Best Tent Camping near Snellville, GA

Tent campsites near Snellville, Georgia range from established state park locations to dispersed backcountry options. Panola Mountain State Park Campground offers walk-in tent sites with electric hookups about 20 miles west of Snellville. James Shackleford Memorial Park provides tent camping access with amenities including drinking water, fire rings, and picnic tables in Auburn, roughly 15 miles northeast of Snellville.

Most tent camping areas require campers to pack essentials as facilities are limited. Panola Mountain's tent sites are located approximately 3/4 mile from parking areas, requiring campers to transport gear on foot to reach their campsite. Toilets are available at most established campgrounds, though drinking water access varies significantly between locations. Fires are generally permitted at designated tent sites, with Panola Mountain, Shackleford Memorial, and Hembree Park all allowing campfires. Primitive sites at Ocmulgee River Camp and Tyler Hunt Camp lack amenities entirely, requiring tent campers to bring all necessary supplies.

Tent camping experiences vary across locations depending on terrain and surroundings. A visitor commented, "We did an overnighter to check this out after doing a separate hike on the primary trails from the other side of the park in the morning. Very peaceful and even had the sounds of a vibrant coyote pack." The backcountry tent sites at Tyler Hunt Camp offer solitude during daylight hours, though some campers report increased vehicle traffic after dark. Ocmulgee River Camp provides a riverside tent setting with hiking opportunities along horse trails where wildlife sightings are common. Primitive tent setups near water features typically attract more insects, especially during humid weather. Cell phone reception is generally available at Panola Mountain and other established tent campgrounds, offering a safety connection while maintaining a natural camping experience.

Best Tent Sites Near Snellville, Georgia (15)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Snellville, GA

11 Photos of 15 Snellville Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Snellville, GA

786 Reviews of 15 Snellville Campgrounds


  • Jeff E.
    Nov. 18, 2024

    Red Top Mountain State Park Campground

    Beautiful Lake Views - Near Atlanta and I-75

    Red Top Mountain State Park is beautiful and Lake Allatoona is large.  Campsite 50 is a premium tent only walk-in site (a few dollars more).  It sits on a point that sticks out in the lake.  There is no shade or tree cover, so it's not "private".  There are 3 other sites near by on the walk-in area and there are no boundaries or barriers between so your neighbors are in full view.  There is no electric near the tent pad, the electric pole is 150+ feet away near the parking area.  You probably could run 175 feet of electric extension cord... but it would have to run past the three other sites... so don't plan for electric.  There is water right by the pad with a ton of pressure.  The tent pad was large but extremely hard to drive tent stakes into... smaller stakes worked better.  The bathhouse was an uphill hike probably 300 ft away but was modern and clean with hot showers and good water pressure.  The park is clean and scenic.  The staff is very courteous, friendly and helpful.  There are plenty of opportunities to hike, fish and boat.

    This park is about 30-40 minutes outside of Atlanta right off of I-75.  If you are in a tent... you will hear I-75 traffic all night so keep in mind, that while it looks like country, you are not deep in nature... the drone of the highway will remind you.  There is a train that blows its whistle that will wake you up 3 times each night and also remind you that you are not deep in the woods.  The winding roads through the park outside the campground also seemed to be very popular with motorcyclists who like loud pipes.

    The name Red Top Mountain is derived from the red soil in the area that was popular for the mining of abundant iron ore.  But don't look for "mountains" here... you have to travel further north for more dramatic elevation.  

    Overall, a nice park, pretty scenery but not as secluded, quiet and relaxing as expected for tent camping.

  • Amar P.
    Aug. 13, 2017

    Red Top Mountain State Park Campground

    Ranger Review: Tensile Flite + at Red Top Mountain, GA

    Campground Review:

    Red Top Mountain State Park is located in Acworth, GA. The park is located around 12,000-acre Lake Allatoona, which made it perfect for summer camping. The park has about 15 miles worth of shaded trails for hiking and mountain biking. The park also has RV, yurt, and cottage options for camping. We rented a first come first serve RV/Tent campsite during our visit, and the price was $35 for one night. The campsite was gate access and had electric/water hookups with 2 car spaces, a BBQ grill, picnic table, and a lot of trees. We had access to a public restroom, showers, and laundry. There were also primitive campsites available to rent, which were closer to the lake. Our group decided to stay at this park because we wanted to utilize the lake. The lake is beautiful; however, it was very crowded the weekend we went. The park overall has a lot of “things to do” and is family friendly, but it was given 4 stars because of how busy and crowded it was during our visit.

    Product Review:

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground, I had the opportunity to test the Tentsile Flite +, which is a tent and hammock fusion. I was super excited to use this product because I am a hammock camper and there are times I wish I had the option of tent camping. The design and uniqueness of Tentsile Flite + is amazing, and I would consider it more of a tent instead of a hammock, because of how flat it lays when suspended in the air.

    Pros:

    • Comfortable to lay in and no need for sleeping pads or cushions.
    • If you are a hammock camper, you can share this tent with another person comfortably.
    • The rainfly is clutch and depending on preference it can be attached to the tent, staked to the ground, or tied to the trees.
    • The Tensile Flite + is light and can be ideal for backpacking.
    • The tent roof is all netting which is great for having ventilation during the summer, keeping bugs out, and also good for sky gazing.

    Cons:

    • Setup time and the difficulty of getting the right angle and tension.
    • It was difficult finding the right trees suspend to.

    Overall the Tentsile Flite + is perfect for someone who loves hammock camping, but want to enjoy some of the features tents have. I love the design and the wow factor it has on people. Also the company’s mission is very noble and how they help people in need and the environment.

    Here is a video of setting up the Tensile Flite +

  • Michael C.
    Apr. 12, 2025

    River Forks Park & Campground

    Great views but...

    "SITE# 47, Pull-Thru, Not FHU, 50A, Water, Dump LENGTH OF STAY: Stayed 9 Nights, RATE:$30.56/ Night with No Discount/ 0% Discount BATH HOUSE: Clean but Outdated LAUNDRY: Not Recorded STAFF: Friendly PARK IMPRESSIONS: Nice, We would stay here again RV PAD: Concrete, ESTIMATED RV PAD LENGTH: 40 Feet, Tow Vehicle Could NOT Stay Connected and Parking was away from site SITE SLOPE: Door side Tire Blocks needed ROADS: Adequate, MANEUVERABILITY: Narrow PEDESTAL PLACEMENT: Center of site length, SHADE: 30% GRASS AREA: At-Site, DESIGNATED PET AREA: Not Recorded PICNIC TABLE: Yes, FIRE RING: Yes, VERIZON Signal(bars): 5G-3, SPEED: 394 Mbs Download, 47 Mbs Upload T-MOBILE Signal(bars): 5G-5, SPEED: 714 Mbs Download, 124 Mbs Upload No WiFi, OTA TV CHANNELS: 75, CABLE TV: No, PLAYGROUND: Yes POOL: No, WATER FEATURE: Lake, FIREWOOD: Yes, STORE: No CLUBHOUSE: No, PROPANE AVAILABILITY: No Original site was# 46(back-in) but was VERY small. Moved to site 47(Pull-Thru) but due to road slope pull-thru is un-usable. Lower numbered sites(less than 30) appear somewhat better. Empty camp ground host side byhind 47 cannot be used unless site 47 is emprty due to sloping road. One single use dump station. One campground host presently in the park- their site was not marked. Appears that most sites are back-in and set sideways to a hillside and lakefront leaving very little level space for chairs. Fire rings are frequently located 12-20 feet away from picnic table and 3 to 9 feet below site level on a slope. Reservation Software used by office was down upon Saturday arrival with no IT help until Monday- two days away leaving office staff frustrated and using their own phone to access the reservation system customers use instead of management side of software. Staff stated it goes down frequently with no IT support on weekends. Six bathhouses in park. Bathhouse nearest beach closed awaiting replacement of fixtures after renovation. Shower has outdated fixtures- several shower heads had significant mineral deposits restricting flow. Men's side closed at another bathhouse. Many shower stalls had no hook or fixture to hang a towel or clothing. Several showers had broken shower valves making them unusable. Stayed 9 nights and did not see anyone working on bathhouses. Beach area parking is limited to 6 or 7 spaces and one handicap space however, there is a larger parking lot a little further away. Bathhouse showers have a pull string valve next to the shower head that had to be held down to get water with many strings broken, missing and too short to allow shorter people, children, or handicaped wheel-chair use. Some sites have precarious/dangerous sloping driveways for RVs to get into. Newly installed sites are near completion but they make sites very close together. Many sites do not have a fire pit and many do not have a grill. Many sites arer too small to park a second vhicle even if the camper is small. Parking on dirt or grass is prohibited by rules but appears to be selectively enforced. The campground has a boat ramp and reasonably large parking area. Extra careful site selection is warranted. Four docks in River Forks Park. Firewood is available at the office. CHECK-IN: 01:00 PM CHECK-OUT: 12:00 PM RIG: 42ft- 17,000 lb 5th Wheel"

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 2, 2021

    Bolding Mill

    Gorgeous view of Lake Lanier

    Our site had a beautiful view of the water and awoke to sun on the water. Very few mosquitos and lovely weather. Long parking pad for RVs, tho' ours is a 17' travel trailer. Our site was near access to walk-in camping (which did not turn out to be a problem since we set up facing the water) and a long walk to the bathroom, which was reasonably clean with hot shower but no electrical outlet for my hair dryer (but hey, we were camping). Gate is locked at 10:30 PM; after that you have to park outside the entrance and walk to your site. Even with park full for weekend, it didn't feel crowded. Folks were friendly; almost everyone we passed said hi.

  • Connor L.
    Jul. 2, 2021

    Bald Ridge Creek

    Good lakeside camping for RVs and cars

    Camped right on the lake in my hammock. I reccomend hammock or RV. You're not allowed to set up tents off of the concrete pad so it would be a bit uncomfortable. Super easy to swim, kayak, waterski in the lake. No alcohol allowed but no one came by my campsite all evening.

    Plenty of firewood at the site and at nearby gas stations. You can also burn deadwood and I found plenty of that as well.

  • Rachel G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 8, 2020

    High Falls State Park Campground

    Falls

    Went to High Falls State Park in January. site number 27. We stayed 8 nights There are two campgrounds- lakeside and River camping area. Lakeside is by High falls Lake and is closest to the falls. River camping is across the street we stayed in River camping area. Nice sites but open to neighbors. Sites included table, fire ring, lantern hook. Some sites are 30 amp some 50 amp and had some pull through sites. After the weekend we were one of only a few in the campground in January. Weather may change this time of year we had a lot of rain one day and freezing temperatures overnight but mostly it was good camping weather. Camp hosts were awesome!!! This park is not far off i-75. Dollar general was a few miles other than that not much around. Very easy hiking trail to waterfalls and several trails along Towaliga River, ruins of an old Mill. There is no swimming in falls or river. Afterr rain falls were flowing very fast. This park also has a swimming pool, mini golf, yurts, boat rentals all were closed in January. Bathhouses were well maintained and had laundry facilities. Phone and TV reception we're good at this park. 8 days was too much here I would recommend 4 to 5 days or as a stopover point but would definitely return here.

  • E
    Sep. 23, 2019

    Stone Mountain Park Campground

    Terrible for tent campers

    I was actually shocked at how terrible our actual campsite was; we stayed at site 29, which was supposedly intended for tent camping.

    Pros

    • The front gate staff was very nice; check in and general store staff were average
    • The general store was very convenient and decently stocked
    • The bathrooms and showers were pretty nice
    • Beautiful lake view. It was nice to watch kayakers and rowing teams go by
    • Nice tree placement for hammock
    • Close to all Stone Mountain activities
    • Garbage pickup each morning (but no metal trash can to store it in??)

    Cons

    • The site is on a freaking hill; there is no flat surface at all and no clearing, so you have no choice but to sleep on sticks/rocks. Thank God to REI for footprints and decent sleeping pads
    • Site was dirty when I arrived
    • No tent pad
    • Parking area is crap; it's somewhere between gravel and nothing
    • $20 parking fee

    There is no way I would stay at this campground again; it was definitely made for RVs.

  • Nate H.
    Jun. 30, 2019

    Red Top Mountain State Park Campground

    Plenty of Waterfront View Options

    We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Red Top Mountain State Park. The campground itself is spread out with large sites. There are plenty of options for waterfront sites and most all sites are shaded with canopy cover. Our site specifically that we chose 56, was perfect for our roof top tent. We parked on a flat pad below a small staircase up to a tent pad surrounded by large boulders and equipped with a picnic table and fire ring. Firewood laying around was abundant. My only complaint about this campground were the comfort station showers. If you don’t need or desire to shower I would have zero hesitation sending anyone to this campground. However if you desire or need to shower as my wife and I do, be warned they are disgusting. They are probably the worst I have experienced anywhere as far as cleanliness. They serve their purpose as far as sufficient water pressure and hot water but outside of that, they are far from pleasant.

  • Cristina G.
    Sep. 3, 2021

    Van Pugh South Campground

    Holy smokes this site was excellent

    Had a great stay at Van Pugh South in site 35. The site was located on the lake with gorgeous views. The pad itself was mostly concrete and had a slight tilt towards the waters edge but nothing too bad that couldn’t be fixed with a minor adjustment. We chose not to bother.

    The camp sites are located along small islands jutting out into Lake Lanier. Plenty of shade, picnic table, fire ring. The pad itself is elevated above the waters edge. The site had water and 30amp electric but no sewer. The views of the sunset were spectacular. Fairly private sites.

    The campground had a nice shower house and coin laundry. All in all the campground was spotless. I would definitely come back and stay several days. I only wish their season was longer.


Guide to Snellville

Tent camping locations around Snellville, Georgia provide varying levels of seclusion within a 30-mile radius of this eastern Atlanta suburb. The area experiences moderate temperatures year-round with humidity peaking during summer months when overnight lows rarely drop below 65°F. Wildlife viewing opportunities increase at more remote sites, particularly during spring and fall migration seasons.

What to do

Hiking opportunities: At Panola Mountain State Park Campground, trails connect directly to camping areas. "Staff was awesome and very accommodating," notes Ashley C., making this a good basecamp for day hiking. The park offers guided tours with unusual educational components: "We took the guided tour of the Mountain and it was awesome. We ate Pine Trees and they explained about liken and the red fungus," shares Holly B.

Water activities: Several tent camping areas provide water access for fishing, paddling, or swimming during warmer months. Laurel Park offers multiple recreational options according to Josh D.: "It has a splash pad that's operating from late spring through summer. It has plenty of access to lake Lanier, and plenty of room for grilling out."

Wildlife viewing: Remote tent sites often provide better wildlife encounters. The natural areas around Ocmulgee River Camp offer good opportunities for spotting native species. "Saw some deer on a walk," reports Julie H., adding that "There are hunters around and we heard a good deal of shots."

What campers like

Dark sky viewing: Some tent camping locations provide excellent stargazing conditions. LeeAnne T. describes Tyler Hunt Camp as "a refuge... It's quiet, super dark at night and beautiful." The location's distance from city lights creates opportunities for night sky observation.

Natural soundscape: Campers frequently mention enjoying natural sounds at tent sites near Snellville. J A. describes Ocmulgee River Camp as "Very nice a bit bumpy on the drive in but no major holes. Quiet and peaceful 2 neighbors great amount of space to find a nice spot." The distance from major roads reduces traffic noise at many locations.

Seasonal variations: Tent camping experiences change significantly with seasons. Micah C. notes, "I enjoyed my stay here during the day" at Tyler Hunt Camp, while SJ W. shares a winter experience at Ocmulgee River Camp: "It was nice and warm even in December! Almost 70 degrees!"

What you should know

Site access challenges: Several tent camping areas require preparation for difficult access roads. Greg D. describes Ocmulgee River Camp: "Open spaces and very quiet this time of the year (January) train horn in the distance and gunshots in the distance as well from hunters here and there but all around a great spot to really enjoy."

Facility limitations: Most tent sites near Snellville offer minimal amenities. Michael S. describes Ocmulgee River Camp as having a "Nice open camp site with plenty of spots for camping. Only a mile off the road, which is a little bumpy but manageable."

Safety considerations: Some camping areas experience changes in activity patterns after dark. Micah C. reports: "As night fell, I began preparing for bed, but I noticed vehicles coming and going—at least three within an hour. Around 10 PM, a few Mustangs pulled up and sat for about 45 minutes."

Weather impacts: The region's humidity affects tent camping comfort significantly. According to SJ W., conditions can be "a little buggy since it was humid and by the river but not too bad."

Tips for camping with families

Accessibility planning: When tent camping with children near Snellville, choose sites with shorter walks from parking. Jessica D. notes that Panola Mountain State Park has "Just a few campsites around a pond. Not many trees around and no commodities. Close to a few hiking places but you have to drive to get to them."

Space considerations: Look for tent sites with sufficient room for family setups. James Shackleford Memorial Park provides good options according to Neil R.: "Not much to say about it pretty much all the sites around the lake area the same in Hall county Gwinnett it was very peaceful nice people was able to find plenty of outdoor stuff to do."

Bathroom facilities: Verify bathroom availability before arrival with children. Vivian T. mentions at Laurel Park, "We appreciate the hot water in the bathroom," while Josh D. indicates the facilities at Buford Dam Park had limitations: "The bathrooms were locked when we went so make sure you keep that in mind when coming here."

Tips from RVers

Limited hookups: Most tent-focused campgrounds near Snellville offer minimal RV accommodations. Hembree Park Campground has limitations according to Xochilt E.: "It's not an RV park, they said there's is a little section of the park for rv but non hookups of any kind."

Urban-adjacent camping: RVers seeking convenience to Atlanta can find options with limited amenities. Asher K. describes Atlanta West Campground: "This is much more of a mobile home or RV park than a campground since most of the people staying here are set up for long term residency rather than for a night or two. Additionally, it is right near downtown Atlanta and alongside a highway."

Site surface conditions: Tent campers should note that some RV-friendly sites have paved surfaces. Vivian T. explains: "We arrived late at night. The campground was on cemented floor, which we did not realize till we got there."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Snellville, GA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Snellville, GA is Panola Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Snellville, GA?

TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Snellville, GA, with real photos and reviews from campers.