Best Tent Camping near Buford, GA

Recent Tent Reviews in Buford

1135 Reviews of 43 Buford Campgrounds

• 

  Jeff E.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 18, 2024

  Red Top Mountain State Park Campground

  Beautiful Lake Views - Near Atlanta and I-75

  Red Top Mountain State Park is beautiful and Lake Allatoona is large.  Campsite 50 is a premium tent only walk-in site (a few dollars more).  It sits on a point that sticks out in the lake.  There is no shade or tree cover, so it's not "private".  There are 3 other sites near by on the walk-in area and there are no boundaries or barriers between so your neighbors are in full view.  There is no electric near the tent pad, the electric pole is 150+ feet away near the parking area.  You probably could run 175 feet of electric extension cord... but it would have to run past the three other sites... so don't plan for electric.  There is water right by the pad with a ton of pressure.  The tent pad was large but extremely hard to drive tent stakes into... smaller stakes worked better.  The bathhouse was an uphill hike probably 300 ft away but was modern and clean with hot showers and good water pressure.  The park is clean and scenic.  The staff is very courteous, friendly and helpful.  There are plenty of opportunities to hike, fish and boat.

  This park is about 30-40 minutes outside of Atlanta right off of I-75.  If you are in a tent... you will hear I-75 traffic all night so keep in mind, that while it looks like country, you are not deep in nature... the drone of the highway will remind you.  There is a train that blows its whistle that will wake you up 3 times each night and also remind you that you are not deep in the woods.  The winding roads through the park outside the campground also seemed to be very popular with motorcyclists who like loud pipes.

  The name Red Top Mountain is derived from the red soil in the area that was popular for the mining of abundant iron ore.  But don't look for "mountains" here... you have to travel further north for more dramatic elevation.  

  Overall, a nice park, pretty scenery but not as secluded, quiet and relaxing as expected for tent camping.

• 

  Michael T.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 13, 2024

  Panola Mountain State Park Campground

  Everything as promised

  We did an overnighter to check this out after doing a separate hike on the primary trails from the other side of the park in the morning. 

  Getting to the campsite was simple enough and it is the quoted 3/4 mile walk in. It was great to see some families utilizing the space. There is good cell reception (T-Mobile)

  Very peaceful and even had the sounds of a vibrant coyote pack.

• 

  Darwin R.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 1, 2024

  Indian Grave Gap Campsite

  ADV Bike Motocamping

  If you’re anywhere near Helen, GA on an ADV Bike, this summit is for you. There are three routes up the mountain so you never have to double back. There are more primitive sites at the top of the mountain (not where the Dyrt pin was dropped) on both sides of the fork. Suitable for tents and hammocks. There is one site that would support a large group or even a camper (or two) if you can get them up the steep rocky hunting trail. Sites were mostly clean with rock fire pits.

• 

  Tia K.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 25, 2024

  Victoria Campground

  Peaceful spot

  Easy access to the lake for paddleboarding; lot was close enough to paddle 1/2 mile to day use area/marina restaurant. Nicely shaded and good proximity to restrooms.

• 

  Tia K.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 25, 2024

  Sweetwater Campground

  Shaded and spacious

  Easy access to Lake Alatoona with good views, minimal shade and access area was swampy on my lot but manageable. Water surprisingly chilly in summer from the Etowah River.

• 

  Tia K.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 25, 2024

  Doll Mountain Campground

  Phenomenal View

  Beautiful mountain landscape over a calm lake, very quiet and little to no light pollution at night. Lots of trees for shade in the lots and easy access to the lake.

• 

  Michael T.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 18, 2024

  Sweetwater Creek State Park Campground

  A quiet oasis away from RVs

  There's only limited camping here. There's several yurts and 5 walk-in tent sites. Yes, some of the reviews here are confusing this park with another. There's NO RV or TRAILER camping here. 

  The Yurts look awesome but do attract gaggles of families so be warned that if you're looking for a quiet get away then you may find yourself in the middle of a large family reunion that has no care for other campers. 

  The camping is isolated from the bustling 'core' of the park too. That's a nice change from other parks in the area. But you will also need to drive to the trailheads more than likely so take that into consideration when packing etc. 

  The tent sites run a little parallel to each other. I didn't go any look at the lake views from 5 at the back but expected it to be partial if that. Site 1 and 2 would be my first choice when I go back.

  There is also full cell reception given its proximity to Atlanta.

  Update: - Something else to know is that the visitor center called for 'check in' before we arrived and organized a wood drop off service.

• 

  Gillian S.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 13, 2024

  Indian Grave Gap Campsite

  Good for Big Groups

  Three campsites in the immediate area. Two are on one side of the road. You have to cross thru one to get to the other. All three have creek access. We picked the single on the other side. Not a lot of flat ground options. Each site is huge. We decided to spread out but that meant having to do a lot of walking back and forth for stuff. You can pull your car into the site easily. It’s about a mile from the High Shoals Trailhead. Both waterfalls are lovely. One has a nice swimming hole. The closest town is Hiawasee. Had a grocery and an outfitters if you need supplies. There’s only two sit down restaurants—one had an hour wait; the other had run out of food.

• 

  Allen S.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 12, 2024

  Red Top Mountain State Park Campground

  Beautiful campground with a couple of issues

  Recently stayed a couple of nights and was mostly impressed with the state park. I’m a tent camper but if I had an RV or trailer, I would definitely have trouble getting into my site (78). Many of the other sites I saw would have similar problems for trailer campers, as well. The park is in close proximity to I-75, so I could hear the distant sound of big rigs and the occasional police sirens. There is also railroad tracks somewhere that are close enough to hear train whistles in the wee hours of the morning. But the scenery of Lake Alatoona was beautiful and the staff I dealt with were all friendly and helpful. The bathroom facilities I used were very clean.

• 

  Kris

  Scout

  

  Oct. 12, 2024

  Atlanta West Campground

  Great place

  The campsite's proximity to I-20 makes it super convenient to get to. It's a great spot for a quick trip or a longer stay, and the friendly seasonal campers really add to the community vibe. By the way, I just bought a camper with the help of radiant credit union customer service. Their customer service was so helpful in sorting out the financial side of things, which means I can now enjoy camping trips to places like Atlanta West Campground hassle-free!

• 

  Cindy S.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 2, 2024

  Hard Labor Creek State Park Campground

  Beautiful Trees with a cool breeze

  This place was great. We arrived after hours and spoke with the camp host he told us we can pay online or in the morning. We drove all day in the sun and due to hurricane Helene aftermath we were limited on where to stay. It was nice to pull in and it be nice and cool with the trees. The stars popped out at night and could be seen through the tree tops. Showers were hot.

• 

  TIMOTHY O.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 20, 2024

  Amicalola Falls State Park Camping

  Fall trip

  Outstanding park! Camp sites are spaced decently apart and well kept. Restrooms / showers are very clean. Welcome center has plenty of backpacking supplies as well.

• 

  Christine

  Guide

  

  Aug. 26, 2024

  Don Carter State Park Campground

  Only a few campsites near the water

  Site 7 is separate from the others and has the whole point except there is a trail behind the site. No easy, sandy water access unless you go to the nice beach they have.

• 

  Jessica D.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 22, 2024

  Mckinney Campground

  Quiet, scenic, serene

  We stayed at site 125 with a full view of the lake. We could watch the sunset & the sunrise each day and it was incredible. There is plenty of tree cover & wilderness surrounding you. Bath houses were decent (albeit a little outdated). Our spot had a pretty bad ant infestation & they ended up getting into our trailer, which I had to scour with spray, etc. But what can you do? Just bring some supplies in case. What we really liked about this campground is how natural the surroundings are. You're really immersed in the wooded area with a view of the beautiful lake & the sounds of birdsong, etc. Good campground for bikes as things are spread out (swimming beach, bathhouses). We would certainly come back!

• A

  Angela A.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 19, 2024

  Andrew's Cove Campground — Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest

  Nice primitive camping

  This is a primitive campground with a picnic table, lantern pole and a firepit with a grate. It is pack in-pack out as there are no trashcans or dumpsters. Water is available via a hand water pump across from site#8 and the toilets are vault toilets but were well kept and did not smell horrible. The stream is gorgeous stream and loud enough to drown out most road noise. There are some hazardous trees and one 6inch tree did fall while we were there this weekend during a thunderstorm. At the back of the campground is a~2 mile trail that connects to the AT. Most sites have a tent pad that will accommodate a 10’x10’ tent. Sites 2, 4, and 8 driveways can really only accommodate 1 car and there are no extra parking spots. Driveways for sites 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10 can accommodate 2 cars. Site 1 is adjacent to the road and is going to be impacted by road noise. There is no campground host so be prepared to either scavenge wood or buy it in town, same goes for ice.

• R

  Richard F.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 18, 2024

  Duckett Mill

  Nice and Quiet

  Nice campsites with water and electricity. Almost all the sites have view of lake and many have access to the lake for swimming or paddle boarding or boating. Nice breeze off the lake. Will be back many times.

• J

  Jen

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 14, 2024

  Coosawattee River Resort

  Not open to public

  I called and was told this is a membership ONLY campground resort! Please delete this resort

• 

  Nik J.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 12, 2024

  Bolding Mill

  Nice place to stay

  We stayed in site 7 and we really enjoyed it. The site was clean and the pad was very level.

  We had a minor issue popping the 30amp breaker but switched over to the 50 amp adapter and all worked fine.

  Didn’t use the bath house but I did go check them out and they looked clean.

  I would caution big rigs on the first loop (sites 2 - 9) the loop at the back is pretty tight. We did fine with our 28’ TT but anyone over 30’ might want to consider the other loops.

  Driving through and looking at the other sites some of the picnic areas need to be reworked or at the very least mowed and weeded. If it wasn’t for that sort of stuff I would give it 5 stars.

• 

  Angela B.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 11, 2024

  Stone Mountain Park Campground

  Safari tent

  Tons of things to do train rides, gondola ride to the top, hiking and fireworks. Stayed in a safari tent a little worn down with duck tape on the screen. However, clean bathroom/showers and fun pool. A couple of crazy squirrels visit us every morning.

• C

  Chris C.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 10, 2024

  Sweetwater Campground

  Camping weekends

  Great place to camp and just relax and watch all children play and laugh.

• K

  Keith W.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 9, 2024

  Kennedy Creek Resort and Campground

  Best kept Georgia mountains secret

  We found Kennedy Creek in September 2023 and have been back five times since then. The setting is absolutely beautiful with direct views of the mountains and sprawling grounds where the resort sits.

  They offer everything from tent or RV camping and yurts, to beautiful cabins. We’ve tent camped once and brought our RV five times. If you’re camping, expect spacious campsites with amazing views. You won’t feel crowded in this place. If RVing, you can opt for a site with 30 amp electrical hookup and water (3 of these at present on a first come first basis and usually available). They do have showers so we didn’t come close to filling our gray/black tanks on our recent 5 day stay. What I like as an RVer is the open space and views. You won’t feel like you’re in a crowded RV park that’s for sure.

  Their onsite tavern and restaurant is a great gathering place and is usually opened starting with Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast. The menu is top notch with special dishes that change regularly. John is the chef and he puts out some of the best food you’ll find in these beautiful mountains!

  The resort also has a 2000’ x 60’ grass runway (GA87) which is absolutely gorgeous. In my opinion this should be a bucket list destination for all pilots that can manage to get in to 2000’ fields. The owner has a beautiful Just Superstol XL bush plane and a Highlander, and he can usually be found flying most Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. You might even get invited to go flying :-)

  The staff is super friendly and will take great care of you during your stay. It won’t take long for you to realize that they absolutely care about you and your experience. They’ll go out of their way to make sure you enjoy their little slice of paradise.

  This probably sounds like a paid advertisement but I’m just a happy camper that hopes this place experiences the success it deserves. I’ve been to Ellijay, Helen, Blairsville, Dahlonega, and a lot of other well known mountain spots, and this place is my favorite by far.

• 

  Meaghan G.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 29, 2024

  Desoto Falls Recreation Area

  Perfectly Rainy Summer Night

  Site 23 is perfect if you’re looking for a huge, private, creekside site. It was just a short walk to the outhouse and water pump, but a longer trek to the bathhouse, but the other features of this site were worth it. This huge site has the perfect trees for swinging your hammock over the creek, lots of shade, and easy access to wade in the creek. The campground was clean and well maintained, the hosts were friendly, and the weather was pleasant for late June. I can’t wait to go back!

• 

  Meaghan G.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 25, 2024

  Andrew's Cove Campground — Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest

  June at Andrew’s Cove

  I returned to Andrew’s Cove in late June for a night in the woods. I had site 3 this time, and it’s my favorite site so far. It’s the most removed from the other sites, but just a quick walk down the campsite driveway to the bathrooms. I really like the privacy of that site despite the street noise. The bathrooms were disgusting, as usual. I highly recommend bringing an alternate option for bathroom use. The temperature was pleasant even in late June, and a rainstorm passed through overnight. It was a glorious way to sleep. I highly recommend Andrew’s Cove.

• 

  Monica

  Scout

  

  Jun. 24, 2024

  Kennedy Creek Resort and Campground

  Hair on linens, heater not working; no reasonable remedy

  I booked a yurt for my husband while I was hiking the AT. The manager was very polite until I complained later. When my husband arrived, he could not locate the yurt, because the name had been changed, and I was not told. The bed was made up with (animal) haired imbedded into the comforter and hair on the linens, which the manager was witness to and changed himself. The heater did not work. My intention was for my husband to enjoy the resort and its amenities, but he wouldn't go to the tavern after tge other experiences. Per our conversation, the manager agreed to a monetary refund that we never saw. After a month, I left a message asking for a call and I received a text saying that he would give us a $35 gift card to the tavern (which we can never use). I asked for a phone call and was told that he didn't have to call me, because this was his final offer.

• A

  Andrew B.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 24, 2024

  Gatewood Park Campground

  Don't

  This place was a nightmare. I booked primitive site #4, that whole site is on a hill, the only flat place is where you park, and that's not really flat either. Needless to say it was difficult to set anything up; tents, food, games, etc... The campsites at this campground are very close together, and unfortunately our neighbors were very inconsiderate blasting country music all night long, they literally pulled an all-nighter, no joke, even after my wife and I asked them to turn the concert down at 3:30am, they got silent for about 1 to 2 minutes, and then started it right back up. The lake area where you swim is pretty gross, there are tons of people in a relatively small area, and pontoon boats pull right up to where the rope is that contains the swim area and cook out on their grills smoking out the swim area while idling petrol fumes and exhaust in to the water. We did manage to have some fun with making a fire, and although the lake was disgusting, it did feel good because it was 100 degrees outside. We decided to pack up and leave a day early, it was that bad. Find another campground to go to, or change your dates of your trip to avoid this place, do whatever you need to do to not end up here.

• 

  Greg S.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 18, 2024

  Victoria Campground

  4.7 stars

  This is a smaller COE campground than most we have stayed at, which is nice in a way. The playground and beach were never crowded, and it was pretty quiet with the exception of the boat traffic. The campground is right next to a public boat ramp, beach, marina, and restaurant. It's super convenient but not as quiet as some other COE places. We loved it because we brought our boat and tied it up by our site. The sites are not huge but plenty big, and there are many great waterfront spots. Ours was nice for swimming with clean water and a nice drop-off. It is a mixed bag in terms of privacy. While there was plenty of space between us and our neighbors, the sites were laid out so that even with our campers hooked up, we could always see each other. Took away slightly from the experience, but it was still a very fun place. We will go back next summer. I think that 22 is the best spot, followed by the waterfront pull-through spots on the cove.

• 

  Ali P.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 17, 2024

  Brooks Lake Campground

  Short 3 day stay

  Great little place to camp. Beautiful lake. Bathrooms and showers are on site.