Best Tent Camping near Albany, GA

Quiet state park with full hookups, power & water and grassy tent sites. Gopher turtle reserve with great hiking trails. 2 shower houses, mini golf and canoe rentals on lake. Fishing with state license. Walmart, McDonalds, Burger king and sit-down resturants in town (about 7 miles).

While Sugar Mill is titled as an RV Park, they accommodate tent camping as well. There is a general store in the office for any forgotten items, and electrical/water hookups if desired. The lady who owns and runs the place is very personable and sweet, and the bubbling stream behind our campsite was lovely and made this place even prettier.

I camped at this park as a child and will always remember hearing the animals from the zoo in the middle of the night.  The lions roaring and the monkeys howling isn't something that many campgrounds can offer.  There is plenty to do at the park including fishing, boating, bmx and mountain biking, frisbee golf, a splash park, great playgrounds, and of course you must walk through the zoo.  There are currently 44 RV sites, 18 tent sites, and several camper/cabins.

We love this park. There are only a few sites, so even if everything is booked there is not a crowded feeling. The pads are gravel, so if you are tent camping, it can be difficult to get stakes in. The sites are well placed and easy to get into; both the pull through and back in sites. The staff drives through the grounds regularly to check on things and are very pleasant and helpful. The bath house and showers are clean and well maintained. There are several easy hiking trails and the Native American mounds and museum add some interesting history to any camping trip.

Georgia Veterans State Park sits next to Lake Blackshear and shares the lake front with a resort. There is a marina , condos and a golf course on resort side. On the Park side there is the much more desirable campground:) 

There are plenty of options to choose from in the three camping “loops”. Some lakeside sites have direct access to the water and in camping area 1 you can get pretty close to the fishing pier. A lot of the sites are pull through , in area 3 all sites are pull through and several of the sites border one of the Nature trails. The primitive walk in tent sites are in area 3. There are two handicap accessible sites and two double sites for group camping(the other sites are close together so this just puts you on the same “pad”)There is shade but definitely more on some sites then others. Not a lot of privacy. It wasn’t real busy or noisy so the open layout wasn’t a major hang up for me. This is definitely more of a “organized”, well maintained, military feel campground. I didn’t get the State Park in the woods vibe at all :) 

There are rental Cottages which overlook the water some with screen porches. There is a fishing pier behind Cottage one and two.

In addition there are boocoo recreation activities: 

Disc golf (a little over grown)

Pioneer Group campsite

Aviation and Combat Arms equipment 

A museum 

Model airplane field

Outdoor exercise equipment along with an exercise trail

Nature trails

Archery range

Fishing piers

Large boat ramp

Small boat ramp

Excursion Train

A beach with facilities and shaded picnic area

We only took the time to camp and hike but you could easily spend some time here and do something different every day. I’m unfamiliar with the area and wildlife so I kept the boys on short leashes when we walked in the woods , especially near the water. The trails were nice, somewhat maintained and there was old signage plus benches. Not my favorite this trip but nice enough.

We love this state park park with its large wooded campsites, 375 acre lake and river for paddling & fishing, 7 miles of multi use trails for hiking & biking trails, playgrounds, and putt putt golf. Home to gopher turtles, alligators,deer and seasonal home to vultures and bald eagles makes wildlife spotting fun. The landscape runs the gamut from coastal plain to pine forest. Those visiting for the day may enjoy the catfish cabin restaurant just outside the park. Since the park is only 7 miles from 1-75 this can easily be a great overnight stop.

Reed Bingham is located on route 37 which is an Agro-tourism road. The route features vineyards, olive farms, boutique hotels, specialty shops, local produce, farms and two state parks....to name just a few places for you to visit. We also enjoyed biking to the Horse creek winery in Sparks, Ga just 7 miles away. (This winery is also a harvest host).

Visit for more info www.gagrowntrails.com

Campground- sites are large and graveled. Outer loop locations have more shade trees. Premium sites have sewer in addition to water/30/50AMP picnics tables,fire rings and some with grills too. There are no cabins.

The paddle in campground for 30 is pretty cool since it is its own island. There is also a nice group/pioneer camping and a couple of walk in tent sites that are on a little island with a bridge walkway.

There are rentals for bikes and paddling. The beach for swimming is more of a wading beach and since I have seen the alligators in this lake i do not recommend swimming anywhere else on your own.

Paddling/Fishing is fun on the 375 acre lake. The lake also connects to little river and it is a @ 3 hour leisurely up river paddle to Red Robin Boat ramp in Adel Georgia (aka Colquitt boat ramp) ->if you have a way to drop off and paddle downriver to Reed Bingham it would be more relaxing.

The 5k running/walking route for the annual Little River 5k is easy to follow in the park for your activity pleasure.

Ranger Review: OOFOS shoes at Cordele KOA Journey

Campground Review:

Right off I75 in Georgia sits a small KOA with TONS of amenities! Being just a block off the interstate I assumed it would be noisy. But all the trees make a great sound barrier and we had a nice quiet weekend and will definitely be back!

This campground accommodates Campers, with spaces up to 90 foot long! (up to 50 amp), Tents, and even offers Cabin Rental! Has a pool, propane fill station, firewood to purchase, laundry room and updated bathhouse. a dog area, wifi and even offers cable, for the people who like to camp inside 😉

Our weekend cost was about $70 for out tent site, there were a few people staying in a camper long term who mentioned they do offer reduced rates. I didn’t get to check on the cabins, but they look super cute from the outside and run $50 a night if you book online.

Nearby attractions (we did not visit) include Lake Blackshear, a manmade lake, with a really cool dam, and Georgia Veterans State Park on one side. They have a marina and beach. And The Andersonville National Historic Site the location of a Confederate prison where 13,000 Union soldiers died.

Product review: OOFOS SHOE

As a Dyrt Ranger I was privileged to get a major discount on an awesome pair of OOFOS shoes.

I'm telling you now, this is the most comfortable thing I've ever put on my feet! It's like walking on pillows every step you take! I have arthritis in both my knees and have been having some trouble lately. The day my shoes got here I was eager to try them on, and once I did, they didnt come off the rest of the night! They help with the pain of walking, and my knees havent hurt in a week. I'm in love!

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They're made of a really squishy, super lightweight foam. And have a breathable mesh top. I ordered the light gray color, and love the tiny pop of lime green in the logo and little tag to help pull them on. I was hesitant when I seen they had no laces and the rubber strap on top was fixed. But i had no problems getting them on, the mesh is stretchy and my foot slid right in!

My only complaint is that small rocks get stuck in the bottom of the shoe, in the middle tread. But, they're easy to pop out.

They also offer flip flops too, so that will be my next purchase. OOFOS will be my go to shoes from now on!

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Campsites– some spots are spacious like the pull thru but it appears everyone shares one electrical box with a neighbor. Pull thru sites are nice packed gravel/clay and a lot of the back in sites are grassy. There are longer stays available here and some of the sites have that “little too comfortable” look. There is a military base in town, so I am sure this used by military and government workers at times. You will have to call and make your reservation. From past experiences- it is good to double check your reservation or have them email you/mail you your confirmation- check to make sure the site you are assigned has the hook up you are paying for and if you have to share an electrical box you need to find out if there are two 50 amps or if one user gets a 30 amp and the other gets a 50AMP.

There are a couple of cabins and there is also a tent/group camping area too.

Bathhouse- has a washers/ dryers in a screened in area. Bathroom facility is older but maintained. NOTE–> Only one Shower and one family shower

WIFI was only ok- we thought we would get better being so close to Albany. It was better with our boosters, and we used verizon jet packs with our sprint phones.

Activities- we always camp here when we participate in the annual Nut Roll biking event (30-100 mile options)

There is a small wild life park with animal exhibits(extra fee) , hiking trails, mountain biking trails, fantastic playground and water element for kids, BMX track, remote control car track, disc golf and kayaking/fishing just outside the park entrance. There is a more extensive review on our website about the activities.

I rent a little cabin and it was really nice. I usually camp with tents but with the Georgia heat and all the bugs I wasnt going to deal with it this time. I would recommend the same. The cost is fair and they are clean.

One of the better State Parks in Georgia

We really enjoyed our stay at Georgia Veterans Memorial SP. we stayed in site 72 on Camping area #3. It faced the woods with a walking path. It was very private with the exception of the occasional hiker. So it was very nice to feel so secluded.

This beautiful hidden gem is just a stone’s throw west of Adel, Georgia. Accessible off of Interstate 75, this State Park is worth visiting. Activities you can enjoy are camping, boating, fishing, kayaking, hiking, swimming, geocaching, and picnicking. The staff are wonderful and the campground is well kept. They have bike a bike rental shop at the campground along with firewood and other necessities. There’s a shower house that is availability to all campers. We absolutely love it here!! So close to home but far enough to get away:)

Stopped here to camp overnight on our way down to Florida from Ohio. Arrived around 9:30 and was able to check-in after hours via a box with an envelope next to the office. Only us and a few other people so it was pretty quiet. The restrooms were very clean and well lit, and in this current covid time going to a public restroom can be dicey so I appreciated that.

It is right next to the highway, which is quick and great if you’re just pulling in for the night. We camped in a truck but if you’re a tent camper you will be hearing the dull roar of the expressway all night if that bothers you!

Wonderful State Park in southern Georgia! Chose our site from the pictures and it was perfect. Sites in lower loop one were spaced out and the back in sites were tucked into the woods, just the way we had hoped. Most sites are gravel and ours was well maintained and level, with a new large picnic table and fire pit with grill cover. The basic cable was a bonus! Restrooms were older but clean and well stocked. The upper loop 2 had a brand new bath house, and both had laundry facilities. The park itself has TONS of open green space! Great quiet weekend getaway.

As with all of the Georgia State Park , this was a nice, quiet campground. The lake was beautiful and if you’re looking for solitude, this is the place. Zero cell phone reception (honestly, zero) so if you need to connect to home plan on heading to the visitors center about a mile away for a signal. The mounds were incredible and the museum was fascinating. We hiked 2 of the 3 trails and although they were overgrown, e we saw lots of wildlife. The bathhouse was stocked but could use a deep cleansing. Worth it for the peace and quiet! The site had both a fire pit and a grill which was a plus. We will be back in a few months!

We stopped here on our way south to Florida out of curiosity.  Earlier in the year, we had been in Cordele to ride the SAM Railway which was based next to the park and had decided to stop on our way back through and check out the campground.  The GVSP is well maintained with alot of open space, lake access and a historical museum honoring Georgia Veterans.  The camping area is spacious with back in and pull through sites.  The roadways were narrow and paved with the sites being gravel and level in most cases.  Sites along the lakefront are a bit more expensive but the lake can be viewed from any site.  Shower houses are cleaned daily by camp hosts and are well maintained.  We were advised by another camper that sites fill up quickly on weekends but are usually available during the week.  We only spent 2 nights (on a whim) but will return for a longer stay in the future.  A great area for biking, fishing and boating.

Four friends and I took a road trip for spring break and our second stop was Reed Bingham. We were supposed to camp on the paddle in site but recent rains wouldn't let us. They were very accommodating and gave us their pioneer site, with it's only personal outhouse, and a 20% refund. The pioneer site was a lot of fun. The downside of the park was their Georgia camper patches were very sad looking an unraveled (they look a lot better at other parks. We don't know why but if you're a patch person buy them at Stephen C. Foster) and they sold us wet wood so were weren't able to get a good fire going. We had bought two and we asked for a refund for the one we didn't use and we got it.  Fun hiking too with good bathrooms at the entrance but again, because of the rain, some of the trails were closed so out hikes were cut short. Obviously the rain isn't their fault, it's just something to keep in mind if you go after it's rained. All in all a good place to camp.