Stone Mountain Park Campground offers premium canvas safari tents with luxury camping amenities located on a peninsula extending into Lake Lanier. The area around Lawrenceville has elevation ranging from 900-1,200 feet, with a humid subtropical climate creating warm summers ideal for water activities and mild winters suitable for year-round camping. Several campgrounds maintain climate-controlled accommodations during colder months when temperatures can drop below freezing.
What to do
Hiking trails for all levels: Fort Yargo State Park Campground maintains extensive trail networks for both hiking and mountain biking. One visitor noted, "Lots of hiking. Most of the trails are mixed mountain biking and hiking but when we were there, we only saw two mountain bikes. We took a picnic lunch with us and found one of the many picnic areas."
Wildlife viewing: Shady Grove Campground provides opportunities to observe local fauna in their natural habitat. A camper mentioned, "A lot of deer just walking around." At Hard Labor Creek State Park Campground, you can often spot "Deer walking through the site."
Water recreation: Margaritaville offers multiple water activities beyond swimming. According to a visitor, "We had a pave site full hookup pull thru with lake view. Very easy to get in and out, private and quiet. We had a picnic table, fire ring and bbq grill. I was most excited about drink cart every evening!"
Mountain climbing: Red Top Mountain State Park Campground provides access to climbing routes with lake views. Despite the name, a camper clarifies, "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."
What campers like
Private lakefront access: Stone Mountain Park Campground sites offer direct water views. As one visitor explained, "We spent a weekend here in section O. It was a nice, spacious campsite with a nice picnic table and partial view of the lake even though we didn't have 'lake view' site."
Clean facilities: Bald Ridge Creek maintains well-kept comfort stations. A recent guest reported, "The restroom and shower facilities were clean. Plenty of hot water. Gave it 4 stars only because I thought the swim beach could have been more clear of stuff that washed up."
Recreational amenities: Hard Labor Creek provides on-site activities beyond hiking. One camper stated, "HLC features hiking trails, mini golf, newly 'renovated' campsites that include two BRAND new bathhouses. The comfort stations also feature vending machines and a laundry facility!"
Affordability: Red Top Mountain State Park rates remain competitive for the region. A camper noted, "Want a beautiful place to camp for cheap? Try Lake Lanier! Gorgeous campground, concrete pads, water and electric at site. We paid 30 a night! Nice and quiet too."
What you should know
Alcohol regulations: Policies vary significantly between campgrounds. At Shady Grove Campground, one camper reported, "If you enjoy having a beer while camping don't come here. Beautiful day, beer in a solo cup playing cards with my wife at a picnic table. We were not making noise, nobody complained about us. Ranger pulls up and gave us both tickets."
Noise factors: Several campgrounds experience traffic sounds. At Red Top Mountain, a visitor noted, "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. There is a train that blows its whistle that will wake you up 3 times each night."
Reservation systems: Most campgrounds now use site-specific booking. One camper explained, "HLC swapped over to 'site-specific' reservations, meaning that you must choose a particular site when reserving. This is VERY useful if you're familiar with the campground and have a favorite site but can be a shot in the dark if you're not familiar."
Seasonal fluctuations: Weekday vs. weekend experiences differ dramatically. At Hard Labor Creek, a visitor observed, "The weekend nights were so crowded with cars spilling into the camp roads, loads of large groups at each site. Felt very claustrophobic. On weekdays the park became a lovely ghost town."
Tips for camping with families
Walk-in sites for privacy: Fort Yargo State Park offers secluded sites a short distance from parking. One camper recommends, "If you're like me and appreciate a bit of privacy when camping, the walk-in campsites at Fort Yargo are the place to go. Just a short 1-2 minutes walk from your car and bathrooms, but you feel much more secluded than the campsites in the regular campground."
Kid-friendly amenities: Sawnee Campground provides designated play areas. A visitor notes, "We've been to this campground three times already. Love it. We had a site right on the lake. Did fishing, kids went swimming! Beautiful opening your door and seeing water."
Transportation options: Stone Mountain Park offers internal transit systems. One camper explained, "There's all kind of activities for the kids. They have free transportation within the park/campground area. Helpful staff too."
Educational opportunities: RamsdenLake provides glamping options near cultural attractions. Located near Stone Mountain, these canvas accommodations allow families to combine outdoor experiences with learning about local history and geology.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling considerations: Bald Ridge Creek requires preparation for parking. A visitor advised, "Site 32 - Nice level site. Plenty of room for us. Back in is not straight so it takes a little bit of maneuvering (that maybe why it was one of the last few sites available a week out)."
Road conditions: Some campgrounds have challenging access roads. A Red Top Mountain camper warned, "Heavily wooded sites that are not well maintained. Very narrow roads in the campground with lots of pot holes. Not the easiest state park to pull a travel trailer in."
Hookup availability: Fort Yargo sites have varied utilities. One RVer noted, "Nothing indicated on the reservation it had sewer connections. Had we known we would have taken showers in our own camper."
Dump station access: Shady Grove provides disposal facilities. A camper mentioned, "Large clean sites with power and water. No sewer but the park does have a dump station. Many water sites."
