Best Cabin Camping near Clarkston, GA

Nicest state park cabin I’ve never stayed in! The furnishings were beautiful and the screened porch was amazing. I really appreciated that the bedding and towels were plush and extremely comfortable-very unlike most state parks or other rental cabins. It was also impeccably clean, AND the bathrooms had handcrafted local soaps!

As a side note, my husband is a wheelchair user and this was the most accessible vacation rental we’ve ever encountered (and we travel a lot). The picnic table had a seat cutout, the fire pit and grill were on a level surface, and the kitchen sink was roll under! 10/10 thank you HLC for the thoughtful attention to accessibility.

Fort Yargo is in the Winder Ga area and is close to Helen, Jefferson, Athens and Atlanta. Entering the campground is a nice paved road and leads to tent camping, cabins, yurts and RV sites.

Very clean park and has Historical area, playground, tennis court, bike and hike trails. Not to mention beach and boating area.

Picnics, camping, boating biking and camping or just day use areas. Pet friendly and all around great park.

There is a small general store, but you are so close to everything if you need it, it's there.

Gread for the Georgia Bulldog crowd as its less then 30 minutes!

I recommend this park highly.

Fort Yargo is a bit of history for Georgia, restored cabin from 1792. Boating, hiking, camping and cabins with another area that is a private resort. Lots of room 1816 acres, 16 cabins, 6 yurts. Many tent and trailers spots. #34 has full hookups. There is a nice pavilion and a fairly new welcome center. It is easy to get to and there is playgrounds for the young ones.

Don Carter State Park is Georgia's newest campground. Very clean restrooms. There is a gate code to get in after hours and a separate gate code to get into the campground. The Cabins are very nice. We enjoyed the trails.

Very scenic park and the cabins are beautiful

Fort Yargo is a nice park with campsites, yurts and cabins. We camped by the lake and enjoyed ourselves.

Now we’ve never stayed here for our rv trips however we’ve revisited over the course of maybe 5 years for our family reunion and yes over the past two to three years they’ve remodeled the cabins. Yet, this year the newly remodeled cabins were in need of maintenance and repair. I mean come on. The conditioned building we rent every year has even got mold in it and we had a family member clean the kitchen for two hours in preparation for our event. We plan on changing locations finally as it seems the staff and rangers at Hard Labor are just riding their paycheck.

Even though it a little out of the way, it’s close to Atlanta, adorable small town with cute things to do! We rented kayaks and rode bikes all weekend! The cabins were updated and very cute perfect for a weekend away.

Campground Review:

Overall summary: A great campground with sites for tents, RVs, and even cabins. Well organized so that different camping experiences have designated spaces making for better experiences for everyone.

My wife and I stayed at this campground with another couple who are friends of ours from Atlanta while bike packing parts of the Silver Comet Trail. We spent the whole day covering about 35 miles on our bikes with gear on the back having an amazing time. We were even able to stop for lunch in Rockmart and take a nice break. Since I knew it was going to be one of the first beautiful weekends of fall and that there would probably be a crowd I emailed the campground in advance to make a reservation. They told me that they don’t have staff on the premise working over the weekend but that they would hold a site for us. When we arrive that afternoon we found many sites available along the road so we just went and grabbed and envelope to pay and set up camp in a semi-private area next to what looked like a vacant small cabin.

Getting settled we were also able to explore around the site a little more and found that it was set up to have several different campground areas divided for different purposes. There is a huge field right along the main entrance that is designed for groups of bike campers where you can set up wherever then use the picnic and gazebo area for cooking and hanging out. This is also the area with the bathrooms (a retrofitted trailer) and there are several benches and swings. Continuing along the main road in the ground to the right are many small campgrounds for private groups interspersed with a couple small cabins. On the other side of the road are RV sites for people wishing to stay for a couple nights only. If you continue on and head up the hill there is a whole separate section of the camp set up for long term RV sites with monthly rental options. Additionally, right across the road from where we stayed were 2 small shower rooms that have a sink but no toilet and hot water for showers.

After getting settled in we began working on getting a fire going and were trying to use a small knife to break down some larger logs we found. The gentleman staying in the cabin saw us struggling and offered to grab his chainsaw and break down the wood for us. We happily obliged and got to chatting with him. He told us that it is actually his father-in-law who owns the place and that he stays in the cabins sometimes when they aren’t being used. Later on the owner came by to pick him up and I cannot express just how wonderful, welcoming, and friendly they both were. It was an amazing experience and they could not have been more gracious hosts. The only downside was that many of the tent sites are close together but everything else about the site is very well managed and organized. You can tell that the owner really takes good care of everything and values the environment he has built.

We had a restful night sleep and continued on our trek the next day. If you are in the area and have a chance to spend the night here I would highly recommend it!

……………………….

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to try out new and interesting products at campgrounds I visit. On this trip, I tried out the Renogy E.TUNES Solar Bluetooth Speaker. My takeaways from using the combo speaker/solar charger are:

1. The solar panel actually works and is effective if you have full sun and can leave it out to be exposed for a while. I found a great spot was on the dashboard of the car while we were biking for the day. It has an indicator light that lets you know if you have it angled correctly and if it is charging. Then there are lights that blink and fill in as it charges so you can know when it is done. A couple hours out in the sun is enough to recharge the battery completely and give you several hours of music time.
2. Wow the speaker has some serious umph. I will be honest that I wasn’t expecting much from this speaker. I thought it would be a small thing that would be good for those occasions where I want to listen outside on a short hike or at a campground in the evening but the sound from this thing is no joke. It actually has a separate bass built in so you get really loud high quality sound. The speaker itself doesn’t have volume control so you will need to use the bluetooth connected music device to adjust that. However, you can skip songs and pause/play so that is a nice feature. I have actually started using this speaker at home in parallel with another when we project movies outside since it gives such a nice addition to the sound.
3. USB outlet for phone charging. This was a wonderful feature for a car camping trip where we weren’t worried about the extra weight but didn’t want to have to bring along another battery pack to keep up with at the campground. We could just charge our phone and play music all in one device.
4. Finally, the speaker is very well built and durable especially with the additional rubber bumper you can add on. I have accidentally dropped it a couple times already with not even any visible wear let alone effect on the functionality.

Overall, I would say this speaker is well worth the value and an amazing addition not only to your camping gear but also perfect for around the house or just a day at the beach. It charges quickly, puts out some wonderful sound, and comes with a slew of extra features.

This park in North Georgia on Lake Lanier hit our trifecta 🚴‍♀️🥾🚣🏼‍♂️.

12.5 miles of multi use trails with some elevation.
📌Additional bonus for those with strollers/small children or physical challenges —>this park had several ADA accessible trails which were paved.

Lake Lanier offered wonderful kayaking/fishing opportunities, there is also a beach for swimming. If you paddle or fish- be sure to have your fishing license/whistle/ life jacket. I got pulled over twice by water patrol.

Keith loved biking the rolling country roads surrounding the park. Too hilly for me outside the park but I am a wimp about climbing hills.

We could do it all easily from our campsite which had 30/50amp, water and lucky us there was a grey water drain within hose reach. (These Grey water drains are dispersed randomly throughout the campground not always near your site) There is also cable hook up. Verizon service was okay.

We stayed here for 10 days in mid July and bugs were minimal...as long as you were inside or armed at dusk with repellent or fans.

The wooded campsites and shady trails made the whole summer adventure great!

There are primitive tent camping areas and lovely 8 cottages/cabins too!)

Indian Springs is near Jackson, GA, about an hour south of Atlanta off I-75. The park has 50-60 camp sites for tents and RVs. Most are back in, with water & 30 amp electric. There is a dump station. WiFi is available at the office. There are modern showers/bathrooms and a playground. There is also a pioneer campground and a group campground, plus cabins. According To the park brochure, Indian Springs State Park in Georgia is one of the oldest state parks in the US. The land was acquired from the Creek Indians by the state through the Treaty of Indian Springs in 1825, and was established as a state park in 1931. The park is named for several springs in the area. The Creek Nation used them for centuries to heal their sick. The water from the springs has a strong sulfur smell and taste. I would not recommend drinking it, but there were people filling plastic bottles of the stuff to take home at the stone Spring House built by the CCC during the Depression. There are several hiking trails, and a stream/creek which runs through the park. There are signs about “No Swimming” but I saw several people swimming anyway. There is a large lake with a boat ramp for fishing. The museum showcases the Creek Indians, a resort from the 1800s, and CCC history.

Good for a quick get away while still having access to “city life”. There are some beautiful spots close to the water where you do feel like you’re deep in nature.

This Georgia State Park is in Gainesville on the Chattahoochee where it meets up with Lake Lanier.  It was very easy to get to from the Atlanta area.  We originally chose site 8 on the map but found it was pretty exposed and got direct sun all the time.

The park was very clean and still had a "new" feeling.  We had a site with full hook ups.  There wasn't WiFi, but the cell service was good.  They did have cable.  There is a beach with kayak rentals.  We enjoyed a double kayak outing on the lake.  We kept pretty close to shore and didn't have to fight rough water or strong currents.

Some campsites are on small hills that flatten out for your camper but then the terrain falls off.  Biking trails weren't very flat.  We also had to be aware of ants.  Couldn't leave our dog's dish or bone out without being invaded.

Don't miss the Mountain Fresh Creamery almost 8 miles away for ice cream.  Also not far from Helen, GA and wineries.  Always great to spend time in the beautiful Georgia mountains.

Hard Labor Creek State Park is one of the Georgia State Park system's best kept secrets! Located just minutes away from Rutledge, GA, HLC seems like a whole world away! Away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, HLC is still convenient to Rutledge and Madison, in case you forgot to pack something.

HLC features hiking trails, mini golf, newly "renovated" campsites that include two BRAND new bathhouses (comfort stations). The comfort stations have restrooms/showers, as well as two family restroom/shower facilities. The comfort stations also feature vending machines (drinks) and a laundry facility!

Kayak rentals, a beach/swimming area and numerous special programs are available!

Cell phone service is very spotty in the park but that is alright with us, camping is about getting AWAY and enjoying the outdoors, not staring at your electronic devices!

If golf is your thing, HLC has a beautiful 18-hole golf course!

Ft Yargo is located about 45 miles NE of Atlanta in Winder, Ga. We camped there for four nights and while the weather was cold the campground was full. Plenty of things to do here that include bike and hiking trails, boat rentals, mini golf, geocaching and more! Walmart and several restaurants are minutes away should you need them.

We had a great weekend getaway here. We reserved an Orange Site overlooking the lake and highly recommend it. Every Saturday in December, there is a golf cart parade through the campground. The golf carts and RVs are decorated and everyone is in the holiday spirit. Plus, Stone Mountain has a whole Christmas celebration which provides lots of activities. Will definitely return!

My wife and I came here in our pop up camper.  We had never even heard of this camp ground and booked it primarily because we were looking for a nice campground with availability.  We arrived after the Trading Post / Office was closed, and we hit a snag right off the bat.  Our campsite (21) was really not a site for a pop up camper.  This was definitely more of a tent site.  Luckily the camp host was super nice and accommodating.  He put us in spot 23, and luckily we were able to reserve it for the whole stay.  This was a nice private camp site, great for a pop up or tent, but wouldnt be good for a big RV.  There were trails all behind our site, and it was secluded which worked out great because our dog could relax without people passing the site constantly.  The staff here is extremely pleasant and very helpful and facilities are extremely clean.

We played 9 holes at The Creek, a real nice golf course that is in the state park. We really enjoyed the golfing here, but we are not advanced golfers.  We also fished off the dock at Lake Rutledge.  What a beautiful lake.  We would have rented a boat, but we were not able to due to Covid.

We were so happy here, that we have been talking about returning with the kids.  There is a miniature golf course and a playground.  We may even ask the grandparents to come.  They don't like camping but there are beautiful cabins here.

I highly recommend Hard Labor Creek State Park.  A hidden gem.

Nice facilities, clean and well laid out. Very crowded right now due to people looking to get outdoors during this crisis. Family friendly with a ton of kids running around so maybe not the best place for a quiet getaway. We bought a Forest River No Boundaries 10.6 today and wanted to give it the inaugural run and this spot was about the only available one near Atlanta, so here we are!

Nice campground, bathhouses exceptionally clean. Camped on a Sunday and Monday and was so peaceful with all of nature’s  sounds. There’s two lakes there but you need to take a short drive to get to the swimming beach and to better fishing. Golf course looks great, and  equestrian camping looked great too. Lots of easy hiking trails to explore.  A very  short drive from Atlanta make this campground a nice weekend camping getaway

http://www.alaneinthewoods.com/adventures/ft-yargo-state-park-winder-ga-2017/

Ft. Yargo is a great park in the middle of suburbia. It has a little bit of everything. We camped in the walk-in sites and they were clean and well spaced. We had fun at the beach and did some dishing. They have great walking trails and biking trails. There is a charge for the biking trial but they are worth it. We spend many of summer afternoons kayaking the lake. The park does off kayak and paddle boat rentals. This is a great park that we will revisit!