Top Free Dispersed Camping near Clayton, GA

Searching for the perfect place to dispersed camp near Clayton? The Dyrt can help you find the best dispersed campsites for your next trip. Search nearby dispersed campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Clayton, GA (47)

Showing results 1-10 of 47 campgrounds

Recent Dispersed Reviews In Clayton

100 Reviews of 47 Clayton Campgrounds


  • Darwin R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Indian Grave Gap Campsite
    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.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Soggy Boot Campground
    Oct. 19, 2024

    Soggy Boot Campground

    good camp sites

    the directions get you to the general area fine. the campsites are hard to find in the dark - we ended up just stopping at the first clearing from a fork on the gravel road we saw to set up a tent. road is very bumpy, there’s a stream near some of the spots , we looked for a fire ring where we stopped in the morning and didn’t see one.

  • Gillian S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Indian Grave Gap Campsite
    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.

  • C
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Aug. 15, 2024

    Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping

    10/10

    I actually cannot stop thinking about my weekend camp here. So beautiful and lots of places to camp. Not a hard hike in either. A lot of day hikers through out the day. Lots of flies bc of dog poop but it’s worth it.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Mountain Rest Mountain Top
    Aug. 12, 2024

    Mountain Rest Mountain Top

    Hilltop camping with hiking trails

    Great spot with room to turn around. Shaded and at trailhead of a trail down to creek and near a second trail to a waterfall. Had a few people during the day but evenings were totally quiet. A bit of extra vehicle clearance is helpful...slow and steady gets you to a great spot. No services here but good dispersed spot.

  • Dylan S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    Jun. 2, 2024

    475b

    Isolated spot for car camping or tent camping

    Road is a little rough but not terrible. 3-4 spots to park around this hairpin with 3 camping spots lotuses in the middle. Little runoff creates a creek that is nice to listen to but only deep enough to get feet in.

  • Forrest S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from 475b
    May. 23, 2024

    475b

    Several walk up sites with easy access

    This is a great first-come-first-serve location with several sites.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Panther Top Dispersed Site
    May. 17, 2024

    Panther Top Dispersed Site

    Amazing spot with GREAT views

    I had 3 bars of AT&T which worked well. The view from the shore was amazing and in my opinion comparable to some spots in Hawaii. It was nice and quiet, chilly at night, and not too far from murphy. We also hiked up to a nearby fire tower and it was a fun little hike. 10/10 will be returning.

    (I just got a new drone and I made a fun little video of the campsite and the hike we did.)

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Jones Creek Dispersed Campground
    Apr. 21, 2024

    Jones Creek Dispersed Campground

    Beautiful but popular

    Dont park where the map tells you, you can drive to the locations on a decent narrow dirt road.

    When we first arrived, the camp site we chose was on the river, but also off the main road. This area seems to be popular for local dirt bikers, but we seen people fishing and relaxing all the same.

    I would have gave 5 stars, but these sites are well used and has years of careless debris around. We also heard some folks shooting guns( in the distance), which isn’t a problem for us, but reduced the relaxing nature of the visit with all this combined.

    This river is amazing, low current makes its easy to walk in and there are a few little water falls we enjoyed hanging on for a bit.

  • amanda R.
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Apr. 1, 2024

    Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites

    Great site!

    This was such a nice quiet campground. We arrived around 8am and got the first campsite we saw. This is the most established dispersed campsite that I’ve stayed at as it has a fire circle, a grill and a picnic table. It’s very quiet and very few cars passed. There’s a walking/hiking trail across the lake where we saw some hikers and some people on horseback. The site was very clean minus a few pieces of trash that we later picked up. The dogs loved it because our site was right on the lake. We drove down the gravel road to check out the other campsites and they all seem great if you’re tent camping! We car camped and our campsite was perfect because it had a parking space right in front of it whereas the other sites had parking spaces across the road. Overall a great place. I can’t wait to go back!

  • Natalie R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah
    Feb. 9, 2024

    Lake Santeelah

    Quiet, nice spaces, and clean!

    Such a great find! I was hoping to car camp a little closer to NOC but not in a campground but this is the closest I could find in February. I would definitely stay here again! Very quiet and clean and the sites are very well laid out and maintained! No hook ups of any kind but it’s worth it! Highway Patrol and Park Rangers patrol pretty frequently so I felt really safe as a solo female. I still took all the safety precautions but didn’t feel as necessary as some.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Falls Creek
    Nov. 16, 2023

    Falls Creek

    Nice secluded spot

    There is room for two vehicles and multiple tent spots. Very secluded and fairly level. Overall a great spot. If it had an epic view I would have it at 5 stars. River is about .6 mile hike away and the road is not bad getting in. Basically 2 track forest road.

  • WDRoberson The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah
    Nov. 7, 2023

    Lake Santeelah

    Well maintained free camping

    We were fortunate to get a site that allowed us to pull the car right into the site for our roof top tent. Not very far to walk to reach the lake and the fishing wasn’t bad at all. Bass and Bluegills. Fairly quiet besides the rice burners heading to Tail of the Dragon. Very good overall.

  • Robert W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah
    Oct. 27, 2023

    Lake Santeelah

    Stunning 😍

    GPS coordinates got me exactly to where I wanted to go. Lots of twists and turns going up the dragon with beautiful scenery of the trees changing colors in late October. There are a handful of Lots located right along the lake with a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance. My dog absolutely loved how much space she had to roam around and how clear the water was excellent for swimming.

    Some of the plots you can only fit one tent others you could fit up to three or four

  • Robert N.
    Camper-submitted photo from Panther Top Dispersed Site
    Sep. 9, 2023

    Panther Top Dispersed Site

    Panther Top Dispersed

    Great spot right on the little lake. You can hear the gun range from the Camp Spot, but it is barely noticeable. There are two main spots right on the lake that are set up for tent camping. My overland rig fit in the small parking area fine, but I had to find a few rocks to level my truck so the rooftop tent was level. It is obviously a spot that locals come to party on the weekends but I had no issues. There looks like there are only 2 primary camping spots with fire rings and tent pads. My spot had a picnic table and two tent pads, a pole for your lantern and was just feet from the lake. Lots of fish jumping and I caught a 1 pound large mouth bass on a silver spinning lure. Over all a great spot. No bugs, but you will likely need to bring firewood, as all of the fallen trees had been scavenged. Since there are only two spot, definitely have a backup plan, especially on the weekends.

  • N
    Camper-submitted photo from Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed
    Jul. 20, 2023

    Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed

    Very Dispersed

    It was a great site, although there are only a few campsites on the road to it. We ended up driving to the top and someone already claimed it, so we had to go back down to a less convenient spot. The campsites are very secluded and quiet.

  • Steve K.
    Camper-submitted photo from Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites
    Jul. 16, 2023

    Long Hungry Road Dispersed Campsites

    Field test truck camping

    First site(L1)was open so I took it. I spent two nights there. First time dispersed camping in National Forest and truck camping. Even though I've been camping my whole life, all my equipment was new so it was a learning experience. 😁 Parking was pretty level, but behind my rear wheels it declined toward the lake. The tent pad, picnic table and fire ring was on level ground. It was really quiet during the day, but there were some very loud frogs(?) during the night, enough to wake you up. 2nd night I played music and I slept good. Lol If your GPS says that you have reached your destination, you probably have passed the gravel road. Once on gravel road, veer to the right and you will pass the cemetery on your left, then you'll see kiosk. Sign shows you have to register there at the kiosk. I enjoyed my time there and hopefully can go back again this year. Hope y'all are enjoying the great outdoors. LIV'N!

  • Dai C.
    Camper-submitted photo from Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed
    Jul. 1, 2023

    Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed

    Gorgeous group camping area

    Beautiful free group camping area with large parkinglot. All dirt roads back here. Beautiful waterfall (whaleback falls I think?) just a quick 15 minute walk across the river and up the trail (follow Daniel ridge trail loop from parking lot). Not much free fall action for nature bathers, though there is enough water flow to lean in and get all that grease out of your hair! Big boulders to climb on at the base of the falls.. be careful as wet rocks are slippery. Serene and gorgeous forest all around you.

    Zero phone connection whatsoever (T Mobile 5g / LTE). Greater earth love connection a thousandfold. Highly recommend.

    <3

  • a
    Camper-submitted photo from Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed
    Jul. 1, 2023

    Upper Cove Creek - UCC1 Dispersed

    Roadish side/semi primitive

    I love Pigah. It doesn't seem to matter what season! With that said:

    • remote- you have to want to get up here but it's really easy to do once you drive it a few times.

    *clearly marked spots. I am actually located at ucc-2. ** The Dead End spot.

    *Creek is located very close nearby. But not on the clear spots for tents.

    *Not for big rigs, RVs, etc. It's a tent or as I use the tree tent.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Soggy Boot Campground
    Mar. 15, 2023

    Soggy Boot Campground

    Beautiful clearing

    I went with my girlfriend and dog and had a blast. Is a little confusing to find but just when you question if you’re heading to the right place, you’re greeted with a fork and small trail down to a massive clearing. You could easily fit 8 cars around the area. There’s a very flat area, a fire pit, and creek surrounded by forest and mountains. Will definitely be coming back to this location.

  • C
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Santeelah
    Feb. 25, 2023

    Lake Santeelah

    Great spot

    I will say there isn’t a lot of campsites but the ones they have are great. Fishing from the banks is possible and it was relatively clean and quiet. Definitely worth a visit

  • J
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping
    Feb. 17, 2023

    Black Balsam Knob - Dispersed Camping

    The wind is no joke

    The sunset was breathtaking and the hike was very fun but if you are camping overnight, expect wind gusts that are capable of snapping tent poles. There is very little wind coverage at the top of the mountain.



Guide to Clayton

Camping near Clayton, Georgia, offers a fantastic mix of nature, adventure, and relaxation. With stunning landscapes and a variety of campgrounds, it's a great spot for families, solo adventurers, and RV enthusiasts alike.

What to do

  • Hiking: Explore the beautiful trails around the area. Campers at Cades Cove Campground enjoyed the nearby hiking trails, saying, "The nearby driving loop with trails is well worth the stay over."
  • Wildlife Watching: Keep an eye out for local wildlife. One visitor at Cades Cove Campground mentioned, "Had numerous sightings of wildlife even in the campground."
  • Fishing: The lakes and rivers around Clayton are perfect for fishing. Campers at Davidson River Campground noted, "Good fishing, mountain biking, and climbing available all within a stone's throw from camp."

What campers like

  • Scenic Views: Campers rave about the beautiful surroundings. A review for Greenbrier Campground states, "The campground had great amenities, really awesome service from the staff, and was a quiet mountain getaway."
  • Clean Facilities: Many campgrounds are well-maintained. A visitor at Lake Powhatan said, "The bathrooms were some of the cleanest we've seen."
  • Family-Friendly Activities: Campgrounds like Vogel State Park offer fun for kids. One reviewer mentioned, "The kids had loads of fun playing by the little rivers."

What you should know

  • Limited Cell Service: Be prepared for spotty cell coverage. A camper at Cades Cove Campground noted, "There is no cell service with T-Mobile, so have a good book."
  • Bear Awareness: Bears are common in the area. A visitor at Cosby Campground shared, "An assertive mother bear and her three cubs showed up at dinner time."
  • Site Privacy: Some campgrounds have closely spaced sites. A review for Elkmont Campground mentioned, "All of the campsites are extremely close together, and there is no brush to divide them."

Tips for camping with families

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for places with activities for kids. Campers at Greenbrier Campground enjoyed "bounce houses, multiple playgrounds, and a lazy river."
  • Pack Snacks and Drinks: Having food on hand can make things easier. A camper at Lake Powhatan mentioned, "We forgot to bring coffee, so it was great to have the coffee truck 5 mins away."
  • Plan for Rain: Be ready for changing weather. A visitor at Davidson River Campground said, "Spent a very rainy night here before backpacking."

Tips from RVers

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A review for Black Rock Mountain State Park warned, "If you have a big RV it may be hard to get in and out of the park."
  • Use Electric Hookups: Many campgrounds offer electric hookups. Campers at Tallulah Gorge State Park appreciated the "electric hookups and clean facilities."
  • Explore Nearby Attractions: Don't miss out on local attractions. A visitor at Amicalola Falls State Park noted, "A quick drive to the falls or the lodge for dining with a view."

Camping near Clayton, Georgia, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. With beautiful campgrounds and plenty of activities, you're sure to have a memorable experience!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Clayton, GA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Clayton, GA is Blue Valley Dispersed Camping with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Clayton, GA?

    TheDyrt.com has all 47 dispersed camping locations near Clayton, GA, with real photos and reviews from campers.