Best Tent Camping near Covington, GA

Tent camping options surrounding Covington, Georgia include a mix of state parks and dispersed camping areas where visitors can pitch tents in natural settings. Panola Mountain State Park Campground offers established tent sites with basic amenities like electric hookups and picnic tables, while more primitive options include Tyler Hunt Camp and Ocmulgee River Camp, where campers can experience more secluded settings in a natural environment.

Most tent sites in the region feature fire rings with fires allowed, though firewood is rarely provided on-site. Amenities vary significantly between established and dispersed camping areas. State parks like Panola Mountain and Sweetwater Creek provide restroom facilities and potable water, while dispersed sites typically have no facilities, requiring campers to pack in all supplies and follow Leave No Trace principles. Pets are permitted at most locations, but alcohol policies vary by campground. Sites are generally accessible via drive-in routes, though some areas like Sweetwater Creek State Park require short walks to reach tent pads.

The camping experience varies significantly between state parks and dispersed sites. Sweetwater Creek State Park features limited tent camping with only five walk-in sites situated near a lake, providing a more controlled environment with access to hiking trails and water activities. According to one visitor, "The tent sites run a little parallel to each other. Site 1 and 2 would be my first choice." Dispersed sites like Ocmulgee River Camp offer more solitude and space, with one camper noting it has "open spaces and very quiet this time of year... a great spot to really enjoy." These areas typically attract fewer visitors than established campgrounds, making them suitable for campers seeking a more primitive tent camping experience, though they may require better preparation and self-sufficiency.

Best Tent Sites Near Covington, Georgia (12)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Covington, GA

11 Photos of 12 Covington Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Covington, GA

558 Reviews of 12 Covington Campgrounds


  • Michael C.
    Apr. 12, 2025

    River Forks Park & Campground

    Great views but...

    "SITE# 47, Pull-Thru, Not FHU, 50A, Water, Dump LENGTH OF STAY: Stayed 9 Nights, RATE:$30.56/ Night with No Discount/ 0% Discount BATH HOUSE: Clean but Outdated LAUNDRY: Not Recorded STAFF: Friendly PARK IMPRESSIONS: Nice, We would stay here again RV PAD: Concrete, ESTIMATED RV PAD LENGTH: 40 Feet, Tow Vehicle Could NOT Stay Connected and Parking was away from site SITE SLOPE: Door side Tire Blocks needed ROADS: Adequate, MANEUVERABILITY: Narrow PEDESTAL PLACEMENT: Center of site length, SHADE: 30% GRASS AREA: At-Site, DESIGNATED PET AREA: Not Recorded PICNIC TABLE: Yes, FIRE RING: Yes, VERIZON Signal(bars): 5G-3, SPEED: 394 Mbs Download, 47 Mbs Upload T-MOBILE Signal(bars): 5G-5, SPEED: 714 Mbs Download, 124 Mbs Upload No WiFi, OTA TV CHANNELS: 75, CABLE TV: No, PLAYGROUND: Yes POOL: No, WATER FEATURE: Lake, FIREWOOD: Yes, STORE: No CLUBHOUSE: No, PROPANE AVAILABILITY: No Original site was# 46(back-in) but was VERY small. Moved to site 47(Pull-Thru) but due to road slope pull-thru is un-usable. Lower numbered sites(less than 30) appear somewhat better. Empty camp ground host side byhind 47 cannot be used unless site 47 is emprty due to sloping road. One single use dump station. One campground host presently in the park- their site was not marked. Appears that most sites are back-in and set sideways to a hillside and lakefront leaving very little level space for chairs. Fire rings are frequently located 12-20 feet away from picnic table and 3 to 9 feet below site level on a slope. Reservation Software used by office was down upon Saturday arrival with no IT help until Monday- two days away leaving office staff frustrated and using their own phone to access the reservation system customers use instead of management side of software. Staff stated it goes down frequently with no IT support on weekends. Six bathhouses in park. Bathhouse nearest beach closed awaiting replacement of fixtures after renovation. Shower has outdated fixtures- several shower heads had significant mineral deposits restricting flow. Men's side closed at another bathhouse. Many shower stalls had no hook or fixture to hang a towel or clothing. Several showers had broken shower valves making them unusable. Stayed 9 nights and did not see anyone working on bathhouses. Beach area parking is limited to 6 or 7 spaces and one handicap space however, there is a larger parking lot a little further away. Bathhouse showers have a pull string valve next to the shower head that had to be held down to get water with many strings broken, missing and too short to allow shorter people, children, or handicaped wheel-chair use. Some sites have precarious/dangerous sloping driveways for RVs to get into. Newly installed sites are near completion but they make sites very close together. Many sites do not have a fire pit and many do not have a grill. Many sites arer too small to park a second vhicle even if the camper is small. Parking on dirt or grass is prohibited by rules but appears to be selectively enforced. The campground has a boat ramp and reasonably large parking area. Extra careful site selection is warranted. Four docks in River Forks Park. Firewood is available at the office. CHECK-IN: 01:00 PM CHECK-OUT: 12:00 PM RIG: 42ft- 17,000 lb 5th Wheel"

  • Connor L.
    Jul. 2, 2021

    Bald Ridge Creek

    Good lakeside camping for RVs and cars

    Camped right on the lake in my hammock. I reccomend hammock or RV. You're not allowed to set up tents off of the concrete pad so it would be a bit uncomfortable. Super easy to swim, kayak, waterski in the lake. No alcohol allowed but no one came by my campsite all evening.

    Plenty of firewood at the site and at nearby gas stations. You can also burn deadwood and I found plenty of that as well.

  • Rachel G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 8, 2020

    High Falls State Park Campground

    Falls

    Went to High Falls State Park in January. site number 27. We stayed 8 nights There are two campgrounds- lakeside and River camping area. Lakeside is by High falls Lake and is closest to the falls. River camping is across the street we stayed in River camping area. Nice sites but open to neighbors. Sites included table, fire ring, lantern hook. Some sites are 30 amp some 50 amp and had some pull through sites. After the weekend we were one of only a few in the campground in January. Weather may change this time of year we had a lot of rain one day and freezing temperatures overnight but mostly it was good camping weather. Camp hosts were awesome!!! This park is not far off i-75. Dollar general was a few miles other than that not much around. Very easy hiking trail to waterfalls and several trails along Towaliga River, ruins of an old Mill. There is no swimming in falls or river. Afterr rain falls were flowing very fast. This park also has a swimming pool, mini golf, yurts, boat rentals all were closed in January. Bathhouses were well maintained and had laundry facilities. Phone and TV reception we're good at this park. 8 days was too much here I would recommend 4 to 5 days or as a stopover point but would definitely return here.

  • E
    Sep. 23, 2019

    Stone Mountain Park Campground

    Terrible for tent campers

    I was actually shocked at how terrible our actual campsite was; we stayed at site 29, which was supposedly intended for tent camping.

    Pros

    • The front gate staff was very nice; check in and general store staff were average
    • The general store was very convenient and decently stocked
    • The bathrooms and showers were pretty nice
    • Beautiful lake view. It was nice to watch kayakers and rowing teams go by
    • Nice tree placement for hammock
    • Close to all Stone Mountain activities
    • Garbage pickup each morning (but no metal trash can to store it in??)

    Cons

    • The site is on a freaking hill; there is no flat surface at all and no clearing, so you have no choice but to sleep on sticks/rocks. Thank God to REI for footprints and decent sleeping pads
    • Site was dirty when I arrived
    • No tent pad
    • Parking area is crap; it's somewhere between gravel and nothing
    • $20 parking fee

    There is no way I would stay at this campground again; it was definitely made for RVs.

  • Cristina G.
    Sep. 3, 2021

    Van Pugh South Campground

    Holy smokes this site was excellent

    Had a great stay at Van Pugh South in site 35. The site was located on the lake with gorgeous views. The pad itself was mostly concrete and had a slight tilt towards the waters edge but nothing too bad that couldn’t be fixed with a minor adjustment. We chose not to bother.

    The camp sites are located along small islands jutting out into Lake Lanier. Plenty of shade, picnic table, fire ring. The pad itself is elevated above the waters edge. The site had water and 30amp electric but no sewer. The views of the sunset were spectacular. Fairly private sites.

    The campground had a nice shower house and coin laundry. All in all the campground was spotless. I would definitely come back and stay several days. I only wish their season was longer.

  • Chad F.
    Nov. 8, 2020

    Shady Grove Campground

    Great lakefront spot

    We stayed at site #82 pull through. $30/night. 30' hybrid travel trailer. We will come back here again

    Pros:

    • easy to level trailer
    • excellent lakefront view (many of the sites have lakefront views)
    • private with plenty of tree cover
    • quiet
    • large site area
    • friendly gate person
    • good cell reception with t-mobile
    • clean restrooms
    • good water pressure

    Cons:

    • 30 amp issues on pole with EMS readings. 50 amp was fine
    • steep hill to get to the lake
  • Brittney D.
    Feb. 3, 2021

    Fort Yargo State Park Campground

    Manicured but nice!

    This place is great if you still want some of the comforts of home. Water spouts are dropped around the sites and there is a bathhouse with showers and hot water accessible to all who camp there! The sites for tent camping are fairly close together-you can definitely see the next site because there aren’t a whole lot of trees but still far enough away to feel comfortable. The tent spots have gravel that is hard to get tent states into but also include a picnic table and a fire pit. Wood can be purchased for $5 from the host but you can also forage from the fallen trees on site. You may have to search around a bit but it worked well enough for my crew.

    The lake was so beautiful even in the middle of winter and was such a great spot to camp. Some hikes are close by but none are big for elevation changes or waterfalls or anything like that. Still lots of places to go and get off your campsite. Maybe the best part of this park is the disc golf! My crew enjoyed the course and spent a few good hours there!

    I would definitely come back and maybe try out one of the tent sites in the woods for a bit more privacy.

  • Matthew H.
    Aug. 16, 2019

    Old Federal

    Great first impression

    Seems like every spot has shade...except for mine. Coveting neighbors' spots but mine is great!. Water and electric are available at my tent spot (bring an extension cord or 2). Gorgeous view. Fire ring and picnic table included. Cell service is awesome here.

  • Everette G.
    Oct. 18, 2020

    Lawrence Shoals Campground

    Quaint, Rustic Campground, Not Very Tent Friendly

    My wife and I booked site 1 after there was nothing else available, literally, in the entire state. We arrived Friday afternoon, first impression is that the park is extremely well maintained. The hosts were very friendly, and very accommodating after learning that our site actually wasn't suitable for our tent. We moved to site 36, which, unlike site 1, was flat and long enough for our admittedly huge tent. Each site had a grill and either a grated iron fire ring or stone fire ring. The facilities were well maintained although the hardware was fairly dated. There were laundry machines at the facilities as well. The park itself was very quaint and rustic, with some very well maintained trails that catered to both hikers and bikers. There is a very cool rock effigy with a multi story observation tower, and lots of very cool information. It's like an outdoor museum. This campground isn't particularly tent friendly, but it's not a bad option if you want something local or need it as a backup. Definitely choose your site with care if you are in a tent, as not all of the sites are flat or have gravel pads. The campground is far enough from major light pollution to see a good amount of stars in the sky, but they do have huge floodlights at the entrance of the campground. Overall, I'm glad to know that it is there in case we are unable to go to one of our go-to campgrounds, but I wouldn't call it my favorite.


Guide to Covington

Tent camping options near Covington, Georgia range from primitive campsites in natural settings to more developed areas with basic amenities. The region features camping opportunities within a 45-mile radius, with several locations situated along rivers or near conservation areas. Seasonal considerations include humid summers with temperatures averaging 88°F and mild winters with occasional freezing nights from December through February.

What to do

Hiking trails access: Panola Mountain State Park Campground connects to over 30 miles of PATH Foundation trails. "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," notes Michael T., who appreciated the proximity to diverse trail systems.

River activities: Towaliga River Retreat offers direct water access for fishing, swimming, and kayaking during warmer months. The campground features 14 designated sites situated along the riverbank, providing convenient water access for campers.

Wildlife observation: Tyler Hunt Camp provides opportunities for spotting local wildlife. According to LeeAnne T., "This place is a refuge. There are privately owned homes around but the folks keep to themselves. It's quiet, super dark at night and beautiful."

Educational programs: Guided nature walks are available seasonally at certain parks. One visitor at Panola Mountain State Park noted, "We took the guided tour of the Mountain and it was awesome. We ate Pine Trees and they explained about lichen and the red fungus. Highly recommended."

What campers like

Dark skies viewing: Multiple campsites in the area offer minimal light pollution. At Tyler Hunt Camp, a camper noted it's "super dark at night and beautiful," making it ideal for stargazing during clear nights.

Spacious camping areas: Ocmulgee River Camp provides ample space between sites. Julie H. observed there were "tons of flat space and a few fire pits," while another camper mentioned "open spaces and very quiet this time of the year."

Wildlife encounters: Several campsites offer opportunities to observe local fauna. At Ocmulgee River Camp, one visitor reported, "Saw some deer on a walk. It was quite hot but surprisingly not that buggy."

Water features: Many campers appreciate the proximity to rivers and ponds. At Panola Mountain, Jessica D. noted there are "just a few campsites around a pond," providing a peaceful setting despite limited amenities.

What you should know

Access road conditions: Several dispersed camping areas have challenging approach roads. At Ocmulgee River Camp, Michael S. noted it's "only a mile off the road, which is a little bumpy but manageable."

Seasonal considerations: Summer camping requires preparation for heat and insects. Despite this, one camper at Ocmulgee River Camp mentioned it was "quite hot but surprisingly not that buggy."

Limited facilities: Most dispersed camping requires self-sufficiency. At James Shackleford Memorial Park, campers should arrive prepared as Neil R. notes there's "pretty much all the sites around the lake area the same in Hall county Gwinnett."

Safety awareness: Some locations experience evening traffic. At Tyler Hunt Camp, one reviewer mentioned, "Expect to have a drive thru at least once around 9/10. It's just a see who is in the area type thing."

Tips for camping with families

Beginner-friendly options: Panola Mountain State Park offers accessible camping for families with younger children. Ashley C. noted "Staff was awesome and very accommodating," making it suitable for families new to camping.

Pet policies: Most sites welcome dogs, but confirm restrictions before arrival. Brandi M. appreciated Panola Mountain, calling it "Spacious, dog friendly" though noting they "had to make my own trail with my dogs."

Space considerations: Hembree Park Campground provides room for family setups. As Ron W. stated, there's "plenty of room for me and my family" and "the neighbors are very friendly."

Activity planning: Schedule guided programs when available. One family reported their Panola Mountain guided tour was "awesome" as they "ate Pine Trees and they explained about lichen and the red fungus."

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup availability: Atlanta West Campground offers electric hookups but minimal amenities. One reviewer cautioned it's "much more of a mobile home or RV park than a campground since most of the people staying here are set up for long term residency."

Site accessibility: Many campgrounds have limitations for larger vehicles. At Hembree Park, Xochilt E. warned, "It's not an RV park, they said there's a little section of the park for RV but non hookups of any kind."

Location considerations: Some campgrounds provide convenient access to urban areas. Asher K. noted Atlanta West Campground is "right near downtown Atlanta and alongside a highway" making it "not exactly where I would want to spend the night if it wasn't more of a home situation."

Reservation challenges: Some campgrounds have communication issues. One RVer reported about Atlanta West: "Seemed clean, and the sites weren't too close together. However, not sure how they have so many people staying there when they were almost impossible for us to contact!"

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Covington, GA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Covington, GA is Panola Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Covington, GA?

TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Covington, GA, with real photos and reviews from campers.