Petersburg Campground is located on J. Strom Thurmond Lake, just four miles from the Thurmond Dam and Visitor Center and 25 miles from Augusta, Georgia. The 70,000 acre lake and its 1,000+ miles of shoreline provide excellent boating, water skiing, swimming, fishing, hiking and picnicking.
Recreation
Thurmond Lake provides some of the best fishing, hunting, and water sports in the southeastern United States. Anglers fish for largemouth bass, bream, crappie, catfish and striped bass. The large lake offers endless boating, water skiing, jet skiing, canoeing and swimming opportunities.
Hikers have access to many miles of trails in the immediate area. The 1.8-mile Lake Springs Loop and the 27-mile Bartram Trail, which meanders along the scenic shoreline and through Wildwood Park, are both nearby. Shorter sections can be hiked from several intersecting trailheads.
Facilities
This wooded, waterfront campground is open year-round. It contains 94 sites, most with water and 50-amp electrical hookups. Amenities include flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station.
Two swimming beaches, a playground, boat ramp, fishing dock, hiking trail, pond and a first come-first served picnic shelter are also located on-site.
Natural Features
Hot, humid summers and mild, pleasant winters characterize this heavily wooded area on the shore of Thurmond Lake. A mixed pine and hardwood forest covers the site, providing summer shade and fall color.
Wildlife is abundant around the lake. Visitors regularly see southern bald eagles, migratory waterfowl, wild turkeys and whitetail deer.
Nearby Attractions
Numerous parks and recreation areas lie around Thurmond Lake, providing additional boating, swimming, hunting, and hiking opportunities. Nearby cities house museums, art galleries, zoos, restaurants and shopping areas.
The Augusta National Golf Club hosts the Masters Golf Tournament annually the first week of April.
ADA Access: N
I’ve camped at Petersburg multiple times of the past 5 years and generally love it. Bartram Trail, terrific mountain for biking and hiking passes through the property. Some of the sites are stellar.
What I noticed on my most recent trip is that the quality of maintenance has declined. The restrooms on our loop weren’t really cleaned deeply over our 4 night stay with used band aids in the corner or the shower stall. I alerted two staff members about the leaking spigot in our site and that was never addressed.
I’m returning in early November with a few friends for some mountain biking and hope things improve.
The grounds were clean. Well kept for the most part and not too hard to get too. Most sites were pull through, so that’s always nice.
However you want to camp you can. Tent, RV, you name it. With lake access on virtually every spot you’ll wake up to amazing views and great days in the sun. Almost every spot has a walkable path to the water. It’s pet friendly and has amenities for even the least experienced (and least willing) campers.
So many great campsites and so many of them waterfront! Well maintained. Excellent gatehouse staff. Good hiking and boat launch.
Highly recommend. Lots to do in the area. River walk, canal boat tour, great art museum.
Good food and shopping nearby.
90+ sites with water, 50/30 amp electric, a dozen or so primitive sites. Most have access to water and if the lake level is good, there is usually some beach area at most sites where you can swim, tie off a boat. We love it here and have been coming for Memorial Day and Labor Day for 25 years. Reservations are easy through Reserveusa.gov. Sites are all hard compact dirt/gravel but most are very level. Gate is locked each evening at 10:00 with a combination lock code provided to you for access. Very safe and secure. Just a couple of miles from Clark Hill Dam which has a nice visitor’s center. About 20 minutes north of Augusta suburbs of Martinez and Evans.