Best Glamping near Franklin, GA

On our trip to Cheaha State Park we stayed in the lower campground, which features very roomy RV sites, some with really nice views, and all with full hookups including power, water, and sewer.  There is no cable or wifi available however, and cell service is pretty spotty.  There is also an upper campground with RV sites in the park and separate tent and primitive camping sites available.

The lower campground is right next to Cheaha Lake, which is a small lake, but large enough for some kayaking and features a sandy beach swimming area and a nice playground (see video).  There are also pavilions and picnic areas around the lake.  There is a nature center by the lake that has some interesting nature exhibits and a few live animals to check out.

There are lots of great hiking trails, mostly toward the top of Mount Cheaha in the park itself, and there are several different overlooks with spectacular views.  The main overlook has an easy boardwalk trail that leads to it from the parking area and is wheelchair accessible.  There's also a pool, lodge, cabins, and a restaurant on the mountain in the park.

The main road that leads to the park and campgrounds has some pretty steep and long uphill and downhill sections.  Nothing too crazy, but I would suggest that you make sure your tow vehicle can handle it without overheating the engine or transmission, especially in the heat of the summer.

Cheaha Lower Campground Tour:

https://youtu.be/iH4gYju0YRE

Cheaha Lake Fly Around:

https://youtu.be/IOGloJ\_Ob6E

My best friend and I camped for Mother's Day in 2017. We loved it. We were in the semi primitive area. Some sites were smaller than others and not all sites had flat spots to set up the tent but they are within walking distance to the bathroom and the pavilions. It was quiet and the staff were helpful. The only real downside are the showers. You have to buy tokens to use the showers and they're only open until (I believe) 6 p.m. The showers were pricey considering most places offer them for free. The pavilions are great! They're huge, have plenty of picnic tables, a fireplace on both sides and outlets. We set up our coffee pot and ate breakfast then rode around to explore. A few minutes drive from the park is a great hiking spot with 3 waterfalls. I'm looking forward to visiting again with my family.

Cheaha State Park is about what you'd expect from any other state park, with plenty of trails and foliage. The camp store is a lot bigger than I expected, with lots of firewood available, and snacks, drinks, and gifts/souvenirs for sale. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable, and there were three cashier stations as the store seemed to have a pretty constant flow of customers each time we went. Outside at the parking lot, there was even an EV charging station - I don't know much about those but I can say it's not one of the fast chargers. As far as the trails go, this is on top of a mountain, so be sure to pay attention to the topology on the trail maps to be sure you're not under-prepared for steep climbs.

The campsites were ok. While the wind proved to be the biggest issue we had during our trip (nearly tearing our tent from the ground with us in it during the first night!), the main issue we found was that the ground was really rocky and uneven, making tent tethering rather difficult. There were plenty of trees around to tether to, though, so if you have a larger tent with lots of guy lines, I recommend making use of them as tether points. Out second night was much better in that regard, as we made adjustments specifically to combat the harsh wind and our tent fared much better. Each campsite had some kind of fire pit, though they all appeared to be different: some had your basic stone fire ring, some had like a Home Depot-style metal fire pits, some had big iron stove contraptions. Be wary of all the fallen leaves in the fall and winter, though! Clear out any leaves immediately surrounding your fire pit before starting any campfires.

The bathroom facility (at least for the upper campground) was pretty spartan, but mostly clean with plenty of TP available. No showers or hot water. Some spider webs, but we didn't encounter any bugs or critters holed up inside. The only cleanliness issue we encountered was when other campers left the toilets in bad condition. The bathroom did have an electric heater inside, though, which was rather nice when escaping from the wind chill.

The upper campground is near the highest point of the mountain and is in walking distance for most sites. Don't expect any real views, though, as most of the area is covered in trees. Site 120 actually had a fantastic, unobstructed view and would be ideal for sunrise, so try to get that one if it's available. The fire tower at the top is open to the public for most of the day, but its views are pretty lackluster surprisingly - there is a big antenna with support wires that get in the way, and the glass windows are pretty dirty. The best view is actually down toward the camp store at the event hall and really is quite phenomenal. There is a nice overlook with seating available, and the view is unobstructed by any man-made feature or any foliage overgrowth.

I might recommend visiting in the spring or summer. Not only would it be better considering the park's available water features, but the foliage would be green and keep things cool. We visited in early November, thinking the fall colors would be a big draw. The colors from the overlook were amazing, but inside the campground the views were just dead, brown leaves. Additionally, the combination of the wind and the dry fallen leaves made lots of LOUD noise in the overnight hours.

Chattahoochee Bend state park is located about 30 minutes west of Newnan, GA. It's located on the Chattahoochee river and is a surprisingly large area. The park has a number of trails for hiking and mountain biking. There are cabins and tent camping sites separate from the rv sites. Rv camping area has large, level gravel sites with water, 30/50 amp electric and cable. Two dump stations help eliminate waiting in long lines when you're ready to hit the road again. Bath house looks like new and is well cared for. On site host is keeping the place in tip top shape. We'll definitely be returning to this park. Highly recommended. Only negative - no cell service while we were there.