Best Campgrounds near Zebulon, GA

We stayed here in June, Thursday through Monday, two people with a tent. The experience was... memorable, though not always for the right reasons. 

The bathhouses are something out of a post-apocalyptic travel journal— rusted fixtures, broken tiles, and enough cockroaches and spiders to start a nature documentary. Yes, they are“cleaned” occasionally, but whatever’s happening isn’t winning the war. They’re not just in the mist of past centuries— they’re lost in a heavy, choking fog. 

Facilities are very limited, and it’s clear this campground wasn’t designed with tent campers in mind. You’ll wait in line for restrooms, and you won’t enjoy it. 

The sites themselves? Old, worn, and could desperately use even a single coat of fresh paint— but the lawns are mowed, and the forest is real. If you value privacy, you’ll love the layout: each site is tucked deep into the woods, with excellent space and seclusion.

 But beware: the gate is locked shut from 10 PM to 8 AM, no exceptions unless the elderly host personally deems your emergency worthy. Installing a simple keypad would save everyone time and dignity. 

Starlink users: take note— if the lake is high, the shoreline disappears, and with it, any chance of a clear shot to the sky. Reception through the trees was very poor. 

Wildlife is busy here— armadillos, raccoons, and rabbits all feel quite at home on your tent pad. It’s charming, if you’re into that kind of thing. 

The lake sees constant activity: motorboats, water skiing, even boats creeping along at night. It’s not peaceful water. If you came to paddle in silence or sleep early, this might not be your dream spot— unless the noisy party crowd is your own.

Camping is first come first served basis, no reservations. $20 per night, parking for one vehicle included. Extra vehicles require $5 parking pass per day. They take credit card. Pull up to the booth at the entrance before 5pm or see the camp host 5-8pm. After 8pm, the park gate closes. I was given a gate code in case I needed to leave and return during the closed hours.

The camping layout falls somewhere between dispersed camping and a traditional campground. When I checked in, I was told I could pull up to any site with a fire pit. There were picnic tables and trash cans at most sites. There are no hook ups at the sites, but there is a good amount of space on flat ground in the trees. Several cars, tents, or small campers would fit on each site. Bigger campers could opt for sites 8 or 9 which don’t have trees. I cleaned up a bit of trash around my site when I arrived. The camp host drove around selling firewood.

Many of these reviews seem older, so I wanted to add that there is a newer block bathroom with flush toilets, electricity and a shower stall, and outdoor water spigot near the stretch of campsites marked 1-20 along the river. It was clean. Driving in, you’ll see a sign that points you to “Main Camping.” The sites stretch down a lane that follows the river to a dead end, the river and sites are on the left and there is a large grassy airfield on the right. There was no airplane traffic while I was there and no signage to stay off of it, so perhaps it is no longer in use.

There is a boat ramp past site 20. I saw a sign at the bathhouse for paddling the river and various parks to camp along the way. There are signs for horse camping only at sites 18-20. One of the trails runs between the river bank and the campsites, with red blazes - “River Trail” - so don’t set up equipment there in case hikers or horses come through. I saw people fishing in the Chattahoochee River right off of their campsite. There is a small rapid that stretches across the river near sites 1-10, so you get that nice water flowing sound to fall asleep to!

There are also sites in other areas of the park, if you turn left instead of following the “Main Camping” sign. I’m not sure if they are numbered, and they seem more scattered. There is another bathhouse with running water and a shower that is older next to the cabin called “Old Ranger’s Station.”

The park has wide trails for horseback riding. I hiked the 2 mile Eagle Loop Trail and saw a mountain biker as well. I saw signs for an Orienteering Course. There is a splash pad and a new looking playground that from a glance, might be ADA accessible. There are many signs prohibiting swimming in the river due to the strong current. There is no beach and in most places, the river bank is steep. John Tanner Park has a swimming beach.

The park map is not great and the information available online is insufficient, but I do recommend coming to explore the area and camp! I’ll be back now that I have an understanding of the layout.