family-owned and operated campground is situated within the mountains of North Georgia, along the scenic Jenny’s Creek.
Amenities at Jenny's Creek Family Campground include a playground, fishing pond, wireless internet, camp store, laundry facilities, firewood, and clean bathrooms with hot showers. Large shaded campsites and full hookups are available at the campground, as well as areas for tent camping. Motorcycles and pets are allowed at the campground, and miles of hiking trails and emergency services can be found nearby.
4542 Highway 129 N, Cleveland, GA 30528, Phone: 706-865-6955, View Map
McKinney Campground
Situated along the shoreline of Cartersville’s Allatoona Lake, the McKinney Campground offers an idyllic camping destination, as well as an array of water recreation activities, within Georgia’s rolling green hills.
The McKinney Campground is comprised of 150 spacious sites near the swimming beach and the dock, along with campsites along the waterfront featuring sweeping lake views. Showers, flush toilets, drinking water, picnic areas, and fire rings are also provided at the campground, along with a fishing dock and fishing jetties along the shoreline. The lake is stocked each year with catfish, gar, bream, crappie, and bass.
6659 McKinney Camp Ground Rd SE, Acworth, GA 30102, Phone: 678-721-6700, View Map
Moccasin Creek State Park
Set on lovely Lake Burton near Clarksville, Georgia, Moccasin Creek State Park boasts that it is “where spring spends the summer.” Despite boasting a location in the mountains, the park itself is relatively flat, which provides easy navigation for wheelchairs, bicycles, and large RVs.
At approximately 2,800 acres, the lake is a popular spot for fishing, boating, and skiing, and canoes, stand-up paddle boards, and kayaks can be rented during the summer season. There is also a fully-accessible fishing pier situated above the park’s trout-filled creek that’s open to children ages eleven and under and adults ages sixty-five and up.
Moccasin Creek State Park, 3655 Hwy 197, Clarkesville, GA 30523, Phone: 706-947-3194, View Map
Panola Mountain State Park
Located only fifteen minutes outside of the bustling city of Atlanta, Panola Mountain State Park is a the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area’s crown jewel and a haven for all kinds of outdoor recreation, for all ages.
The state park offers a playground for children, picnic areas, paved trails for walking and biking, forested trails for running and hiking, and a variety of programs, including tree-climbing, birding, orienteering, geocaching, and archery. Camping options in Panola Mountain State Park include a small number of primitive campsites. Panola Mountain, a pristine one-hundred-acre granite outcrop, is also designated as a National Natural Landmark.
2620 Highway 155 SW, Stockbridge, GA 30281, Phone: 770-389-7801, View Map
Red Top Mountain State Park
A popular state park on the shores of Lake Allatoona, Red Top Mountain State is an ideal outdoor recreation destination for camping, fishing, water skiing, and swimming. While primarily known for its 12,000-acre lake, the park can also be considered a paradise for hikers, with over fifteen miles of hiking trails winding through the forest.
Red Top Mountain State Park camping options include lakeside yurts, a large campground, and cottages available for rental. Nestled within a cove, the sandy swimming beach offers a relaxing place to take in the sunshine, while still featuring enough shade from surrounding trees.
50 Lodge Road SE, Acworth, GA 30102, Phone: 770-975-0055
Smithgall Woods State Park
Smithgall Woods State Park near the town of Helen, Georgia is a paradise for anglers and a great spot for any angler to do some camping and enjoy the great outdoors.
Dukes Creek, one of the premier trout streams in North Georgia, winds its way through the mountain property and is a popular destination for catch-and-release fishing. Options for camping in Smithgall Woods State Park include six cottages, each with multiple bedrooms and television, and a pioneer campground, which can be used by conservation and youth groups. The park is also home to a gift shop and the Discovery Room Museum.
61 Tsalaki Trail, Helen, GA 30545, Phone: 706-878-3087, View Map
Tallulah Gorge State Park
Tallulah Gorge State Park is home to one of the Eastern United States’ most spectacular canyons. The Tallulah Gorge is approximately two miles in length and almost one thousand feet deep. Camping options in the state park include fifty RV, trailer, and tent campsites, a pioneer campground, and three backcountry adirondack shelters.
Guests can also hike the park’s rim trails to reach a number of scenic overlooks or hike along the gorge floor after obtaining a permit. A suspension bridge eighty feet up from the bottom of the gorge offers outstanding views of waterfalls and the river.
Tallulah Gorge State Park, 338 Jane Hurt Yarn Dr, Tallulah Falls, GA 30573, Phone: 706-754-7979, View Map
Tugaloo State Park
Tugaloo State Park is located on one of Georgia’s wooded peninsulas, providing both campsites and cottages for overnight guests, most of which offer amazing views of Lake Hartwell, the park’s expansive 55,590-acre lake. Some of the cottage even include their own private boat dock.
For guests who prefer tent camping, options include the primitive campsites just a short walking distance from the parking lot or the developed campground. During the warmer months, Tugaloo State Park is a popular spot for boating, sailing, water skiing, and swimming, as well as hiking along the Muscadine and Sassafras trails.
1763 Tugaloo State Park Rd, Lavonia, GA 30553, Phone: 706-356-4362, View Map
Unicoi State Park & Lodge
Situated only two miles to the northeast from Alpine Helen, Unicoi State Park & Lodge in the stunning mountains of North Georgia is an idyllic mountain retreat.
Centered around the gorgeous Lake Unicoi, the park provides exceptional hiking trails that lead to Helen and Anna Ruby Falls. Unicoi State Park offers a wide variety of overnight accommodation options, ranging from tent camping to RV camping to famed barrel cabins that offer great lake views to the Unicoi Lodge. Along with camping and hiking, the park offers mountain biking, zip lining, boat rentals, paddle boarding, fly fishing, target shooting, and archery.
1788 Highway 356, Helen, GA 30545, Phone: 706-878-2201, View Map
Vogel State Park
One of the most beloved and oldest of Georgia’s state parks, Vogel State Park is situated within the Chattahoochee National Forest, near the base of the scenic Blood Mountain. The park is an especially popular destination in the region during the autumn months, when the mountains become a blanket of gold, yellow, and red leaves. Primitive backpacking campsites, traditional campsites, and cottage are available for visitors who want to stay for a night or two in the beautiful natural scenery. Vogel State Park is also home to a 22-acre lake that allows non-motorized boating and a beach for the summer months.
405 Vogel State Park Rd, Blairsville, GA 30512, Phone: 706-745-2628, View Map
