Top Tent Camping near Hartwell Lake
Looking for the best Hartwell Lake tent camping? Find the best tent camping sites near Hartwell Lake. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Hartwell Lake, Georgia's most popular destinations.
Best Tent Sites Near Hartwell Lake, GA (48)
1. Burrells Ford
Highlands, North Carolina18 Reviews•103 Photos•293 SavesBurrells Ford campground is open year round with no charge. A pit toilet and picnic tables are available. Walk .25 miles to camp on the Chattooga River.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Trash
2. Mini Egg farm primitive sites
Hartwell Lake, Georgia1 Review•20 Photos•2 SavesMini Backyard egg farm on 2 acres behind a private residence. The campsites are on a separate chain link fenced area behind storage buildings.
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Trash
- Picnic Table
$20 - $30 / night
3. Denver Downs Farm
Pendleton, South Carolina1 Review•8 Photos•7 SavesSleep under the stars here at Denver Downs Farm! Set up your tent or camper in secluded area on the treelined side of our 140 acre field. Take a hike to the top of the hill and take in panoramic views of sunsets and the surrounding blue ridge mountains. There are loads of scenic trails to hike and waterfalls to visit just 20 -30 minutes drive away. We’re just 1 mile from Lake Hartwell and 20 miles from Lake Keowee so access to water sports are readily available. There are many restaurants within 1 mile of our farm. You are in the country- but close to “everything” – we are 1 mile off of Interstate 85. Clemson University is 11 miles up Clemson Boulevard. We host special events year round including our annual Fall Festival and fantastic concerts. Get tickets to those events and stay for the weekend!
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
$30 / night
4. Jones Gap State Park Campground
Cedar Mountain, North Carolina16 Reviews•53 Photos•144 SavesCamping Information : Camping is allowed only on designated campsites. Camping in other than designated areas may result in a fine. No drive up campsites are available on the park. There are no water or electricity provided at the campsites.
Camping Reservations : To make a backcountry trailside camping reservation, call toll-free 1-866-345-PARK (7275) or make it online by clicking Park Reservations. Reservations requested less than one (1) day in advance of check-in must be made directly through the park. For example: If today is Friday and you are making a reservation checking in on today, Friday, you must make the reservation by contacting the park directly.
Trailside Camping : The Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area offers trailside backcountry camping at 18 primitive sites. Fourteen sites provide fire pits, while four allow no fires. Permits are required, and camping is allowed in designated areas only.
Campers are asked to follow internationally recognized "leave no trace" camping practices. For more information on leave no trace practices, visit the official leave no trace ethics website.
Campers are asked to check-in at least two hours before dark in order to safely reach their campsites. Costs are $8-20/site/night.
Backcountry Group Camping: The Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area offers one backcountry group campsite. The group site can be reserved for 10-20 people. Reservations for the group campsite must be made by calling the park directly. Costs are $4.40 - 5.50/person/night. Registration is required.
PETS Pets : Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas provided they are kept under physical restraint or on a leash not longer than six feet. Owners will be asked to remove noisy or dangerous pets or pets that threaten or harass wildlife.
- Pets
- Fires
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Group
5. Grapevine
Long Creek, South Carolina6 Reviews•24 Photos•67 SavesPrimitive campsite. Primitive campsites are typically sites within the forest that have been designated for use based on desirable location. Most primitive sites have no amenities such as toilets or picnic tables. Stay is limited to 14 days. Saddle, pack and draft animals are not permitted at any campsite.
- Pets
- Fires
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Toilets
- Alcohol
6. Panther Creek Recreation Area Camping
Turnerville, Georgia9 Reviews•61 Photos•96 SavesEnjoy a picnic, hold a Boy Scout troop meeting or have a family gathering within the historic CCC structures of this wooded recreation area. Directly adjacent to the picnic pavilions visitors can can follow their picnic with a mesmerizing day-hike to the awesome falls on the 6.6 mile Panther Creek Trail.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
$4 / night
7. Jocassee Gorges Wildlife Management Area
Sunset, South Carolina5 Reviews•26 Photos•164 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
8. Riley Moore Falls Campsite
Long Creek, South Carolina1 Review•3 Photos•24 SavesA moderate 45-minute hike along a newly constructed trail is worth the effort to view this 100-foot wide, 12-foot high waterfall on the Chauga River.
Primitive camping is allowed along the trail, but campsites must be more than 50 feet from streams and trails, and more than 0.25 miles from roads
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Dispersed
- Alcohol
9. Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
Highlands, North Carolina8 Reviews•16 Photos•153 SavesDispersed camping in the Blue Valley area. Approximately 22 dispersed sites are available, and most have fire rings and picnic tables. A pit toilet is available. Please pack in and pack out. Wilson Lake is a short distance away offering fishing, swimming, a short trail, and wildlife viewing and birding.
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
- Firewood Available
10. Ammons Branch Campground
Highlands, North Carolina4 Reviews•15 Photos•91 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Trash
- Picnic Table
Showing results 1-10 of 48 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews In Hartwell Lake
917 Reviews of 48 Hartwell Lake Campgrounds
Sunset Campground
Unprofessional
Very rude and unhelpful said he would call me back to let me know if there was any openings. He never called back.
Twin Lakes at Lake Hartwell
Beautiful Lakeview Sites
Campsite surround the lake. Sites are plenty big and lead to the lake. Campground was very peaceful. We had a small walk to bathroom with showers.
Table Rock State Park Campground
Quite and peaceful
The site was big with lot of more plus private. The bathroom was clean and showers were hot.
Paynes Creek Campground
Hidden gem!
I loved everything about this campground. The sites all have beautiful views and lake access, they are decently apart from each other. And has great signal! I was getting consistent 5G 3 bars at least with Verizon. The bathrooms don't have showers so plan accordingly
Black Rock Mountain State Park Campground
Fall Break
Absolutely breathtaking views! Clean facility and campground. Friendly staff as well.
Black Rock Mountain State Park Campground
Tranquil, Well Maintained Park in the Mountains
We really enjoyed our stay at Black Rock. Despite being at full capacity for Labor Day weekend, the park did not feel overly crowded. The staff attending the lodge store were welcoming and knowledgeable. There was a good selection of necessities available, along with ice and firewood. The comfort station was clean and well-appointed and there was never a wait for facilities. While privacy of sites varied, we spotted a few with really lovely mountainside views. The Tennessee Rock Trail to the summit and overlook is the perfect distance for a morning hike and not too strenuous. The Black Rock Lake Trail is very scenic and well worth the 20–30 minutes it takes to walk the circuit. There are also day facilities such as picnic tables and grills. Highly recommend.
Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
Blue valley
I went in July and it was cool in day and cold at night nice , secluded
Sarah's Creek Campground (Clayton, Ga) — Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest
A nice peaceful spot
I have gone to Sarah’s creek multiple times. It fills up sometimes but there are plenty of free spots around the area
Sarah's Creek Campground (Clayton, Ga) — Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest
North GA Sweetspot
I’ve been camping at Sarah’s Creek for years - you can pay online or at the campground itself (envelope/tag system), etc. There is absolutely ZERO Verizon service. 26 sites, all with picnic tables, fire rings and lantern posts. Some are better than others. The creek is shallow for the most part but there is a trail marked by a bright green circle spraypainted onto a pine tree shortly before the first few sites (on the left as you enter, just before the campground begins) where there are some small falls and a nice little swimming/bathing hole. Trout fisherman’s delight. Road is easy enough but has a lot of dips and switchbacks; 4x2 is completely adequate, though could be tough in extremely wet conditions. Sarah’s Creek is the perfect weekend getaway. Lots of trails to bike/explore, too.
Coneross Park Campground
Beautiful scenic park
We stayed at site 28, which wasnt waterfront but had a small view of the water past other sites. The sites are all good sized. Ours fit our camper and large truck, and still had room for three tents on the pad. The layout looks massive but its easy walking. The beach is a five minute walk. There are two beaches and multiple playgrounds, and the paved roads make for fun bike riding. The heavy foliage makes everything private. Theres no sewer hookups because its an old Corp of Engineers park, but the dump stations are modern and nice. The bathhouses were old and grubby and could use some upgrades. We didnt shower but did use the toilets occasionally to conserve on black water space. But I did peak at the showers. Theyre push-button jail-style. Bring bikes, swimming gear, and any watercraft you have and youll have a great time.
Broken Oak Organics
Great Host, numerous nearby mountain hike trails
Secure, tidy, private, stream side and cozy spot with on site grown fresh vegetables. Nearby locally owned eateries. Plentiful asphalt plus off road bicycling. 2024 shower and bathroom.
Broken Oak Organics
Great family getaway
Easy access to the site and the beautiful river. Nice level site with a Mountain View. My family enjoyed the huge lawn for yard games, and the river was beautiful! Shallow enough for the kids play, with some nice spots to catch
Brown and rainbow trout. Bathroom and shower was really nice and clean. Fire pit was steps away overlooking the river. Fair price for all the amenities. Kayak rentals were even available.
Calhoun Falls State Park Campground
Another Favorite
We’ve camped here multiple times. We are always impressed with the spacious sites, lake access, quiet relaxing atmosphere.
The Point at Lake Hartwell
Great place to go, friendly staff
Eenjoyed staying there, staff was awesome and really did a great job keeping the guest happy. The 4th of July events was awesome and was a full day of contest and ended with a DJ kicking the tunes. Recommend to all to give them a try!
The Point at Lake Hartwell
Quiet but lacking
Stayed over 4th of July weekend. Couldn’t believe how quiet it was for a holiday. There isn’t anything around at all. They offer a pool but no other activities (they did have some 4th activities but it was all seasonal). It backs to the lake so if you have a boat it’s nice. But when we went on the lake we saw many other campgrounds that looked nicer. There is one dumpster that we had to walk to to throw trash away. No pick up or closer locations. Not level sites. Mostly seasonal which is fine but not a great place or easy to get in/out of if transient. Other campgrounds closer to Clemson. No town nearby at all.
Devils Fork State Park Campground
July in Devils Fork
First time at this State Campground. Fairly easy to find and navigate within the community. Ranger staff was supper friendly. For being early July it’s in the mid to high 80’s. The humidity is low. The nights dipped down in the low 70’s. The nights are bearable; the abundance of trees drives down the summer heat. You have to walk to your tent site. It’s not that long of a trek but if you have a large entourage, or if you’re of the mindset of bring with you all the amenities from home; there will be a lot of back n forth to your vehicle. It’s quiet at night time for there being lots of people onsite. The camp sites are far enough apart and have enough trees coverage/ shading to give you some privacy. Make sure you bring a good headband light or strong flashlight with you to walk back n forth to your vehicle & bathroom at night. We brought a camp style portable potty. The bathroom is just too far for us to walk in the middle of the night especially with a 4yr old. Highly recommend campsite. The lake beach access was nice. Water was cool and refreshing. My one complaint of the beach access was; there were far too many people with carelessness leaving trash, abandoned clothes, diapers, water toys, and all sorts of debris littering the beach rocks, etc. We had a wonderful time. Highly recommend experience with the family.
Tugaloo State Park Campground
Georgia is a great state
We live in NC and have camped all over the eastern US. By far Georgia is a state with some of the very best infrastructure. Roads are great. State Parks are some of the best and we’ve camped at many. Tugaloo State Park is a nice park. Right on the lake. Lots of lake related activities. This area of the campground (sites 73-105) has a unique layout in that a large number of sites are pull through and arranged sideways along the access roads. This makes the sites long and narrow and results in close neighbors. The elongated sites mean the picnic table and fire pit are at far end and feel disconnected from the site. Roads are well maintained and sites all seemed pretty level. We were in site 97 with W/E. The bathhouse was very close, but we did not use it. We were a few rows back from the lake but had a view of the lake through the tall pines that provided some shade. We’ve camped here a couple of other times and would come back again.
Devils Fork State Park Campground
Great spot to family camp!
We had a very pleasant time at this campground. The water and bathrooms were close and clean which was great for the kids and our dogs to get water. The lake was a short walk and absolutely stunning! Crystal clear water allowed us to look at the schools of fish swimming with us. There are plenty of small mouth bass to be claimed as well! We will definitely be back!
Tallulah Gorge State Park Campground
Camping at Tallulah Gorge state park
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.
Thousand Trails Carolina Landing
Average Park- Would return
Cabin 3 stars- Older cabin, clean, spacious with very large living area, loft area small and a bit dingy, shared porch Campground 3 stars-wooded, shady, hilly Amenities 3 stars- a bit run down Staff 3 stars-average
Devils Fork State Park Campground
Nice campground
Overall, we enjoyed our trip to Devils Fork. The lake was beautiful, staff was friendly, sites were nice and spacious, bathrooms were mostly clean, or at least cleaned often. Had flush toilets and hot showers. SC state parks don’t allow alcohol so it was pretty quiet and no loud, drunk people. If you don’t have a boat or want to rent one, there’s not much to do. We had to drive to the playground. There’s only one trail. It was nice, but a one and done for us. Not as busy as we expected, maybe because the weather was iffy. Our campsite was designed for pop ups which was nice. Steep to get up, but flat once you got up it. Had a shortcut through the woods to the bathrooms.
Lazy J Campground
Great Last Minute Campground
My son and I decided to go camping and needed a place the same day. We were looking for a place that was wooded and near a river or stream and lucked up at Lazy J. The staff answered our call right away and were both friendly and informative. Our site was across the path from the French Broad, had water and power access and felt secluded and mountainous. The bath house was clean and well maintained. We really enjoyed staying here and plan to go back soon.
Springwood RV Park
Great spot
I love it!! There is some helicopters & a train that comes by, if it come while I'm asleep....I don't hear it.
Paynes Creek Campground
Quaint and Beautiful
Came here for the first time last year and I love that it’s in the middle of no where. We had a great place next to the beach and the gate workers were so sweet!
Paris Mountain State Park Campground
Beautiful Trailside Site
I did a quick overnight here, as is custom when I travel for work, and it was spectacular. I stayed at Trailside Camp Site #2, which is one of their remote, primitive sites at the North Lake and all I can say is wow. The views were spectacular, and watching the full moon come up over the mountain was something I will never forget.
The site itself was spartan, as is expected in a primitive site but it did have a fire ring and a picnic table. Site 2 is right on the lake, with plenty of dead wood to get a fire going. The hike in is about 2ish miles of moderately difficult trails, with some amazing views along the way, including a walk across the North Lake dam. The hike was well worth it though.
Sandy Beach Campsite
Nice campsite right next to the river
Right next to the Chattooga river. You're on the beach.
Black Rock Mountain State Park Campground
Very private primitive sites
Very beautiful primitive sites. Bear boxes at each campsite. This site was a bit far from parking, so I’d recommend packing your things in a backpack. Beautiful view of Clayton at night. We were the only ones there and it was very peaceful. We also visited the lake and the lookout to view the eclipse.
Guide to Hartwell Lake
Camping near Hartwell Lake, Georgia, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to relax by the water or explore nature, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
What to do
- Fishing: Hartwell Lake is known for its great fishing spots. Campers have reported catching plenty of fish, making it a popular activity. One camper mentioned, “The river was very pretty and loaded with trout,” while another said, “There are plenty of small mouth bass to be claimed as well!”
- Hiking: There are numerous trails around the lake. A reviewer noted, “The hiking is amazing. You can get 3 days of pretty heavy-duty hiking easily.” Another camper added, “Great fishing spot and great for hikers who want to see some waterfalls.”
- Swimming: Many campgrounds have beach access. A family shared, “The lake beach access was nice. Water was cool and refreshing,” highlighting the fun of swimming in the lake.
What campers like
- Clean facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. One visitor at Devils Fork State Park Campground said, “Restrooms/shower was fairly modern and very clean - hot water available.” Another camper at Table Rock State Park Campground echoed this sentiment, stating, “The bathrooms and showers are very clean.”
- Spacious sites: Many campgrounds offer roomy sites. A camper at Calhoun Falls State Park Campground mentioned, “We are always impressed with the spacious sites, lake access, quiet relaxing atmosphere.”
- Friendly staff: Campers often mention the helpfulness of the staff. One reviewer at Oconee State Park Campground said, “The staff is so kind, and the garbage pick up twice a day is great!”
What you should know
- No alcohol allowed: Many campgrounds, like Devils Fork State Park Campground, have strict no-alcohol policies. A camper noted, “SC state parks don’t allow alcohol so it was pretty quiet and no loud, drunk people.”
- Reservations can be tricky: Some campgrounds have a two-night minimum stay, which can be frustrating. A visitor at Mile Creek County Park mentioned, “I had difficulty in making reservations at this campground.”
- Limited amenities: Some campgrounds may lack certain amenities. A camper at Lake Hartwell State Park Campground pointed out, “The park has a lot of potential. Road maintenance is not being done.”
Tips for camping with families
- Bring your own firewood: Campers often recommend bringing firewood, as it may not be readily available. One camper at Table Rock State Park Campground said, “Make sure to bring your own firewood.”
- Plan for activities: With so much to do, it’s good to have a plan. A family shared, “We absolutely loved this park. Beautiful and large sites. Amazing hikes, especially for kids.”
- Check for nearby attractions: Some campgrounds are close to towns with amenities. A camper at Oconee State Park Campground mentioned, “Close to Walhalla, if you need supplies.”
Tips from RVers
- Check site sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A reviewer at Tugaloo State Park Campground noted, “The sites located in the 01-23 loops offer more secluded sites to select from.”
- Be prepared for tight spots: Some campgrounds have close sites. A camper at Mile Creek County Park mentioned, “The yard in this site is nice and open for kids, but tight for our 33ft travel trailer.”
- Bring leveling blocks: Some sites may not be perfectly level. A camper at Keowee-Toxaway State Park said, “I used leveling blocks, but it wasn't bad.”
Camping near Hartwell Lake, Georgia, has something for everyone, from families to RVers. With beautiful views and plenty of activities, it’s a great spot to unwind and enjoy nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hartwell Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hartwell Lake is Burrells Ford with a 4.2-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Hartwell Lake?
TheDyrt.com has all 48 tent camping locations near Hartwell Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.