Red Top Mountain State Park Campground provides lakeside camping approximately 40 miles northwest of Lilburn, Georgia. The park sits on Lake Allatoona with 12,000 acres of water surface, offering year-round camping with temperatures averaging 50°F in winter and 88°F in summer. Lake levels fluctuate seasonally, affecting boat launch access and swimming areas.
What to do
Hiking trails around water bodies: Fort Yargo State Park features multiple trails accessible from the campground. "Great swimming and hiking," notes Barbara C., while Amalia K. adds, "The 12 walk-in sites are waterfront to the lake—perfect for kayaking or paddle boarding."
Fishing from your campsite: Old Federal campground offers direct lake access for anglers. "Most spots are on the water. They also have nicely mowed grass and some trees," explains Mike K. The campground sits on Lake Lanier, allowing guests to fish directly from their site.
Mountain climbing: Sweetwater Creek State Park Campground provides access to various terrain. "There are a whole bunch of trails of varying difficulty and length that meander through the woods along the river," reports Asher K., who adds it's "definitely challenging since there are a lot of rocks you have to climb over."
What campers like
Wildlife viewing: Shady Grove Campground features frequent deer sightings. "Wildlife especially deer was abundant," writes Shea D., who tent camped for a week. The county-managed campground maintains natural areas where animals roam freely.
Uncrowded walk-in sites: Walk-in sites offer more privacy at several dog friendly campgrounds near Lilburn. "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," explains Amalia K.
Clean facilities: Panola Mountain State Park Campground maintains well-kept grounds despite its primitive nature. "Staff was awesome and very accommodating," mentions Ashley C., while Michael T. notes, "Getting to the campsite was simple enough and it is the quoted 3/4 mile walk in."
What you should know
Alcohol restrictions: Shady Grove Campground strictly enforces no-alcohol policies with significant penalties. "Ranger pulls up and gave us both tickets. We had a mandatory court appearance, turns out each ticket is $280.00. No warning," reports Rick B., who notes the campground is otherwise "nice."
Train noise: Several campgrounds experience railroad disruptions. At Red Top Mountain State Park Campground, Jeff E. warns, "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."
Cell service quality: Coverage varies at different pet-friendly campgrounds near Lilburn. At Old Federal, Matthew H. reports, "Cell service is awesome here," while other campgrounds have spotty reception depending on your carrier.
Tips for camping with families
Playgrounds and facilities: Shady Grove Campground offers dedicated children's areas. "Playground was close to site. Area was huge and well spaced between sites," notes Shea D., making this an attractive option for families with younger children.
Junior Ranger programs: Red Top Mountain State Park Campground maintains educational activities even during challenging times. Cheryl C. mentions, "Friendly staff, with the Jr ranger program still going with the help of adult campers during covid. Still so much fun and so clean and beautiful!!"
Transportation options: Stone Mountain provides internal shuttling. Harvey B. explains, "They have free transportation within the park/campground area. Helpful staff too. The sites are close but they are not difficult to enter."
Tips from RVers
Turning radius challenges: Larger rigs face navigation issues at some campgrounds. Pam H. at Old Federal warns, "After parking our 40ft 5th wheel, we realized where we needed to turn around was going to be tight... It was so tight that the 5th wheel was only 1 inch from hitting the cab and the axels on the RV were in a bind."
Road conditions: Red Top Mountain presents challenges for larger vehicles. "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," cautions Brock D.
Grey water disposal: Fort Yargo accommodates RVers without full hookups. Judi P. notes, "No FHU, but they do have grey water dumps in numerous places in campground. The staff was helpful. Our site was very level, and pull through."
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