Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Menlo, GA has a lot to offer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Discover great camping spots near Menlo, reviewed by campers like you.
Resting on the western edge of northwest Georgia’s Lookout Mountain, Cloudland Canyon State Park is more than 3,000 acres—one of the state’s largest parks—of rugged geology, and offers visitors hiking, camping, rock climbing and more along the park’s most iconic feature: the deep gorge cut through the mountain (elevation varies from 800 to more than 1,800 feet!) by the Sitton Gulch Creek. Multiple waterfalls and cascades, including the uber-popular Hemlock Falls, can be found throughout the gorge, making this park feel like a hidden gem around Lookout Mountain.
Staring at the geographic anomaly isn’t the only thing to do at this park, however. Beyond the countless miles of hiking, biking and horse riding trails, geology fanatics can find rock climbing, rappelling and spelunking across the park—cave tours are even offered for beginning cave explorers at Sitton’s Cave.
The park holds a massive variety of camping options, including 72 spots suitable for both tent and RV campers, 30 walk-in sites, 13 dispersed sites, 16 cottages and 10 yurts, each in a different area of the park. With this many options, campers can find seclusion all around.
$65 / night
Situated atop northeast Alabama’s Lookout Mountain, Desoto State Park is a 3,500-acre nature preserve and recreation destination that features vibrant forests, gushing waterfalls, and rugged mountain scenery. The park is located 8 miles northeast of Fort Payne, and approximately 75 miles east of Huntsville making it a great place camping near Atlanta. Dedicated in 1939, the park was named after Hernando de Soto, the renowned 16th century explorer. Prior to its dedication, most of the park’s roads, trails and facilities were constructed through the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a Depression-era works program that improved many of the country’s parks and forests, while providing jobs and skills to millions of struggling Americans. The park boasts many local legends, including one that suggests that the area may have been settled by Welsh explorers, centuries before Columbus’s arrival in the New World. Visitors are invited to learn more about DeSoto State Park by camping in the park.
The campground at DeSoto State Park features 94 full-hookup sites for tent and RV campers. Sites have either back-in or pull-through parking pads, and can accommodate large vehicles/trailers. Each site is equipped with picnic tables and cooking grills, and there are two comfort stations available with restrooms, showers and laundry facilities. A dump station is located onsite. The park also has a primitive tent campground that offers 16 sites with fire pits. Picnic tables, cooking grills, potable water, trash receptacles, and vault toilets are located in this campground’s central area. There are also two primitive backpacker camps with sleeping shelters and fire pits, but no water or trash service. In addition to camping, the park also offers a variety of chalets, cabins and motel rooms for those less interested in roughing it. Other amenities include picnic areas, an outdoor pool, tennis courts, and a playground. Campsite rates range from $15–$36/night, plus fees; other accommodation rates vary.
Visitors will find a variety of seasonal activities to enjoy at DeSoto State Park, from hiking and fishing to geocaching and zip-lining. Start your visit by checking out the CCC Museum and Benefield Interpretive Center to learn about the park’s history, flora and fauna. Drop into the country store and purchase a trail map for the park’s 30 miles of hiking and biking paths. Trails range in distance and difficulty, so there’s a path for everyone. There’s even a barrier-free boardwalk trail. Swimming, fishing and kayaking can be enjoyed on the West Fork Little River, which runs right through the park. The park also hosts guided hikes, campfire programs, and community events. Thrill-seekers can get a bird’s eye view over the park on the Aerial Adventure zipline course, which includes six ziplines and seven sky bridges, and golfers can tee off at the DeSoto Golf Course, just a few miles south of the park.
$38 / night
$8 - $110 / night
Discover a quaint destination in the heart of Alabama’s mountains at Little River Campground. Set on 38 beautiful acres, we provide an ideal home base for enjoying the region’s most famous natural attractions, from cascading waterfalls to rugged canyons and beyond. Just a short drive from Fort Payne and I-59, our campground offers private RV sites, unique glamping accommodations, and primitive camping for those who crave a simpler escape. With adventure at your doorstep at your home away from home.
$45 - $55 / night
Tent, RV and Primitive Camping
Daily Use Fee - $8 per vehicle for standard cars and trucks, $16 per vehicle for passenger vans, and $21 per vehicle for buses.
Camping Fee - $19 per vehicle for standard cars and trucks, $26 per vehicle for passenger vans, and $36 per vehicle for buses and RVs.
We are open 24/7 every day. A self-pay box is located at the front entrance to pay for admission after hours. We also have annual passes that are $45 for a year it makes camping half off.
$0 - $35 / night
$55 - $56 / night
** We are closed for the Winter Season and will reopen March 2025 **
The Little River Adventure Company features adventure rentals and 40 acres of dispersed tent camping in a natural unimproved property surrounded by Straight Creek and Yellow Creek. Conveniently located near the entrance to the Little River Canyon National Preserve. One mile from Little River Falls, and one mile to the WMA roads trailhead. Close to DeSoto Falls, Yellow Creek Falls, Cherokee Rock Village, Hippie Hole, and many other local attractions. We welcome dogs, cyclists, riders, kayakers, climbers, musicians, and all nature lovers.
$25 - $30 / night
This popular park on Lake Allatoona is ideal for swimming, water skiing and fishing. Visitors can bring their own boats or rent from nearby marinas. A sand swimming beach is nestled in a cove and surrounded by trees, providing a great place to cool off during summer. Picnic shelters and group shelters may be rented for meetings, parties, reunions and other celebrations. Guests often stay overnight in rental cottages, a spacious campground, or the park’s lakeside yurt. While best known for the 12,000 acre lake, Red Top Mountain is also a hiker’s haven. More than 15 miles of trails wind through the forested park, providing opportunities for exercise and nature photography. A short, paved trail behind the park office is suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, welcoming guests to explore a reconstructed 1860s homestead. The gravel-topped 4 mile Iron Hill Trail is open to both hikers and bikers, offering pretty views of the lake’s shoreline. Named for the soil’s rich red color caused by high iron-ore content, Red Top Mountain was once an important mining area. Iron pour programs are occasionally held near the Vaughn Cabin behind the park office. The park also maintains Allatoona Pass Battlefield, a historically significant battlefield due to the well-preserved trenches and earthworks.
Scout
This is a beautiful WMA area with tons of offshoots along a service road for camping, but please note, 99% of areas are closed between December and March. Had to turn around and find somewhere else to camp for the night./:
Guide
Loved this park. Everyone was very friendly. Lots of Intermediate to strenuous level hiking.
Scout
Clark Creek was the third campground we stayed at. And being that I had spent the most part of my teens and early twenties living literally in the neighborhood across the road it felt like home. We will be back there soon.
ScoutThis the second campground that we stayed in Woodstock Georgia. Payne on Kellogg Creek Road was another great experience. We will be returning soon.
Scout
This isnt for backpackers but for camping with your family, its good. They have water and outlets and very very clean bathrooms. Like cleaner than a Publix bathroom. Kid friendly.
Guide
The park is nice with plenty of amenities. I had two complaints. We stayed creekside at site 24. The site had about a 5 inch difference shopping towards the road. I used rocker blocks maxed out (about 4 inches in height) and still was not level. Secondly with the site, there is a telephone pole that is a bit too close on the exit side. Singing out as far as I could, i barely missed sideswiping my camper when pulling out. The online pictures looked like it was a fairly private spot, but no. Just out of frame was the campground host site who happened to be flying a very offensive flag. I decided to avoid her. Lastly, gravel from most of the sites was washed out into the road. That could, and should have been cleaned up.
GuideRed 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.
TravelerWe tent camped on Spot 27. Nice back in RV spot with water and electric. Bathhouse is close by. Gray water dump is across the road. Originally we booked Spot 60. That’s a pull through with little room for a tent. No cell service but that’s okay as we disconnected for a while. You can get service at the top of the park. Clean bathrooms with hot showers. Trails are nicely blazed with colors that match trail map. Georgia apple farms are a short, 20-30 minutes away.
Ranger
Read that there was a drive-in camp site at this location. Upon arrival, we found a parking lot with a fence all around it. There were a few fire rings in the parking lot.
I was not tempted to stay. There was nothing here but a place to park when you go hiking. The only thing here was disappointment and the realization that I needed to go somewhere else.
Guide
Beautiful mountain landscape over a calm lake, very quiet and little to no light pollution at night. Lots of trees for shade in the lots and easy access to the lake.
Guide
The campground is very clean and like new. We used our pop up and the site we used was very level.
Excellent hiking and views of the canyon.
Traveler
I slept really well last night here, and the camp host and guests were just great. Heated bathhouse with warm shower was definitely a highlight on a chilly morning!
Only downside in my mind was that I booked a tent site, only to find that the tent sites are down the hill from all the other sites, so if you book them you will have to haul your stuff down to the lake. It did sound like the night-time fishing would be awesome though!
Scout
Great sites with fire pits.
GuideI had a wonderful time at backcountry site #4 this past Sunday - Monday. The hike to the site is downhill from the stone wall parking lot, so it was pretty easy to get to at only 1 mile.
The site is private and pretty large. There were plenty of trees for hammocks and a few flat spots for small tents.
A small creek flows through the site for easy water access (but I was told that it doesn’t flow all year).
The best part of site #4 is that it’s about 0.2 miles from a beautiful west facing overlook where I enjoyed the sunset.
I can’t recommend this site every .
Scout
Bob has a wonderfully serene campground for both RV’s and tent camping. I invite everybody looking for a quiet place on Mentone to visit 1776 RV.
ScoutVery well kept RV campground.
GuideRecently stayed a couple of nights and was mostly impressed with the state park. I’m a tent camper but if I had an RV or trailer, I would definitely have trouble getting into my site (78). Many of the other sites I saw would have similar problems for trailer campers, as well. The park is in close proximity to I-75, so I could hear the distant sound of big rigs and the occasional police sirens. There is also railroad tracks somewhere that are close enough to hear train whistles in the wee hours of the morning. But the scenery of Lake Alatoona was beautiful and the staff I dealt with were all friendly and helpful. The bathroom facilities I used were very clean.
Scout
Chief Ladiga Trail mountains
Guide
Great camping option for first come. Glad to get plenty of options for sites. Long drive in. Hosts were great and even deliver firewood to your site. Clean bathrooms, showers, and overall campground. Only had one guest with many kids playing late into night, past quite hours (if any are posted), but we found out it was Fall break and kids were out of school all week. Great hike around the lake and boatramp for trolling motors only.
GuideThis is a great park with a lot to offer and more in the near vicinity.
Cell reception (T-Mobile) was non-existent in the site. However, there was reception at the trading post and possibly elsewhere.
They're installing Bear Boxes in tent sites back and front country (as I understood it) and are clearly paying attention to what people want and how to improve visitors experiences.
A lot of the sites are RV orientated. But the walk in tent sites are really close to the parking area. Also, nearby backcountry platforms and sites can be easily accessed.
If you want walking access to the trails, it's probably best to choose a site near the lake as that's where most trails are accessed from.
TravelerI love this campground. It's located right off the main highway, and has pull-through spots with full hookups. But the best part is the screaming fast internet! We work from home and the internet was so fast, people were amazed when I told them I was at a campground. We didn't even try to use our 5G system. The rates are great, too!
RangerBeautiful peaceful camping ground. Walking distance to Sitton Gulch. Campground was clean and the staff is very friendly. Waterfalls were dry at the time of our visit, but it was still a beautiful site.
RangerWe loved this State Park. The campsites were pristine, spacious, and well-planned. We enjoyed the hiking trails and reconnecting with nature. There was an on-site camp store with everything we needed.
Scout
I tent camped on a drive-in deluxe site in September with my dog. The host, Giorgio, was pleasant and helpful. He had firewood for sale on the property at a reasonable price.
As another reviewer noted, the bathhouse is at the very front of the property away from the campsites, but the toilet and shower were clean and perfectly adequate.
My site was flat, spacious, and easy to unload and set up on. The rest of the sites also looked very spacious and fairly flat. The campground's location is very convenient to Little River Falls.
My one quibble would be that, although the site definitely feels secluded, there was a little bit of road noise at night from the main road. It wasn't nearly enough to keep me awake, but YMMV if you're sensitive to it. The host mentioned that the sites at the back, where I was, were closer to the road and would be louder than the sites in the front of the property.
I would recommend this campsite to any drive up tent campers looking for a convenient, serene campground in this part of Alabama. I will be a repeat patron here.
Traveler
Somewhat crowded, but it was a holiday weekend. Very clean bathrooms and campground. Employees were extremely friendly, inviting, and knowledgeable!
Guide
Land pass required. No alcohol is permitted. This is a wildlife management area. The camp sites are first come, first serve. They are free. Only 2 sites with tables. If you like dispersed camping you'll probably enjoy it. If you prefer a campground, this is not for you.
Guide
This campground is side by side hook ups. Not a tree one in the site area. Beautiful view of the mountain. We did not stay the night.
Camping near Menlo, Georgia, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking to hike, fish, or just relax in nature, there are some great campgrounds to check out.
Camping near Menlo, Georgia, has something for everyone, from stunning views to family-friendly activities. Just be sure to check out the specific campgrounds to find the perfect fit for your adventure!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Menlo, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Menlo, GA offers a wide range of camping options, with 136 campgrounds and RV parks near Menlo, GA and 8 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Menlo, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Menlo, GA is Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 127 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Menlo, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 8 free dispersed camping spots near Menlo, GA.
What parks are near Menlo, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 20 parks near Menlo, GA that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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