Charlton County Traders Hill Recreation Area and Campground

Should you find yourself near the FL / GA line and are on the lookout for a classic natural surrounding that is unique to Georgia, check out Charlton Co Traders Hill Recreation Area & Campground for ample Ancient and Live Oaks dripping with Spanish Moss. As my post from a bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing more fotos as well as providing a topline update: 

Highlights: (1) Great boat dock with EZ boat / kayak access; (2) Substantial peace & quiet;(3) Nice level ground to park an RV; (4) This place is very affordable for both residents and visitors; (5) Excellent boat ramp with quick & EZ access to dark frackish waters; (6) Decent fishing pier and solid nature trails; and (7) Small CG market 

Lowlights: (1) The restroom and shower facilities are some of the worst I’ve ever seen; (2) You will be covered by so much shade you will be convinced that the sun isn’t out; (3) The grounds could have been better groomed – there were a lot of downed tree branches, leaves and other debris; (3) You will want to drive very slow and cautiously on the roads here as you will be greeted by some serious potholes; and (4) Apart from the little CG market, which doesn’t have a whole lot, there’s nothing around this area if you need to load up on supplies or food, so bring what you need with you 

Happy Camping!

If you don’t mind being out in the boondocks without much of anything (underscore the word ‘anything’ twice here), then you will instantly fall in love with Charlton County Traders Hill Rec Area – because there is basically almost nothing here. 

Except for, everything. Meaning that you’ll discover here pristine natural surroundings, Spanish moss drenched ancient Oaks and Cypress, small twisting little river joints that will slowly, but uncertainly have you navigate your way down the very murky dark waters of the St. Mary’s River, which is the natural dividing line between Florida and Georgia. The land in this campground is flat, somewhat sandy, mixed with the black and red Georgia soil wherein you’ll find a thin film of grass throughout the campground, which is interrupted by these most magestic Magnolia trees that have been strategically placed by God and nature throughout these pristine grounds. 

That said, this place is rough and, again, without all of the basic amenities that I’m typically used to when camping out in my tent. For RV’ers, it appears as though all your basic amenities are covered for – flat pebble-strewn slab to park your vehicle, coupled with electric, water and sewage lines. There’s a little camp store on the premises, but it was closed the whole time we were there. The restroom and shower facilities would be more at home in 3rd world countries than in the US, so I would highly recommend a dry bathing alternative. 

That aside, one of the best attractions is the very easy water access to St. Mary’s River, where we dipped our kayak and canoe in for what we thought would be a good 30 or 45 minute bit of paddling, only to spend more than 4 hours exploring this very peaceful and enchanting body of water. I truly hope you discover this place for yourself – it is magical. 

Happy Camping!