If you're looking for a place to pitch your tent near Porterdale, look no further. You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. You're sure to find the perfect tent campsite for your Georgia camping adventure.
Sweetwater Creek State Park is a peaceful tract of wilderness only minutes from downtown Atlanta. A wooded trail follows the stream to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War. Beyond the mill, the trail climbs rocky bluffs to provide views of the beautiful rapids below. Additional trails wind through fields and forest, showcasing ferns, magnolias, wild azaleas and hardwoods. Park rangers lead informative hikes to these areas throughout the year.
This recreation area is part of Lake Sidney Lanier
This park is located at the intersection of Browns Bridge Road and Appalachee Church Road and was newly dedicated for the late Council member James Shackelford. Before its dedication and reopening, the park was renovated by Scout Troop 774. This park offers camping areas with shelters, and a beautiful nature trail that circles the park.
Buford Dam Park lies just north of Buford Dam on Lake Sidney Lanier. The site features beautiful views of the lake as well as excellent access to swimming, picnicking and boating.
The lake, named for the poet, Sidney Lanier, is well known for its aqua-blue colored water, spectacular scenery and variety of recreational activities. Each year, over 7.5 million people come to visit.
Lake Lanier boasts 38,000 surface acres, 690 miles of shoreline and over 100 small islands. Its location in the forested foothills of the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains, makes for a beautiful backdrop to any activity.
Visitors can access the Laurel Ridge Hiking Trail from multiple locations and parks. The trail is a 3.5 mile loop that offers great views of the lake and Chattahoochee River. Fisherman can expect to catch a variety of species including bass, catfish and panfish. Activities include fishing, swimming, wake boarding, kayaking and hiking.
Bolding Mill Park offers access to a designated swim beach and the Laurel Ridge Hiking Trail. The park also offers a basketball court, soccer field, playground, picnic areas and restrooms.
Nearby attractions include boat ramps, other USACE parks, and Lake Lanier Islands.
The Hembree Park Campsite offers an area for individuals or groups to gather and enjoy nature within the safe environment of a City Park. The site can be used by individuals, families, civic groups, etc. The grounds include an open grass area, fire ring with log seating, 2 picnic tables, and 11 tent pads.
There are no water/electrical hookups, or firewood on-site.
Guide
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.
Getting to the campsite was simple enough and it is the quoted 3/4 mile walk in. It was great to see some families utilizing the space. There is good cell reception (T-Mobile)
Very peaceful and even had the sounds of a vibrant coyote pack.
Guide
This is my second time here, first was a scouting trip and stayed only a few days. This trip I brought my family and stayed 9 days. Autumn is beautiful but we were probably a week or two early for the full color change of the trees. The weather was a little warm for Oct./Nov. but we're from Florida and anything cooler and less humid is welcome.The trails have been maintained and new markers put in place. Bath houses were clean and tidy and the camp crew kept everything neat , they even blew the leaves off of the road every morning. Kudos to Georgia Power for keeping such a great campground with large spaces between campers and still remaining cozy.
Guide
There's only limited camping here. There's several yurts and 5 walk-in tent sites. Yes, some of the reviews here are confusing this park with another. There's NO RV or TRAILER camping here.
The Yurts look awesome but do attract gaggles of families so be warned that if you're looking for a quiet get away then you may find yourself in the middle of a large family reunion that has no care for other campers.
The camping is isolated from the bustling 'core' of the park too. That's a nice change from other parks in the area. But you will also need to drive to the trailheads more than likely so take that into consideration when packing etc.
The tent sites run a little parallel to each other. I didn't go any look at the lake views from 5 at the back but expected it to be partial if that. Site 1 and 2 would be my first choice when I go back.
There is also full cell reception given its proximity to Atlanta.
Update: - Something else to know is that the visitor center called for 'check in' before we arrived and organized a wood drop off service.
Scout
The campsite's proximity to I-20 makes it super convenient to get to. It's a great spot for a quick trip or a longer stay, and the friendly seasonal campers really add to the community vibe. By the way, I just bought a camper with the help of radiant credit union customer service. Their customer service was so helpful in sorting out the financial side of things, which means I can now enjoy camping trips to places like Atlanta West Campground hassle-free!
Ranger
This place was great. We arrived after hours and spoke with the camp host he told us we can pay online or in the morning. We drove all day in the sun and due to hurricane Helene aftermath we were limited on where to stay. It was nice to pull in and it be nice and cool with the trees. The stars popped out at night and could be seen through the tree tops. Showers were hot.
Guide
This is a little gem of a state park. Indian Springs State park has a lot to offer. The camp sites are the other side of the lake from the group and public shelters/picnic areas etc so you feel away from everything. The park offers a museum, trails, kayak rentals and more.
The multi-purpose hike connects to the Dauset Nature Center trails and is worth taking the extra mile or so, at least, to go visit the nature center. The hike is rated as quite hard on All Trails and similar apps but, in reality, is fine for most levels. I am recovering from a back injury and this was my first 5+ mile hike in years. It was more than manageable.
One downside of the parks location is that you are close to Jackson and neighboring towns. There were some noises (e.g. loud cars) that could be heard from our site at night. It wasn't constant or overly intrusive. The main complaint was that other humans in the park seemed to not have consideration for their camping neighbors and enjoyed driving golf carts around while playing music at full volume. That can happen anywhere though and maybe shouldn't be a 'negative' for the park.
The park is well kept, comfort stations are fine and staff very friendly and helpful.
ScoutWhile the camp hosts were very nice and the bathrooms were clean, that’s where the good ends. The sites are on top of each other in the inner loop and very much out of level. There is no place to dump trash in the campground. The only places were at the boat ramp and beach. Worst of all was the dump station was overflowing and could not be used when we were leaving.
Scout
I enjoyed my stay here during the day, but things changed after dark. There were old weedeaters scattered in the weeds, along with grills and other items that seemed to have been tossed into the woods. I initially brushed it off and didn't think much of it. I was the only one camping at this site. 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. Feeling uneasy about the situation, I decided to pack up and leave. After sharing my experience with a few friends, many of them expressed their own concerns about this location. I give it 3 stars for the beauty and peacefulness... until nightfall.
Traveler
We really enjoyed staying at High Falls. Most of the RV sites were spaced well apart and the amenities were clean.
Scout
Beautiful campsite, just a few neighbors, tons of flat space and a few fire pits. There are hunters around and we heard a good deal of shots. Saw some deer on a walk. It was quite hot but surprisingly not that buggy.
Traveler
Tons of things to do train rides, gondola ride to the top, hiking and fireworks. Stayed in a safari tent a little worn down with duck tape on the screen. However, clean bathroom/showers and fun pool. A couple of crazy squirrels visit us every morning.
Legend
We made this reservation many months ago and have rescheduled a few times as our plans changed. Today, we checked in and filled our propane tank. The person was training at the desk and messed up the billing. I got to site 112, which was not very level; I had to jack the front of the RV off the ground to get level. The sewer connection was uphill, so I did not dump tanks. WiFi was spotty and very slow. Cell coverage AT&T and Verizon were both poor. The site was muddy from water runoff. Convenient for overnight stay. But not a campground where I would spend multiple nights.
Guide
Camp host Bobby was pleasant and helpful, Sites were a good size and spaced well. Georgia Power has some of the nicest campgrounds and this one is a gem. Great place for boating and fishing and kiddos will love the beach, not many trails to hike and very Dog Friendly (a must for us) Bath house and latrines were absolutely stellar and very clean, laundry area as well. Spray WELL for ants as they are abundant we had no issues but our neighbors needed some assistance in mitigation. Close drive to town for additional supplies and a Publix supermarket is about 2 miles away. final words... Great place for kids and boating if you're looking for wilderness trails this is not the place.
GuideI was debating on whether or not to leave this stellar review, knowing that once the word was out, the crowds would come. This park operated by Georgia power and light is one of the nicest cleanest and well cared for parks. I’ve been in. Most state parks could take a lesson from the operators of these parks. First off the RV sites are large and spaced out enough so that your neighbors are not in your backyard. Plenty of trees and Flora To keep the park looking natural. If you like trails, there is an abundance and some are multi use so bring your mountain bike.. They have some black diamond mountain bike trails as well for the more experienced. Some of the walking trails have signs along them for historical markers, or just descriptions of the local flora and fauna. All of the roads are paved and access for my 30 foot RV were easily negotiated., The lake is very large and welcomes boaters of any kind, including jet skis. There is a small swimming beach, of course no dogs allowed but if you walk around the edge of the lake, you can find plenty of spots to take a splash with your pup.. joe is the park host along with his wife and I’ve been there for 11 years super nice fellow very accommodating. The showers and restroom facilities are the cleanest I’ve ever experienced, hot water was abundant. The only thing that may be lacking or hooks to hang your towels.. If I could give it 10 stars, I would,
GuideClean bathroom, very nice employees
Guide
Great little place to camp. Beautiful lake. Bathrooms and showers are on site.
Traveler
Been going here since I was a kid and now I take my kids every year. It’s quiet but it could use more campsites with a beach area and maybe updated bathrooms. Still love it though
Guide
This is a very well maintained and popular campground on Lanier. I’ve come here since I was a kid. Tent sites are down some stairs, keep that in mind.
Guide
CG Manager drove through periodically and was very friendly. I met him on the trail to the falls and took the time to explain the factory that used to be there. Very interesting. Most sites are on the water. Has toilets and showers. I stayed for 3 nights and had a great time.
Scout
This was our first RV camping experience -- testing out a new pop-up camper during a two (2) night stay. Reservations were made through Campspot -- about $120 with fees. Communication with the main number for the campground went through the Margaritaville Campground nearby. Separate direct lines to the camp office and security were provided after arrival. Overall communication was good with both, and the staff were always polite.
We skipped our first night reservation due to high winds. We had concerns about damaging the pop-up roof during first-time setup. We decided, instead, to visit the campsite we'd reserved and pick up our paperwork. Site 56 was our first choice, and we were NOT happy with it. I selected the wrong size on the Campspot website -- a 20' campsite. It was not big enough to park both the camper AND the tow vehicle, AND the camper would've been facing away from the lake anyway with water and electrical hookups.
The next morning, we called to arrange for a different site. The camp office was very accommodating and blocked off four (4) available sites to choose from. We moved to site 55, which was a large circular pull through. Probably too big for our pop-up camper, but also probably too close to trees for a larger trailer or even a 5th wheel. The campsite was large, with the picnic table, fire ring and sand pit away from the camper. There was lots of room to set up and enjoy the beautiful lake views.
Electric and water hookups worked just fine. The camp office lent a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter free of charge. We had no issues with either service. The showers and bathrooms were about 2-3 sites down and up the road from 55, and they were reasonably clean for what they were.
I WAS disappointed that the main gate was broken, and the key code locks on the showers and bathrooms were duct taped shut. However, I did not feel that the campground was all that insecure, and there did not appear to be a lot of traffic coming through. Security DID come through overnight on Sunday morning -- probably due to some noise at 1-2 of the campsites across the cove from ours. Things quieted down after. The camp host was cleaning bathrooms on Sunday morning, and he was very polite when we talked. I saw him regularly coming through to check on campsites and clean up.
Overall, we liked this campground and will be going back. I will likely request to scout out some different sites in person before selecting one, as I don't want to be in a position to have to give up my spot when it's very busy.
GuideVery 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.
ScoutThis place is a refuge. There are privately owned homes around but the folks keep to themselves. It's quiet, super dark at night and beautiful. No amenities, you pack it in, you pack it out. The state keeps it and the road in nice. Expect to have a drive thru at least once around 9/10. It's just a see who is in the area type thing. Very nice place
ScoutWe should have known when we first arrived not to stay here. Our welcome was very brisk and unfriendly. Our site was literally right next to the freeway with terrible freeway noise and fuel smells. We asked to be moved and our new site was so narrow that the picnic tables didn’t even fit in the site and tottered on the edge of the site’s bank. They offer site garbage pick up daily, but not to monthly stays. So they drive right by your site while picking up garbage to sites right next to you! Playground is satisfactory but the dog park is muddy and rocky. When we signed in and mentioned we were excited about having a dog park the check in person said she wouldn’t take her dog to it! I highly recommend driving right on by! We use KOA’s regularly and this campground management is far below KOA standards! Beware!
TravelerOpen 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.
LegendJake from the Dyrt here! This campground is new to the Dyrt and open for reservations through the Dyrt!
ScoutThe park was quiet and clean. Bathroom and bath house area kept very clean with plenty of HOT water. Site 26 is a pull through with kinda odd connection placement but we made it work.
RangerBeautiful park with lots of activities available for the whole family. The park is well maintained and clean!
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Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Porterdale, GA is Panola Mountain State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 6 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Porterdale, GA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
