Dawsonville is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Dawsonville. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Dawsonville camping trip.
Established in 1931, Vogel State Park stands today as one of Georgia’s oldest state parks. Over 223 acres of land make up this beautiful reserve, known for its extensive selection of trails and crisp, brightly colored forests. Located at the base of Blood Mountain in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Vogel is especially popular during the fall thanks to the blanket of colors that transform the park’s trees and wildlife. In fact, Red, yellow, and gold leaves cover the landscape of the surrounding hills, mountains, and valleys for months at a time.
This park is also full of history, with many facilities being constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. To learn about the “CCC” boys and their incredible story, check out the park museum open seasonally.
The North Georgia Mountains around Vogel were also linked to native tribes for generations before European settlement, and the adventurous individual can still find remnants from their time on this land via the surrounding trails. In fact, there are a variety of trails available, including the 4 mile Bear Hair Gap loop. Bear Hair is easier than other hikes in the area and leads to the Trahlyta Falls, a peaceful set of waterfalls perfect for photo opportunities or a small picnic. More seasoned hikers can undergo the challenging 13-mile Coosa Backcountry Trail, which showcases the regional wildlife and various water features throughout.
If hiking isn’t your thing, the park’s 22 acre lake is open to non-motorized boats, and during summer, visitors can cool off at the mountain-view beach. Enjoy paddleboarding or kayaking while your family watches you from shore, then finish up with a round of mini golf at the park’s 18 hole course.
For overnight accommodations, 34 Cottages, 85 campsites and 18 primitive backpacking sites are all available for a reasonable rate.There is also a pioneer campground available for rent, which is perfect for groups and allows campers to see how past settlers would have lived. During your stay, there are 4 picnic shelters available for use, as well as a group shelter and a lake pavilion, which seat 90 and 100 guests respectively. There is also a general store open year round, with Wifi open at the visitor center.
$30 - $250 / night
Unicoi State Park & Lodge is a camper’s paradise. Nestled in the natural setting of the Appalachian foothills, Unicoi State Park & Lodge offers campers a wide range of camping options. From luxury RV hookups to secluded tent campsites to the distinct outdoor hammock experience of the Squirrels Nest, our Georgia State Park campground is designed to suit the various needs of our guests.
We have nearly 100 campsites and a variety of arrangements to choose from including ADA sites and Buddy Hook-up sites, 30-foot and 40-foot RV sites, primitive campsites and sites designed for family tent camping. All our powered sites are suitable for tent, trailer and RV campers.
As a Georgia State Park, countless guests come to explore the 1,029 acres of adventure activities and mountain marvels on their own terms. Some enjoy navigating the hiking and mountain biking trails to nearby Alpine Helen and Anna Ruby Falls. Others opt for peaceful mornings fishing on Unicoi Lake or a sandy, sun-soaked day at Unicoi Beach.
The park’s proximity to popular Helen, GA events and activities allow guests to experience one of Georgia’s top tourist attractions but still return to the natural confines of the park for rest and relaxation.
For your convenience, our campgrounds feature comfort stations, which include restrooms and showers, while campers also have access to group structures and picnic shelters.
We are a pet-friendly State Park as long as your pets are friendly and always kept on a short, sturdy leash. Please be courteous to other patrons and be responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of our park and trails by cleaning up after your animals.
For a bird’s eye view of Unicoi State Park & Lodge and campground locations, check out our Georgia State Park Map.
RV CAMPING As one of the premier Georgia State Parks with RV camping, our full hookup RV sites include water, power and sewer, a fire ring, grill and picnic table. We have many RV campsites and arrangements to choose from including ADA sites, Buddy Hook-up sites, plus 30-foot or 40-foot sites. Be sure to know your vehicle’s specifications when booking your campsite.
TENT CAMPING We also offer walk-in primitive campsites that have both privacy and convenience with comfort stations, nearby parking and a playground. Walk-in anywhere from a few feet to about 100 yards out. Sites include a fire ring, picnic table and grill top to put over fire ring for grilling.
SQUIRREL’S NEST Bring your hammock or just a sleeping bag and sleep under the stars at our one-of-a-kind Squirrel’s Nest covered primitive camping platforms. It’s a favorite spot for scouts, groups and adventurers that really want to experience the wild and do it themselves. The platforms are built up off the ground and are stacked up the side of a ridge in 3 groups of 2 and 2 groups of 5. Each platform sleeps 4 guests in sleeping bags. Air mattresses are recommended for adult guests. Tents are not allowed on the platforms or down in the hollow below. The “hollow” has grills, picnic tables and a group fire ring.
GLAMPING SITES Combining luxury and the great outdoors, our extra spacious completely furnished Safari Tents give large families or groups of friends the extra space they need to glamp in comfort. Unicoi State Park offers 4 glamping sites.
Don Carter is Georgia’s newest state park, as well as the first state park on 38,000 acre Lake Lanier. Situated on the north end of the reservoir, the park offers outstanding recreation for water lovers. Guests can stay cool at a large, sand swimming beach with bath house. Boat ramps provide quick access to the lake, while a multi-use trail welcomes hikers and bikers to explore the hardwood forest. This new park offers several choices for overnight getaways as well. Two-bedroom cabins are perched on wooded hillsides near the lake. One campground is designed specifically for RVs, while another primitive camping area is just for tents and hammocks. The campground and cottage loop is gated, providing access to overnight guests. The park is named in honor of real-estate executive Don Carter who served on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources board for 29 years and worked to establish Lake Lanier’s first state park.
$1 - $30 / night
This popular park on Lake Allatoona is ideal for swimming, water skiing and fishing. Visitors can bring their own boats or rent from nearby marinas. A sand swimming beach is nestled in a cove and surrounded by trees, providing a great place to cool off during summer. Picnic shelters and group shelters may be rented for meetings, parties, reunions and other celebrations. Guests often stay overnight in rental cottages, a spacious campground, or the park’s lakeside yurt. While best known for the 12,000 acre lake, Red Top Mountain is also a hiker’s haven. More than 15 miles of trails wind through the forested park, providing opportunities for exercise and nature photography. A short, paved trail behind the park office is suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, welcoming guests to explore a reconstructed 1860s homestead. The gravel-topped 4 mile Iron Hill Trail is open to both hikers and bikers, offering pretty views of the lake’s shoreline. Named for the soil’s rich red color caused by high iron-ore content, Red Top Mountain was once an important mining area. Iron pour programs are occasionally held near the Vaughn Cabin behind the park office. The park also maintains Allatoona Pass Battlefield, a historically significant battlefield due to the well-preserved trenches and earthworks.
Shady Grove Campground is open seasonally for primitive and RV camping; courtesy boat dock and access to Lake Lanier. Fishing is permitted and hiking trails abound along the lakeshore. The campground is located at 7800 Shadburn Ferry Road in Cumming and has over 110 campsites. Shady Grove Campground amenities include: Tent and RV Sites (30/50 amp) with water, a beach and swim area, a boat ramp with courtesy dock, a group campsites with picnic shelters, a playground, and wash houses.
Nestled among 3200 acres of natural beauty just outside of Atlanta, the Stone Mountain Park Campground features over 400 RV, Pop-up, and Tent sites as well as Yurt, Safari Tent, and RV Rentals. While Stone Mountain GA camping you'll also find a variety of recreational activities and family-friendly attractions and events available seasonally.
$44 - $65 / night
Bald Ridge Creek Campground is on Lake Sidney Lanier, popular for its aqua-blue waters and spectacular scenery. Each year, over 11 million visitors travel to Lake Sidney Lanier for fantastic fishing and boating on the beautiful reservoir in northern Georgia.
Bald Ridge Creek Campground offers many outdoor recreation opportunities including fishing, swimming, and bike riding. On the lake there are opportunities for wake boarding, kayaking, boating and much more. There's also a swimming beach and boat ramp available for campers.
Bald Ridge Creek Campground offers many outdoor recreation opportunities including fishing, swimming, and bike riding. On the lake there are opportunities for wake boarding, kayaking, boating and much more. There's also a swimming beach and boat ramp available for campers.
Lake Sidney Lanier is nestled in the foothills of the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains. The lake features 692 miles of shoreline and spans 38,000 surface water acres and 17,000 acres of lush terrain. The reservoir was created in 1956 with the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River.
This location is staffed. Please call (470) 774-7873 to speak with local staff.
By boat, there's plenty of coves and islands to explore on the lake. For land activities, head to the Sawnee Mountain Preserve for hiking, rock climbing and an interactive visitors center for kids. The city of Cumming is nearby and has shopping, restuarants, a fairground and much more.
Cancellations must be made via the online/phone reservation system or in person at the gatehouse. Cancellation calls to the gatehouse will not be honored.
$26 - $36 / night
Fort Mountain State Park is a place of legends. Literally! Home to an mysterious, ancient, rock wall at the peak of a mountain, Fort Mountain’s associated legends include the construction of a Welsh military fort, a honeymoon destination for native newlyweds, and a relation to “moon-eyed people” of Cherokee folklore. Whatever the truth may be, there is no denying that this park’s unique features have made it one of the major draws within the Chattahoochee National Forest.
Located just a short scenic drive off of Highway 52 near the Cohuatta Wilderness, the campground at Fort Mountain State Park hosts 70 campsites for tents and RVs. Campers can bring their paddles to take advantage of all 17 acres of Fort Mountain Lake, or take part in the local rental program for easier travels.
While there is no need to leave the park to find adventure, many campers take a short drive east to a historic site featuring the Chief Vann House. This well-preserved structure was the first Cherokee brick residence and is often referred to as the “showplace” of the Cherokee Nation. Continue your travels to the peak of Fort Mountain where you can take a tour of a stone fire tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Enjoy panoramic views and marvel at the legendary beauty of Fort Mountain State Park.
Raven Cliff Falls camping
This trail is one of North Georgia’s most popular camping destinations. Trailhead campsites offer fantastic stream-side camping just steps from the car, and a fantastic base camp for hiking the Raven Cliff Falls Trail during the day. The trail is also dotted with many backpacking campsites on the creek’s level banks, offering a little more solitude for campers willing to backpack it in.
Black bears frequent this wilderness area. Keep all food items and fragrant cosmetics out of reach in a bear canister: many years ago, we lost our camp stove, food and cookware to a trio of bears in a traditionally-hung bear bag along this trail.
Campsites are free and first-come, first-claimed. Pack out everything you pack in: this is one of Georgia’s most beautiful Wilderness areas, so please, please leave no trace. (What is Wilderness, and why is it important? Read more in our guide to Wilderness areas in the South.)
Site 7 is separate from the others and has the whole point except there is a trail behind the site. No easy, sandy water access unless you go to the nice beach they have.
We stayed at site 125 with a full view of the lake. We could watch the sunset & the sunrise each day and it was incredible. There is plenty of tree cover & wilderness surrounding you. Bath houses were decent (albeit a little outdated). Our spot had a pretty bad ant infestation & they ended up getting into our trailer, which I had to scour with spray, etc. But what can you do? Just bring some supplies in case. What we really liked about this campground is how natural the surroundings are. You're really immersed in the wooded area with a view of the beautiful lake & the sounds of birdsong, etc. Good campground for bikes as things are spread out (swimming beach, bathhouses). We would certainly come back!
Tons of things to do train rides, gondola ride to the top, hiking and fireworks. Stayed in a safari tent a little worn down with duck tape on the screen. However, clean bathroom/showers and fun pool. A couple of crazy squirrels visit us every morning.
Beautiful campground with a small lake and wooded sites. A little hilly but that provides some space between sites. Campground staff were very nice and facilities were clean and in good repair. Dog friendly with trails on site, as well as stables adjoining.
I didn’t get the chance to have an experience because they would not even rent to me because I have mixed breed rescue dogs.
Great location near I-75. Just stayed for a quick overnight.
This county campground takes the America the Beautiful Pass or an ADA Accessibility Pass, but you will need to call the office at 770-607-6245 to add the pass to your account for the discount before making reservations. If you are a big rig, it would be wise to call the office and have them assist you in choosing a site that will accommodate a larger rig. Our RV GPS and Waze brought us right to the campground (CG). There is also signage to verify that you are going the right way until you see the CG entrance. We pulled into the gate area and were checked in by the attendant on duty. During the process, she wanted to be sure how to navigate the CG to pull through site 16 with water and electric(50/30/20 AMP) due to the size of our rig. After confirming with her husband the best route, we drove to the site going through a small one-way road, which was no issue. As our rig is 40', we needed to watch the trees on a couple of corner turns and then pull down into our site. We got the rig into the levelist position possible to get our rig’s steps down to an assessable position and fairly level, but we did need to add levelers to our steps and the passenger-side tires. Other than that, it’s a great site with a deck, patio, stand-up BBQ, picnic table, and fire pit overlooking the lake. We were told, and noticed, that all the sites in this quaint little county park have a water view. The water pressure was good at around 55 psi and we got 1 bar on Verizon. There are a lot of mature trees here, but we were able to get a clear north sky shot for Starlink. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the restroom/shower house had a fairly new washer($3) and dryer($2) that only took credit cards. They have an interesting dump station set up where you climb a fairly steep hill. This station would be good for shorter rigs. On our 40’ Brinkley with two black tanks, getting the back tank would be at a downhill angle and we believe we would scraped going up the slope. We had to stay a couple of extra days to get our truck fixed and the attendants were more than accommodating. This is a nice park, especially for fishermen and we enjoyed our time here.
Pretty nice campground, although the sites are a little closer to each other than what I'm used to. Campground facilities are clean and very well kept (they rake the sites and shovel out the fire pits). Bath houses are kept clean and stocked also. We camped in site 31 with our 32 ft TT. It was tight backing in, I would say that out of the "standard" sites 28, 30, 32 and 34 are the best sites available. Nice trails with beautiful scenery, the hike to the base of the Gorge is strenuous with LOTS of stair steps back up but if you can do it certainly worth it. Overall a really wonderful park.
There are about 20 slots. The spaces are well-spaced and feel secluded despite mostly open air. A quick drive to the falls or the lodge for dining with a view.
Good sized campground tucked into the mountains. I brought my dog with me and had a great time. There is a lake that you can fish in, stables to ride horses, and hiking trails on the campground. We heard some people on dirt bikes on the trails too.
This is a very well maintained and popular campground on Lanier. I’ve come here since I was a kid. Tent sites are down some stairs, keep that in mind.
Being our first stop ever we were happy to have the friendly helpful staff. The lots are spaced out a bit so even if you have to unload dogs or children, you won’t be on top of the next slot. Large bathroom/showers though they are not exactly constant. At night you can hear the lake while watching the deer
My two girls 18 and 20 had rented a van from Atlanta and this was our first stop , we had rented space 28 ,with hookup for water and electric.
Great spot ,stone bench and table ,fire pit , and grill ,the grill was a big hole in so a bit difficult to BBQ on it .
We got there around 3 pm , and went for a walk to check out the area first that day .
Nice area and trail. Toilet and shower is opposite in bathhouse,my oldest daughter tought it was dirty and old. It was her first trip in a van and camplife. We slept very well the first night.
Next morning we got up and run walked to get a permit to walk the stairs down to Tallulah gorge and to walk over, we got the permit and walked back to get breakfast ,and after that we walked all the stairs down. I had had a incindent with my foot two weeks before leaving and coming down to the falls , I got scared looking at the others walking over the rocky stones in the water and fall in . And I decied that for me that was probably not the good way to start the camping life and only driver to walk over there. Told the girls to go without me, they went out in the middel of there ,but think they felt sorry for their mum not be able to join so they came back and we went up again.
Its heavy to go up the stairs again,but its very beautiful . When we got up we felt we had seen what s to see there and since we had next day was rafting in Nanthala river early morning ,we decied maybe it was a good idea to leave the campground and find another spot nearer to that . That turned out to be a good idea, the traffic to get there took longer and would have been hopless the next day.
So dump statition is on way out ,first time for the girls and me to deal with this alone,we managed.
Vogel State Park was beautiful! Even before all the leaves came out from the trees. The kids had loads of fun playing by the little rivers. Several hikes/trails ranging in difficulty to choose from. There is construction for the new visitor center so parking is limited. Overall, the campground is very well maintained and looks newly refurbished. Roads are smooth but narrow in some places. Definitely worth the drive!
I tried to make a camping reservation at Unicoi, but not paying$75 a night for campsite. This place has gone downhill since the private company took it over! The last time we were there, it was run down and not kept up. Don't bother!
Beautiful park with lots of activities available for the whole family. The park is well maintained and clean!
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Couldn’t had a better time
Nice state park with easy sites. Plenty large enough. Has grey tank hookup which is nice. Lots of trails to hike.
Nice little campground. It’s a COE campground but maintained by Hall County Park and Rec. a few sites do need leveling to be able to back in without ripping off your level jacks.
I gave my transmission a work out climbing up the mountain to get here. Site 49 was a beautiful lakefront site with the lake trail conveniently next to my site. W/E only, dumpsite outside the campground. Hiking trails accessible from the campground. Bears were active in the area. Lots to do nearby, but the surroundings were so beautiful, we really enjoyed just being in the campground.
I love this campground. Sites are usually clean and staff are friendly. This is my second time camping here. I come for the Highland Games here. Sites are close so it would not benefit you if you want seclusion. Bathrooms are clean. And in October there are different activities for the kids. Fall fest and Halloween parade.
A great campground which seems to get more popular with each passing year. Three loops, loops A and B are best for families with children and older campers, loop C has a few sites with steps and tripping roots.
The lake is beautiful and the water surprisingly warm, even in late spring - early summer. There's good mountain biking, hiking, swimming, fishing, kayak, and SUP to pass your time, or simply relax in a hammock in the shade.
Facilities are adequate and cleaned daily, dump station on site.
It was very difficult from the beginning to even reserve a campsite; we left numerous messages and finally got a response from the owner. We asked to reserve a particular campsite that said it would hold 3 to 4 tents and two cars; we had three couples staying there. The pictures of the site on the website made the actual site look much bigger with a very long driveway. Nowhere on the site did it say it was a three night minimum since we were going during Oktoberfest. We ended up paying for a third night just to be able to reserve the place for two nights. The campsite was very pricey at$100 a night with no water, no picnic table or tent pole, nor a bear proof container. There was a small fire pit but no grate to cook on. When we got to the campsite, it took the owner quite a while to take us around to show us where the site was(nothing is marked so you have to take the owner in your car to find your site). She was not overly friendly. The site we had reserved would never fit our tents since they weren’t tiny little one-man tents. She said that she would give us the larger campsite which was right next to it for a$10 a night upgrade since the family had canceled at the last minute. I reminded her that we had already paid an extra hundred dollars just to stay for two nights but she still charged my card the$30 upgrade fee. Our three tents barely fit on the campsite and we had to park one of our cars in a different location since it wouldn’t even fit on the campsite area. There was a pond down the road; it was a very scary looking thing that I would never ever let my children or myself play in, there were out houses that were relatively clean, but the shower house was something I also would never ever want to step foot in. We are seasoned campers and don’t expect luxury but this campground was too expensive for what was actually there. Overall, we felt that the website for the camping area did not truly represent what was available at the campsite.
Absolutely a perfect campground, in a mature forest, with a lake, streams, hiking trails. Campground looks completely new with gravel pads, FHU, and working WiFi. $44 a night, seems very reasonable for being so immaculate. Site 32 seemed to be a top site, private, nearest to the hiking trail.
Overall a nice and quite campground in the North Ga mountains. 5 mins from Currahee Mountain and 10 mins from downtown Toccoa. Only issue with the site is that the sewer drain is much higher than the pad and camper.
There were 2 open campsites right off the trail at the beginning near the creek (Fall break, end of September)! Of course, as you hike further in, availability is more likely, however, keep in mind you have to carry your gear from the parking lot to your campsite. The hike itself was beautiful. I received mild complaints from my kids, but they made the approximate 2.5mi hike each way! I would personally hike to the halfway point to the small waterfall just over a mile in, relax, then turn back, as it was more beautiful than the top waterfall at the end of the trail.
Tallulah Gorge State Park has lots to offer. Hiking, waterfalls, beach, playground, fancy visitor center. The campground is more small rv friendly due to narrow roads. The campground is mostly shaded but no privacy between most sites. Bathrooms were kept clean and were in better conditions than other state parks we’ve visited. It was a nice perk that we had direct access to the hiking trails from the campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Dawsonville, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Dawsonville, GA is Amicalola Falls State Park Camping with a 4.7-star rating from 55 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 58 glamping camping locations near Dawsonville, GA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
