Best Campgrounds near Darien, GA

For SP's like this, there should really be a 6 star rating for this park to be properly ranked! I don’t think I’ve ever come across anything quite like Crooked River State Park located in SE Georgia – and the more I poked around as I explored the massive grounds of this gem and asked from the local rangers, the more and more impressed I became.  Whether driving an RV, toting a 5th Wheel or looking to pitch a tent, either in an established, traditional campground setting or in a primitive hike-in oasis, you won't have any issues finding the perfect spot to get lost in nature here at Crooked River SP.

While this SP lends itself moreso to the RV’ing crowd (the # of RV spots seriously outweighed the # of tent campsites), there are several very decent options for tent campers like myself, who either want to drive in or, for those who prefer to add a bit more struggle and discomfort to their nature experience, they also offer primitive or pioneer tent camping as well. Bordering the, um, well, crooked river, the campgrounds have a fantastic river view (as well as excellent water access points, for those hauling boats, flotillas and yachts behind their vehicle) – and check this out: there’s even a bait shop near the boat launch run by the SP, so no need to dig up your own bait before arriving here.

Surrounding you throughout the entire park are fantastic amounts of vegetation, trees accompanied by plenty of four-legged furry critters, high-flying foul as well as even a honey farm, where the rangers make and sell some of the most amazing honey on-premises. When is the last time you were able to buy honey from a park ranger at any state park?!

Oh, but it gets better – especially if you’re coming here in a big group: (1) You can rent the entire pioneer camp area (that’s 3 sites somewhat removed from the general population, that can easily accommodate up to 5 families; (2) There’s 5-6 group shelters (and by shelter, I don’t just mean an open-walled shelter with a few picnic tables) that look brand spanking new and come complete with a ton of amenities, including 4 walls, their own bathrooms and meeting rooms; and (3) Group activities, like visiting the Nature Center (yes, they have one of these too), the Bird Outlook Landing (for those folks that like to use their binoculars) and Miniature Golf. Wait, did he just say, Miniature Golf?!  In a State Park?!  Why yes, I did.  And the ranger I spoke of previously will rent you clubs and a golf ball at a price that is so incredibly cheap, you’ll be tempted to rent them throughout your entire stay.

For those families or groups who like the idea of going camping, but who actually don’t want to camp, but receive all of the benefits of camping and being in the middle of nature, but who want all of the uncomfortableness removed from the equation, then the SP rents either stand alone houses (I almost called them cabins, but they’re not - they’re actually houses) or duplexes. Both have access to a screened-in lanai (you know, to get away from those pesky bugs you might actually encounter out in the wild) as well as a brand new playground for the kiddos.

While we’re on the subject of "Wow, I can’t believe SP's actually have this!" line of descriptions, here I will add that the restroom facilities might be the most immaculate I have ever come aross (sorry, Van Damme in Cali, these guys here in Georgia have you beat, but just by a small bit, as they don’t charge you 5 quarters for a 5 minute shower – yes, the state actually gives you a free shower if you pay the price of admission).  

But the excitement and surprises don’t stop here.  No, things get even better!  This campground even offers a curated sunset cruise aboard one of their very own skiffs (comfortably accommodating families up to 6 people) and will let you actually bring a bit of booze on the cruise (6-pack or a bottle of wine – but I got a ‘wink wink’ when I asked about a flask of alcohol, so be discreet, homies), but be sure to tip your ranger captain, as these outdoor experts are truly in a league of their own.

From well paved roads, to immaculately kept grounds, this place has so much to offer just about anyone who is looking to do some 'outdoorsing,' but wants a premium, well-groomed experience. Here's the straight truth about this Crooked environ: I can’t wait to get back to this place soon. 

Happy Camping!

With an Australian theme (yeah, Walkabout didn’t initially impress upon me that Aussies were in our own backyard, silently and slowly planning to take over the country, one RV park at a time, but they’re here – and actually pretty nice!), complete with street names hailing aboriginal animal names, such as Kangaroo Lane, Kuala Bear Drive (OK, you get the picture), this place is very well kept, has decent open spaces and feels somewhat communal. 

You’ll go for a decent drive to the middle of nowhere to find this spot, but it’s pretty well worth it. Here you’ll find amenities such as a decent size pool that is very well maintained, an actual petting zoo complete with egg-laying chickens, 'all-eating' goats (that also serve as non-stop lawn mowers) and a raccoon dressed up like a Kuala Bear (OK, that last one isn’t true, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if I had seen one). For the kiddos, there’s a play area, slides, swings and a big tire hanging from the tree just begging to be pushed around.  There's also a beach volleyball, pickleball and basketball courts for fun diversions of any age.

The space itself is just a simple single loop with a couple dozen or so slots for the RV-minded camper offering all of the standard FHUs.  There's a proper clubhouse complete with stand-up bar along with excellent laundry facilities as well as a complete gym along with complimentary WiFi (that was spotty at best).  The residents were all very welcoming and get together just about every night for a proper sundowner near the pool where the Aussies who run the place, come out and tell stories from their fabled lands. 

Happy Camping!

Very well maintained campground with a nice walking trail. We stayed here for two nights and it was very nice.

Excellent camping experience even if the racoons are little geniuses. Nice nature walks and friendly people. Lots of stuff for the kids to do!

Great view of the lake from Site 11. Office staff and hosts were all very pleasant and have done a good job keeping things clean. Bathrooms/Showers were clean if well-worn. We walked the reasonably short hiking trail to the boardwalk which crosses the lake. WiFi worked well.

Pros:

SO CLEAN!! The workers here are friendly and work hard to keep everything nice and clean.

The laundry here takes cards/tap and app pay which was great.

Sites are really large, spaced out and private.

Lots of hiking trails right at the campground and two large playgrounds for kids.

Close to shopping for food, restaurants etc.

The whole campground is just very peaceful, quiet and serene. It is also beautiful with all the Spanish moss.

Cons: Gate locks at 10 pm which really is not enough time if you want a night downtown.

It was pretty muddy…people were getting mud all over because of the snow. Not their fault but a hard rain would do the same. Poor drainage.

I have stayed at this campground several times. The bathrooms are always clean and showers are great. It is bikeable with trails and road bike options to town.

We camped here in November of 2023, and it beat our expectations! A beautiful big open area for camping with lots of spots right by the water. Wonderfully managed by locals, I only wish there wasn't a limit on the stay because we would've camped there much longer! This park has a bathroom with showers! And the showers have hot water!!!! Amazing! They are not great to look at, but that's to be expected in any area with humidity. The long sandy road coming in is often washboard and occasionally has big dips or ruts. So drive very mindfully. Overall, it's a fantastic spot, and we hope it reopens soon so we can visit again!

This is such a beautiful park! The grounds were always clean. The trails were always clean. The boardwalk was significantly damaged by hurricane Helene, so part of that trail is closed. It’s quiet and dark at night. We loved sitting at the gazebo and just watching the water. It’s so nice to see the playground area for the kids. They even have an outdoor workout gym area. There are a ton of places to sit under pavilions. The outdoor areas are so amazing.

I wish I knew more about our site when I booked it. Our site was very unlevel thanks to tree roots. How dare they grow there. 🤣🤣 Our site did not have any room in the back and it was oddly placed with two other sites. Thankfully we had nice neighbors, so it wasn’t a concern. I felt bad sitting near our rug because we were looking into the back of another RV. I didn’t want them to feel creeped out by us, so we tried to put our chairs at the front of our RV. We also had a power line in our spot, so we had to go at an angle to stay clear of it. If we go back, I would definitely go for a spot on the outer ring. I do have to say, this is the only park we’ve been to where people just cut through sites to get over to the bathhouse. We were sitting outside and people were only a few feet away from us to cut through. I know it’s not a written rule, but just etiquette. They easily could’ve walked ten feet to the right to cut through the empty space instead of our site.

The bathhouse near our site is definitely on the older side (we didn’t investigate the other one since it wasn’t near us). The water pressure was on the lower end and one showers was missing a shower head. Yes, we use the bathhouse because there are four of us and our site did not have full hookups. We also prefer to stretch out in the shower versus the tiny shower in our RV. That is our choice. They do have washers ($0.75) and dryers ($1.00).

The camp hosts were nice. All of the state park employees were very nice and helpful.

This campground is a lovely place to visit. It’s absolutely beautiful, it’s close to Savannah, and it is a great value.

This is typical Georgia State Park with large sites and clean, well maintained grounds.  Our site was level and spacious. One thing we didn't expect, even in Savannah in December, was mosquitoes. We planned this trip to coincide with the annual Civil War reenactment of Sherman's last battle on his way to the sea. It was our first reenactment and was interesting, but since we didn't know what to expect, was a bit of a let down. This is not to say that the reenactors didn't do their part, they did. Maybe it was because the actual battle only lasted about fifteen minutes.

I stayed in a back in site in camping area 2. I would call it big rig challenging w/the narrow road and tight-ish back in. I enjoyed the trails & observation tower as well as the cute little shop where you check in. My friend joined me over the weekend & her kids really liked the All About Bats presentation & the playground. Lots of deer & other wildlife to be seen. Shaded sites & mine was full hookup. Pet friendly & the laundry facility takes credit cards. They ended up renting a yurt which was cool. There are also cabins but we didn’t see those.

Very well established with a lot of amenities and nice hiking trails. I thought $50 for tent camping was a bit too pricy though.

Beautiful grounds with horses, goats, lakes, pool, playground and rental venues. Former dairy farm with open spaces and pastures for animals. Equestrian camps, trail rides, and carriage rides available on site. Several rental facilities on site for weddings, etc.

Most sites are level and gravel with picnic tables and firepits.

• Sites 13-19 have big trees behind them that offer afternoon shade.
• 1-12 and 20-22 are essentially full sun.
• Other sites (D and B1 and B2) around office are under tree canopy and full shade. D sites seem smaller and would be better for van type campers.
• C2 would be my preference if coming back…on water, away from other campers, open field.

Two home style bathrooms in the office building along with laundry and fitness machines.

Savannah Trolley Stop on site is a nice feature. And dogs are reportedly allowed on trolley (although we didn’t use this trip).

Wifi seems inconsistent. Did not set up starlink since we are only here one night but others do have it. At&t is two bars.

It is close to a major parkway with traffic noise in the morning and evening.

Red Gat was wonderful! We stayed at site D7 with water & electric (no sewer). Our site was well shaded and right near the office/store/showers/laundry building. Most of the sites with sewer were on an unshaded spot of grass. Walking around the farm is beautiful- you can watch the horses, talk to the goats, walk down to the Mackey House, check out the Peacocks, swim in the pool or sit on a swing near the lake. We would absolutely come back. It's also 10-15 min from Savannah which was a plus!

We enjoyed our stay. The facilities were clean but there were a few things that I wouldn’t mind seeing improved or changed. But none that would stop me from coming back.

The lake is fairly small they do not have a no wake rule or HP limit. So if you go out in a kayak or canoe and there is just one boat pulling a tube you should expect a rough day on the water.

Our site really could use to be refurbed with a more defined site boundary and picnic area.

Site 19 is a bit tight to back in but it’s doable.