Best Dispersed Camping near Hartwell Lake

Campground Review:

There are two ways to access this campsite and one definitely requires significantly more sweat (that’s the route we took). The backcountry site is located near the far trailhead at Glen Falls located at the end of a forestry road. We hiked in from the trailhead that most people use to access the falls and continued down the trail past the typical turnaround point until you reach the bottom of the valley. The site is on the nicer side for a backcountry campground as it is level and has multiple areas for tents along with a large fire pit surrounded by logs for sitting on. The main advantage of this site over others in the area is that it is located on the inside of a curve in the river so the creek surrounds almost the entire site giving easy access to water and a relaxing sound to help you sleep at night. The hike down from the upper trailhead is relatively steep and involves going down many (many) stairs but is well worth it for the views of Glen Falls. This is a well-traveled and also well cared for route and we saw many other hikers while we were there. However, most people do not make it all the way down to this site so you will most likely find a significant amount of privacy if you plan on camping here. Since it is National Forest you will have no issues with camping just make sure to follow leave no trace practice and keep your fire under control. I would also highly recommend a dip in the cool waters to help with the heat during the middle of the summer. Overall, this is a beautiful secluded campsite very close to Highlands that provides both tranquility and also some strenuous hiking.

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****Product Review:** **

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products while out adventuring. At this campground, I stayed dry using the Red Ledge Free Rein Jacket. After multiple rainy hikes and wet campground days some of my favorite features are:

1. Dryness (obviously): Although it is the main purpose of a raincoat I still want to mention that this design is highly effective at keeping you dry. Not only is the material incredibly water-resistant and all seams are well sealed but it also has a dual closure system in the front to keep every last drop of water away from your body. I also know that this effectiveness will last since my wife has been using a Red Ledge raincoat for many years and only recently did it need a fresh waterproofing treatment. The small touches like a multi-cinching hood and velcro wrist straps make this an incredibly effective raincoat.
2. Breathability: Where I am hiking in the south breathability is just as important as waterproofing since the heat will often cause you to become wetter from sweat than anything the rain can do. I found that this raincoat although still being hot was significantly more breathable than others I have used with the same rain protection. It has huge armpit zipper openings and several large mesh pockets that can be opened to increase airflow. The only negative I found was that the sizes for men run slightly smaller than usual so the tightness decreased airflow. However, this can be easily solved by getting a size larger than your usual. 
3. Color Options: One of the things that often frustrates me about men's hiking clothing and gear is that the colors are typically boring and flat. They stick to dull greens and blues or grays and blacks. But not these raincoats! They come in bright reds and greens and many other color options to fit your individual personality. This was a big plus for me and is important if you want to be seen while hiking in areas that allow hunting or don't want to get lost from your hiking partner in a torrential downpour. 

Overall, for the very reasonable price of these raincoats, they are incredibly effective and comfortable and I would highly recommend seriously considering them for your next raincoat purchase.

We arrived pretty late, close to midnight after hitting a lot of traffic traveling from Fl. The coordinates took us directly here, and upon first arriving we did see a campsite to the left which was being used. Continuing on for about another twenty minutes down a one-way gravel road we did not see anymore sites until the end of the road which has a beautiful sunrise view. There are hundreds of downed trees, I am assuming from Hurricane Helene. Which were chopped up, perfect for a firering.

We went almost to the end of the road before turning around and just pulling over onto a little 'shoulder' to set up the tent for the night.

Pros- Dead silent and relaxing Great view of the stars during early spring/late winter

Cons- Not car accessible (road is narrow and very bumpy. 4x4 recommended but I made it down in a 2x4 fullsize pickup) Have not seen nor heard any creek despite one being in the photos.

Definitely would come back

King Creek is accessible via a short drive along a forest road and then another short drive down a muddy road slightly overgrown with vegetation. The only sign you will see is one saying camping is allowed, and it is difficult to see unless you are looking carefully. I was surprised that it had a spacious parking area and a spacious camping area. It is NOT for RVs. First of all, the road is narrow and vegetation hangs low along the road. It is uneven and sometimes muddy. 

There is enough room to set up three or four tents, and there is a fire pit but no toilet. You only have to walk a few steps to your vehicle to get anything. You will also need to take in water or a water filter, any personal hygiene products, and your own little table if you want to cook off of the ground. 

There is a tributary of the Chatooga River within a few steps of the campsite, so you can hear the sounds of the creek all night long. The fire pit is large, but there was a lot of trash in it. There are no gravel pads, which I like, but there was a grassy area to set up my tent, which I did like. 

Unfortunately, the forest road was close enough that I could hear traffic passing by going to waterfalls and other areas. However, there is very little sound at night other than the creek. You cannot make reservations for the site(s), so it is first come, first served. 

You won’t have any problems with noisy neighbors since it is limited to very few tents. It is actually recommended for only one tent, but it is big enough for a group with more than one tent. 

Overall, it is a great place for solitude and since it is not easy to find, so not many people stay there.

I went to Highlands and found this site listed and really was looking forward to staying here. Said to be near Glenn Falls I found the falls but no turn off to be found and cell signal unless you are right in town is pretty spotty. I returned to town screen shot some directions and headed out toward the unknown.

When I arrived the pavement ended and continued onward a very primitive gravel road. Pretty rough in some places and very narrow, let’s just say I wouldn’t want to end up encountering another car.

After winding around the mountain roads finally I saw the “experimental forest” sign followed by the National Forest sign. Not far ahead was the campground kiosk.

it seemed pretty quiet there and I was happy to settle in only to discover as a solo female traveler it appeared there was a beer bust by some local hunters or good ol boys. They were getting pretty rowdy and while I could have simply moved to a further campsite ani was a little in fear that this wasn’t gonna be a really restful evening if they were going to be up drinking all night.

I opted to use this facility for a few moments as a day use area and really enjoyed the large forest around me but didn’t stay overnight because of the circumstances.

Sites were tree-filled and nice. Picnic tables and fire rings were at each site and sites were pretty well spread out. Very much so a dispersed site, I would be a bit concerned with larger rigs on the small road but small RVs or tents are great.