Unicoi State Park & Lodge, near Helen, Georgia, is a fantastic spot for campers looking to enjoy the great outdoors with a mix of comfort and adventure. The campground offers a range of accommodations, including tent sites, RV spots, and cozy cabins, making it easy for everyone to find their perfect fit.

Visitors rave about the beautiful hiking trails that start right from the campground, with Ruby Falls being a must-see. The playground and lake access are also big hits with families, providing plenty of opportunities for fun and relaxation. One camper noted, “The tent camp site was good, bathrooms and water were a close walking distance,” which is always a plus when you’re out in nature.

If you’re into activities, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy. From archery lessons to zip-lining courses, there’s no shortage of excitement. Plus, being close to the charming Bavarian town of Helen means you can easily explore local shops and eateries after a day of outdoor fun. Just keep in mind that some sites can be a bit tricky to access, so it’s worth checking in with the staff for the best options.

With its scenic views and friendly atmosphere, Unicoi State Park & Lodge is a solid choice for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy some quality time in nature.

Unicoi State Park & Lodge is a camper’s paradise. Nestled in the natural setting of the Appalachian foothills, Unicoi State Park & Lodge offers campers a wide range of camping options. From luxury RV hookups to secluded tent campsites to the distinct outdoor hammock experience of the Squirrels Nest, our Georgia State Park campground is designed to suit the various needs of our guests.

We have nearly 100 campsites and a variety of arrangements to choose from including ADA sites and Buddy Hook-up sites, 30-foot and 40-foot RV sites, primitive campsites and sites designed for family tent camping. All our powered sites are suitable for tent, trailer and RV campers.

As a Georgia State Park, countless guests come to explore the 1,029 acres of adventure activities and mountain marvels on their own terms. Some enjoy navigating the hiking and mountain biking trails to nearby Alpine Helen and Anna Ruby Falls. Others opt for peaceful mornings fishing on Unicoi Lake or a sandy, sun-soaked day at Unicoi Beach.

The park’s proximity to popular Helen, GA events and activities allow guests to experience one of Georgia’s top tourist attractions but still return to the natural confines of the park for rest and relaxation.

For your convenience, our campgrounds feature comfort stations, which include restrooms and showers, while campers also have access to group structures and picnic shelters.

We are a pet-friendly State Park as long as your pets are friendly and always kept on a short, sturdy leash. Please be courteous to other patrons and be responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of our park and trails by cleaning up after your animals.

For a bird’s eye view of Unicoi State Park & Lodge and campground locations, check out our Georgia State Park Map.

RV CAMPING
As one of the premier Georgia State Parks with RV camping, our full hookup RV sites include water, power and sewer, a fire ring, grill and picnic table. We have many RV campsites and arrangements to choose from including ADA sites, Buddy Hook-up sites, plus 30-foot or 40-foot sites. Be sure to know your vehicle’s specifications when booking your campsite.

TENT CAMPING
We also offer walk-in primitive campsites that have both privacy and convenience with comfort stations, nearby parking and a playground. Walk-in anywhere from a few feet to about 100 yards out. Sites include a fire ring, picnic table and grill top to put over fire ring for grilling.

SQUIRREL’S NEST
Bring your hammock or just a sleeping bag and sleep under the stars at our one-of-a-kind Squirrel’s Nest covered primitive camping platforms. It’s a favorite spot for scouts, groups and adventurers that really want to experience the wild and do it themselves. The platforms are built up off the ground and are stacked up the side of a ridge in 3 groups of 2 and 2 groups of 5. Each platform sleeps 4 guests in sleeping bags. Air mattresses are recommended for adult guests. Tents are not allowed on the platforms or down in the hollow below. The “hollow” has grills, picnic tables and a group fire ring.

GLAMPING SITES
Combining luxury and the great outdoors, our extra spacious completely furnished Safari Tents give large families or groups of friends the extra space they need to glamp in comfort. Unicoi State Park offers 4 glamping sites.

Unicoi State Park & Lodge

Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Helen, GA is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Helen is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Discover great camping spots near Helen, reviewed by campers like you.

Helen

The Best Camping Near Helen, Georgia

Stayed Feb 19th till 21st. Great well kept campground with clean bath houses. Our site was right on the creek. Anna Ruby falls connects to the area. Very close to historic Helen Georgia. 

Great campground! 

This is a great place to go to with friends and family! If you enjoy the outdoors of course. Fishing, Hiking, Swimming, Camping, ig...

Loving the Outdoors?

Great campsites with lots of hiking and biking in the area.  Beautiful views!

Great place in North Georgia

$5 to park and other expenses to do stuff in the area but well worth the trip if you are into: Ziplines, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Fishing, Swimming, Kayaking, Geocaching, etc!

Lots to do!

Our daughter wanted to go camping for her birthday so we took her and a friend in February. We were the only ones in the standard campground (fire pit, picnic table, tent pad). Because it was so cold, we used the huge lodge lobby/lounge to warm up in the evenings. The kids played with the board games you can check out, there were roaring fires in the stone fire places and a bar if you wanted a drink as you say by the fire. The campground is close to Anna Ruby Falls and Helen, Ga so this is a great place to stay and be within a short drive to many of the beautiful activities in North Georgia. Anna Ruby falls were frozen, which made this one of the most memorable waterfall viewings!

Winter camping

Visited Unicoi in March of 2016 with a group of 10 college students along with 2 adults. We used two of the campsites. Each site has a wooden picnic table, pole to hold lanter, fire pit and flat pad for a tent. The reason that this location is good for many people is because the tent sites are VERY close to one another. Easily 10-15 yards away from the next one. So, if it's peak season (summer time), I would be weary this place is very busy. Only 5 other groups there that weekend in March. Weather was fair during the day, did the beautiful hike to Anna Ruby falls, and very cold at night. Pictures of my massive 10 person tent taking over one of the tent pads and of Anna Ruby Falls.

Great Campsite for Families and Groups

Loved staying at this park....great amentities and surroundings.

Unicoi State Park....simple Beauty!

My favorite part about this campsite is the beach! It is delightful swimming and can get relatively crowded. I have stayed in the "bungalows" there, and had a great time!

The beach

**Campground Review**

This is a nice state park with zip lining, gps scavenger hunt, archery, canoeing, campfires, music and walking trail. Being geocachers, we did the gps scavenger hunt. The coordinates were a little off and probably due to user error, the gps didn’t seem to keep the entered coordinates. Nonetheless, we found them all and got a decent prize at the end. Plus plenty of steps. We signed up for canoeing under the stars, which turned out to be canoeing under the waxing gibbous moon. That was cool. We were there over a weekend and they had live music on Saturday night and a color changing campfire near the camping reservation center/store. The store had the necessities plus some cool stuff. I got some pretty stickers that are supposed to repel mosquitoes. Time will tell. Now, to the campsites. They seemed a little pricey at $51 a night. Our site had water and electric, which is good for a pop up. We were able to get near the comfort station a/k/a bathhouse so that was nice. The site also had a fire pit grill and picnic table. There was enough room and trees to hang a hammock, which we did, and that was nice. The campsites are decent and there is plenty to do in the park.

**Gear Review**

****As a Dyrt Ranger, I also get products to test and review in the field. This Ledlenser MT10 flashlight is super awesome! I had checked it out prior to camping and have loved it. It illuminates very well, and has several settings so you can see without blinding your neighbors or confusing the bats. It’s great for those middle of the night trips to the bathroom when camping. Check it out!

[HTTPS://WWW.LEDLENSER.COM](http://HTTPS://WWW.LEDLENSER.COM)

Ranger Review: Ledlenser MT10 at Unicoi State Park

My kids and I went camping at Unicoi Park in the summer and there is plenty to keep them busy. They played in the creek, on the swing set and walked the trail to the swimming section of the lake. The trail isn’t too far and it has just enough woods to feel like an old school camp. The swimming part of the lake has a small beach with sand and the lake is roped off for swimming There is a small store that has everything, from s’mores to items you may run out of.

If you are up for more adventure they have a zip line and more. It is a really quick drive to the town of Helen for shopping, food, and a bigger play ground. My children range from 5 to 16 and they all had so much fun!

Simple camping or High energy adventure

Unicoi is a really nice campground. They offer Zipline adventures, hiking, swimming, playgrounds, paddle boats and more. The are just minutes away from Helen Ga which offers tubing adventures down the Chattahoochee, great restaurants and shopping. Our family loves to visit. There are a limited number of full hook up sites, and they are first come first serve. When you make your reservation you are guaranteed a specific site type, but not a specific site number. Most of the sites will accommodate a 38' -40' rig. Backing them into the spot is tight because the road is narrow. Sites are very spacious and level.

Excellent campground for the family

Unicoi was nice and clean. Quiet in off season.

Nice and clean

Barrel cabins afforded a very scenic &amp; relaxing way to enjoy the park’s amenities as well as the surrounding area’s. Loved all the trails, gorgeous views, &amp; friendly staff.

Lots of Amenities

Walk the 3 mile trail into alpine HELEN Ga. you can rent cabins or stay in the lodge.  Lodge as awesome buffet for 3 meals a day. Beautiful in the fall , great man made lake for swimming 

one of a kind

This is such a unique park. They have a place with almost tree house type camping and they also have walk in. It’s so beautiful. I’ve never had a bad experience here.

Unique Unicoi

Lots of planned activities and amenities.. close to the Appalachian trail .. would use this park again.

Great family campground 

Beautiful park with so many great amenities! Only a handful of FHU sites, and site specific reservations are not permitted. Family with large fifth wheels had a tight fit, but our Airstream slid in just fine. FHU sites  are all grouped together and back up to a small creek. Local town of Helen is cute and fun to walk around. We’ve already booked another family trip to this park. 

Fantastic Park

This campground was taken over by a private company a couple of years ago. It has great spots for picnicking. Campgrounds are kind of tight but the lake offers swimming, boating, and zip lining. We held a family reunion here last year and the pavilion was perfect with a playground and bathrooms.

Recently added amenities

We stayed at Unicoi last weekend. What a great place! We saw a black bear within the first hour of setting up camp. It was amazing! Apparently he visits often. This park had tons of ammenities-- playground, fun stream to play/relax in, ampitheater, decent bathrooms/showers, etc. The sites were a little tight, but a handful of them seemed to be spacious. Oh, and they had a bluegrass band playing one night! Fun was had by all. We'd definitely stay there again. Friendly staff too!

Great place for the family!

Unicoi SP is a popular resort type area right outside Helen.  We stayed in Hickory Hollow primitive camp area.  It wasn't bad, but the sites are really close and expensive, hence the rating.

Each site has a tent pad, lantern hook, picnic table, and fire pit.  The tent area is about 15x15, room enough for two to three smaller tents.  There are water spigots throughout, but we carried our own in.

There's no parking at the campsites, everything has to be carried in from the parking lot.  This could range anywhere from a couple dozen feet to almost a quarter mile.  Due to the denseness of the campsites, a lot of people stumble into the closer sites not realizing they're off the trail.

The area has plenty to do though, from hiking Anna Ruby Falls to ziplining over the lake or visiting Helen.

I prefer more solitude, so i probably won't go back, but it's worth it at least once.

Beautiful but popular

We stayed at the squirrel's nest section where it is one sided covered decks lined along the hill. There was a big community campfire. The bathroom was only a few minutes away and the walk in was very easy. This was a when I was much younger but to this day that trip was one of the best. It is throws you into full nature and the woods swallow you whole in perfect peace.

Squirrels Nest Experience

this is a great campground and super peaceful to be at great travel travelers spots and water and power hook ups and sites. the falls is also a great view to see.

relaxing 

Whether you are in your tent or your RV or in a cabin , Unicoi will take your breath away. Perched on the side of the beautiful Georgia mountains, I feel as if you're 1,000,000 miles away from the madness. But indeed, you're just an hour and a half north of the major metropolitan area of Atlanta. Trails, waterfalls, wildlife, &amp; unlimited amazement !

Unicoi, great for the trails, great for your family, and great for a piece that goes beyond what you can imagine

Mountain Miri le

We stayed in the squirrel's nest area during Oktoberfest in Helen, and it was a great experience. Remember that you won't have a ton of privacy there, but you can have a pretty big group.

Squirrel's Nest was very different

Unicoi State Park is a large Park in north Georgia. The Park has a Lake, rope courses, a restaurant, lounge and beautiful Lodge. It's 2 miles from Helen Georgia, an Alpine gem nestled in the mountains.

Hiking trails of all levels abound including many with falls destinations.

In the north Georgia Mountains, land of Many Falls

My wife and I hiked part of the Appalachian Trail in March 2018. The last 3 days of our 14 day trip we camped here just to get couple nights at a regular camp site. I really like this place. Next time we might stay at the squirrels nest.

One of my favorites

The RV campground in Uniquoi is a well kept campground in the beautiful Uniquoi state park. Be aware there is a steep grade to get up to this campground.

Each site is level gravel, and some even offer wooden decks. Firewood and laundry available. The campground shares property with the visitors center so you may see more traffic in peak season months. 

Prices here vary depending on day of week, time of year, and what site you choose. You’re close to a lot of hikes around the park, including Anna Ruby falls (which is a national park tucked within state park, so $3 to get in). 

Uniquoi is right outside of the bustling town of Helen which fills up in the spring and summer with vacationers and tubers. 

There are also cabins for rent within this park (see picture). 

All amenities RV campground in Uniquoi Hotspot

Nice but busy, so noisy. Clean bathrooms. 

Pretty

Set in a lush green Forrest, Unicoi State Park just outside of Helen, GA, has something for everyone.

*   Convention Facility  
    
*   Destination Wedding facilities  
    
*   Cabins  
    
*   RV sites  
    
*   Tent sites  
    
*   Squirrels Nest camp site (soooo cool)  
    
*   Hiking trails  
    
*   Beautiful lake, with fishing piers and also a swimming beach.  
    
*   Entertainment, free concerts  
    
*   Zip lines  
    

The people are so friendly and the and the amenities are many.  The RV park and facilities are well kept and clean.  You will love the hilly terrain of the park.  The tree-covered sites have picnic tables and fire rings . We have been multiple times and looking forward to going back. Many photograph worthy sites.

North Georgia Best Kept Secret

We stayed at the Big Brook Loop which offers full hookups. These sites do not offer anything in the way of privacy but do offer lots of shade and gravel sites. Access to hiking trails is easy as is the cute, quaint town of Helen. We were staying July 4th week so it was, of course, busier, as it normally would be during the summer peak months. Comfort station is mediocre. There is supposed to be laundry at this loop but there are no washer or dryer in the laundry room. (I didn’t check the other areas that are stated as such on the campground map)

Okay sites, could be better?

Unicoi is a beautiful State Park and a great place to camp for a couple nights.

Only about 10 minutes away from the German-Style historic town of Helen, which also has the Chattahoochee River. Helen has two companies who rent out tubes that go through the city on the river. That is something everyone has to try if they go through this part of Georgia!

The Chattahoochee River also has some pretty good (freshwater) fishing, you just have to watch out for the tubers.

Enough about Helen, Unicoi is a truly awesome place to stay. It has everything you can imagine, with a little hiking, a river to dip your toes in, a lodge to stop and get some food or buy souvenirs, canoe/kayak rentals, zip lining and more.

This used to be my family’s summer vacation place to stay, and I would recommend you make it a tradition as well!

Has Everything you can Imagine.

They have quiet time at 11pm but no end time. People were laughing and yelling all the way up to 11pm. The sites are really close together. People were packing up and playing music at 6am an hour before daylight. In the RV area there were 2 bathrooms for 50 sites so it was a walk to get there at night. You can’t check out before 9am so we waited around until Wanda got there. Very clean. Not complaining just informing. 

Not too bad

It was a great experience, wonderful staff. The campground itself is clean at all times. A lot of activities to do! Mountain biking, hiking, zip lining, etc. Will definitely be returning in the future! 

Amazing time 

We stayed in site# 40 with water and electric when we camped in Nov 2018 you checked in then found a spot that was open. We chose this one it's on the upper part of the loop and it is a little walk to the restroom. We hit the leaves changing Nov. 6th it was beautiful. They have a great visitor center, they even sell wine in the visitor center. The lake is beautiful you can rent kayaks, we have one but it was to far to launch it. They have Ziplines through out the park and you can get to Anna Ruby Falls in the park. The falls are so pretty there's a little visitor center there too. 

The town of Helen is close but is a busy town and the traffic can be horrible. We went to town to get propane stopped at Fred's Famous Peanuts on the way into town, good peanuts. We went in some nice Antique stores and a winery, had lunch, got propane then headed home. The traffic was so bad we stopped and asked if there was a back way back to Unicoi. Very thankful we did it was a small winding back road.  It took us by an old Indian mound. 

Zac Brown Distillery is not far a nice little place, 120 proof whiskey. The drive there was beautiful then we drove to a Walmart near the distillery and drove on a Veterans Memorial drive. It was so nice 100's of crosses with names and dates.

Nice campground some tight sites

We were a group of 10 staying on a buddy site (#37). We had a teardrop, RTT, and two ground tents... and it was tight. The site had some trash on it upon arrival (plastic silverware, candy wrappers, small stuff), but since there is usually only an hour between check out and check in at this park, we cleaned up and moved on. 

We had dinner in Helen Friday evening (during the storm) and visited Helen Saturday afternoon. The park itself was average, not really a “wow” factor, and other members of my group had more than one rude encounter with staff. We chalked it up to the COVID lockdown restrictions making their jobs more complicated, but I didn’t have the same issue during my other two lock-down trips at GA state parks. Wood was delivered to us once, and the other time we had to pick it up at the lodge (ten minute drive or so). 

One thing about this site... the map shows a short path to the bath house. It’s short as the crow flies... but it’s all stairs. You’re gonna get a workout every time you have to “go”. The bathrooms were kept clean and well stocked during our stay. 

The sites are super close together, which woke all of us up on Friday night (or, Saturday morning around 1am) when our neighbor in his massive diesel bus arrived. 

All in all, any camping trip is great, but I probably wouldn’t return as there are likely better options near Helen. 

Great location, so-so park

Unicoi State Park is just two miles from Helen GA. It is a convenient location for visiting there, particularly in fall during the town’s Octoberfest.
Unicoi is in North Georgia Mountains &amp; includes a campground, cabins, “barrel cabins” and Lodge with a nice lake for fishing and canoeing.
There are 51 RV sites with water and electricity that can accommodate 30-foot and 40-foot RVs, 82 tent sites, family tent campsites, walk-in sites and primitive “Squirrel’s Nest” sites. 
The park has numerous hiking trails in the Chattahoochee National Forest, plus a trail into Helen.
Nearby is Anna Ruby Falls, administered by the US Forest Service. Smith Creek, a tributary of the Chattahoochee River flows from the falls to Unicoi Lake. It is a good trout fishing stream. 
Other activists include archery and target shooting, fly fishing, paddle boarding, boat rentals, zip lining, mountain biking and a beach. 

Nice camping close to Helen GA

Beautiful park. We went there on a short day trip and had lots of fun. I would like to see more sq ft between camp sites. 

Unicoi State Park in Georgia

We had a blast here. The sites are beautiful and there is tons to do nearby.

Great campsite!  

Solid place. Had the family out for a week. They took great care of us at check in. Nice to be close to Helen if you need anything and the nearby hikes to falls and great views are great. Not 5 stars because a lot of sites are a little light on personal space but if you know that going in you'll be happy with your trip. Tons to do.

Great week at Unicoi

This place was really cool. There is a ton of ways to visit and stay here. They have cabins, RV spots and tent camping spots. There are a lot of hiking trails and its close to a damn so there's a little lake. They have a activity center and amphitheaters too. My only complaint was how close the RV spots are to each other. I personally want to have my hook ups but be away from every one else 😂
I will definitely visit again though

Very pretty!

Unicoi has many wonderful full hook up sites. Sites 23-29 are wonderful. There is 1,050 acres to hike, fish, camp and relax. Nestled in pristine North Georgia mountains. Good for single, family or even group campers. Close to a wonderful Bavarian town know as Helen Georgia. If you like to raft or kaiak this can be accessed very close to Helen. There are also 29 cottages for you to rent if that is your thing.

Fly Fishing Fun

Clean campground. Friendly staff. Great scenery all around.

State park

We stayed in a cabin at Unicoi State Park after our Spring Break camping trip got rained out.  The fireplace was nice and we appreciated the covered parking during the downpour when arrived.  A few things were broken (bedroom light, coffeemaker).  The beds were not terribly comfortable but they were serviceable. The kitchen area was extremely small and there was a terrible smell in the freezer (cleaning products I think). It was very conveniently located to Anna Ruby Falls.
 

Unicoi Cabin

The tent camp site was good, bathrooms and water were a close walking distance.  
We picked this state park for all the activities.  We took archery lessons and did the zip line course.  A must is to do all 3 zip line courses.  Many go over water and the last of which is 1/2 a mile long.  So much fun!  It was great to have Helen close by but great to get away from the crowds.  The 2 mile Lake Hike was beautiful! 

Tent camping

We had stayed at Unicoi years ago and had very fond memories.  The campground was    easy to get to, site was level, but no view and bathroom was between 2 campsites and down steep stairs.  Not sure why we paid $77+. The lodge only offered buffet breakfast and things looked tired. Falls were beautiful- don't miss visiting them . Note- these are outside park and separate parking fee. 



This was our most expensive campsite and our least favorite campground. 

Great campground! Close to everything in Helen and tubing, which our kids loved. If you’re around 40’, you’ll fit - but anything over probably would not. 

Great GA State Park

A very cool Georgia State park. A variety of accommodations and activities. 

Amazing

We loved our stay here with one exception: they spray round up on the sites to keep the weeds down. 

Pros:
Nice hiking trails from campground. Ruby falls was so beautiful- highly recommend. Great playground with a sweet stream and lake access.

Cons:
Our first campsite was really hard to get into. Our second site 51 was much easier. The bathrooms are dated but had plenty of hot water.

Great place to camp!

I tried to make a camping reservation at Unicoi, but not paying$75 a night for campsite. This place has gone downhill since the private company took it over! The last time we were there, it was run down and not kept up. Don't bother!

$75 A NIGHT FOR A CAMPSITE EVEN WITH NO FULL HOOKUP?

I camp at Unicoi State Park several times a year for a number of different reasons. First, it is right in the middle of what I call waterfall country. There are more beautiful waterfalls within an hour than I can count.
Second, there are spectacularly beautiful trails everywhere. You’re only about 20 minutes from the Appalachian Trail at Hog Pen Gap and 30 minutes from Blood Mountain and the Blood Mountain wilderness.
Third, there are numerous picturesque and friendly little towns nearby. The park is about 3 miles from the town of Helen, which is a pseudo Bavarian village. A little touristy but still fun. There are some great German restaurants there. 
As to the park itself, I tent camp, and the campsites are excellent. Nice bathroom and shower facilities close by and regardless of the time of year it has never been crowded. Definitely worth $25 a night and I get a discount because I’m a senior (Remember you have to ask for the discount. They won’t tell you). 
If you are camping in the tent area, I can almost guarantee you’ll see a bear because they come out almost every night. Keep all of your food in the bear boxes.
Since it is somewhat of a resort park, there are cabins, RV hook ups and even a motel/conference center. There are lots of activities like swimming, boating, archery, zip lining, etc. The Smith Creek pub is a nice little restaurant for a quick meal or a drink. 

Great central location.

Great campground, good access to bathhouse, where I charged my power bank and everything went amazing. Good weather, good price, it even has a laundry. 

Great place 

We chose Unicoi State Park near the beautiful town of Helen, GA to experience fall colors and camping. The park had an awesome location near Anna Ruby Falls as well as the alpine village of Helen! Sites were large, level and well maintained. Beautiful State Park that we highly recommended!

Photos of Unicoi State Park & Lodge

Real photos from real campers