The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App
Map showing campground location near Crandall, Georgia
Camper submitted image from Hickey GapView 51 Photos
RoadsMap showing campground location near Crandall, Georgia

Hickey Gap

8 ReviewsAdd Review

Creek sounds echo through this small campground where five sites sit directly alongside Mill Creek in the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area. The pavement ends six miles before arrival, replaced by a well-maintained gravel road that winds through the forest to this secluded spot.

Each site includes a tent pad, picnic table, and fire ring with attached grill grate. Heavy tree cover provides shade throughout the day, though the first sites offer less privacy than those tucked deeper into the campground. All sites position campers within steps of the creek, where some visitors try their luck fishing for stocked trout. A short hike upstream leads to a waterfall and swimming hole, though water levels depend on recent rainfall.

The vault toilet serves the campground, though multiple reviewers note maintenance issues that make it less than ideal. "The bathrooms were beyond disgusting," reports Nate H.. Cell service reaches the waterfall area for those needing connectivity. Sites fill quickly during hunting season on this first-come, first-served basis.

This free primitive campground works well for campers comfortable with basic facilities who want creek access and relative isolation. The 20-minute drive to stores means bringing all supplies, and the narrow gravel approach requires careful driving but rewards visitors with a quiet forest setting away from developed areas.

Suggest an Edit

RV Road Trip Guides

Atlantic Coast Road Trip

Atlantic Coast Highway Road Trip

Atlantic Coast Road Trip Segment: Wilmington, NC to Savannah

Wilmington to Savannah: 3 Day Road Trip

Build Your Trip

Plan a TripAdd

Location

Public Campground

Hickey Gap is located in Georgia

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Chatsworth, GA: travel North on hwy. 411 for 6 miles, then turn Rt. on Grassy Street (4 lane will narrow down to 2 lanes). Travel to "T" intersection and turn Rt., go 100 ft. and then turn Lt on Mill Creek Rd. (FS 630). Continue straight on FS 630 for approx. 6.5 miles then turn right to enter campground at portal sign.

Coordinates

34.89400048 N
84.672 W

Open in Google Maps

Connectivity

  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 10 users
    Last on 4/26/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T
    No Coverage

Connectivity

  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile
    No Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 10 users
    Last on 4/26/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T
    No Coverage

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Features

For Campers

  • Picnic Table
  • Phone Service
  • Toilets
  • Pets
  • Fires

FREE established camping

Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.

PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Hickey Gap needs a permit.

Try PRO for Free

Contact

General Info

Drive Time

2026 Explorer Giveaway

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Georgia Contest

Enter to Win

Reviews

Add Review

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

50%
38%
13%
0%
0%

4.5

out of 5

8 Reviews

This small 5-site campground offers free primitive camping with private, well-maintained sites along a creek. Many visitors appreciated the secluded location and peaceful atmosphere, though the pit toilets received consistent complaints about poor condition.

Wenona B.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Feb. 27, 2026

Beautiful

I Come here at least twice a year stay is 14 days free the crew that keeps this campsite up are wonderful people its always clean when i am there has a nice stream and waterfall which is a small hike. U get phone service at the waterfall u sit on the rock the 1st spot is my favorite spot. I travel the state and this is one of my favorite sports to rest up. My stay is about a week M-Th

Site1
Month of VisitMarch
Bobbi Jo P.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Sep. 24, 2025

One of our favorite places!

Nice small campground with 5 sites. Fills up during hunting season. Can't beat the peaceful sounds of the creek and nature at its finest!

Site1
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Bobbi Jo P., September 24, 2025
  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Bobbi Jo P., September 24, 2025
CaptMeow H.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Jul. 24, 2024

Cool spot!

Five areas available free first come first serve by a little Creek bathrooms available sealed trash cans. Fire rings available sometimes firewood is available. Great little spot. once you entered, the campsite going towards the bathrooms is a waterfall.

Month of VisitApril
Nate H.
Reviewed Oct. 30, 2019

Hidden little gem

This is an awesome little dispersed campground alongside a beautiful stream and extremely secluded! If you are looking for something a bit off the beaten path this is your spot. I’d imagine it only fills up during hunting season if ever. I read that the steam is good for trout fishing but I didn’t have any luck. Probably some of the larger pools up or down steam hold fish but right along the campground it wasn’t very deep when we were there. There is not much to this campground at all so make sure you bring everything you need. There is nowhere to purchase anything and you are a good 20 minute drive away from any stores. The bathroom was borderline unusable for anything other than the worst of emergencies and even then I would prefer to venture off into the woods and take my chances. Bathrooms were beyond disgusting. This is not a campground that gets maintained daily. I would imagine maybe once every 2 weeks at most they have a park Ranger role through there and that is probably being generous. It is not trashed by any means and it is a beautiful spot tucked away in the woods. Definitely give this place a shot if you are looking for some seclusion in the north Georgia area and maybe some decent trout fishing.

  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Nate H., October 30, 2019
  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Nate H., October 30, 2019
  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Nate H., October 30, 2019
  • (14) View All
Zane M.
Reviewed Sep. 9, 2019

Nice, private, little spot

Sweet little spot. Just stayed Saturday night. Got there about 7 pm and there was one spot left. Only 5 campsites at actual hickey gap. The pavement ends and it’s a 6 mile,well maintained, windy gravel road. You’ll come to a fork in the road where hickey gap is on the right, with day parking, then down in the holler there’s the campsites. They sit along mill creek. The sit is well maintained, not overgrown. Nice flat tent pads. Trees for enos/hammoks. Remote area that isn’t not very traveled. Shaded by tree cover. There’s what people called a water hole swimming area down the creek a half mile hike but it hadn’t rained much so it wasn’t very full but still cool! There are outhouse/vault toilets, but we’re kinda nasty and had maggots/bugs in the waste. The fire pits have grill gates attached to them. Beware of what we were told are Japanese wasps that are huge and like lights. They didn’t really serve as a problem to us but our camp neighbors got stung. Given that we did have cintronella candles burning.

I would recommend going if your not afraid of primitive camping!

  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Zane M., September 9, 2019
  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Zane M., September 9, 2019
  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Zane M., September 9, 2019
  • (15) View All
Lori H.
Reviewed Sep. 8, 2019

Small, but beautiful

Hickey Gap is located in the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area in Georgia. The area is beautiful, undeveloped terrain, and the campground was surprisingly clean and well maintained. The campground is small, with only 5 spots, and it is first come, first served, so might be hard to get a spot during busier times, however camping is allowed in the WMA, so you could always backpack in to find a great spot. I noticed someone had a campsite across the creek from the campground.

The sites are primitive, but all had a tent pad, fire ring, and picnic table. All are heavily wooded, but the first ones are less private. All are right on the creek.

There’s a pit toilet, but it was so gross and stinky, I could not even walk in the door, so I’d say just plan to just use nature’s facilities!

Beautiful area, nice camping area if you like free primitive camping, and don’t mind some neighbors!

  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Lori H., September 8, 2019
  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Lori H., September 8, 2019
  • Review photo of Hickey Gap by Lori H., September 8, 2019
  • (14) View All
Darrell N.
Reviewed Jun. 16, 2018

Hickey gap campground is beautiful.

This campground is very nice with private campsites. Each site is very close to Mill creek which is a stocked trout stream. The sites fill up fast because there is only 5 of them. Each site has a table, tent pad, and firering with grate.

SiteNumber 4
Month of VisitJune
Showing results 1-8 of 8 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hickey Gap Campground free to use and what are the costs?

Hickey Gap Campground is completely free to use. There are no camping fees or permits required for overnight stays. The campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservation system in place. This makes it an excellent option for budget-conscious campers looking for free camping in a natural setting.

Where is Hickey Gap Campground located and how do I get there?

Hickey Gap Campground is located in the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area in Georgia. To reach the campground, you'll need to navigate a 6-mile windy gravel road that's well-maintained but remote. The pavement ends as you enter the wildlife area, and you'll eventually come to a fork in the road where Hickey Gap is on the right side. There's day parking available at this junction. The campground's secluded location offers a true wilderness experience, though the narrow dirt road access requires careful driving.

What facilities and amenities are available at Hickey Gap Campground?

Hickey Gap Campground is a primitive camping area with basic amenities. There are only five designated campsites, each equipped with a table, tent pad, and fire ring with cooking grate. Bathrooms are available on site, along with sealed trash cans for waste disposal. Firewood is occasionally available. The campground sits alongside Mill Creek, a stocked trout stream that enhances the camping experience. Despite being primitive, the area is surprisingly well-maintained and clean.

Are there hiking trails or recreational activities near Hickey Gap Campground?

The area around Hickey Gap Campground offers several recreational opportunities. Mill Creek, which runs adjacent to the campsites, is a stocked trout stream perfect for fishing enthusiasts. The surrounding Cohutta Wildlife Management Area provides ample opportunities for hiking and wildlife observation in undeveloped, beautiful terrain. There's also a waterfall accessible from the campground - just head toward the bathrooms to find it. The area is particularly popular during hunting season but remains a peaceful destination for nature lovers year-round.

Keep Exploring