Glamping options near Roswell, Georgia provide access to the lakes and forests of north Georgia while staying within an hour's drive of the city. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, this area features multiple large reservoirs including Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona with elevations ranging from 1,000-1,300 feet above sea level. Campgrounds in the region can experience temperature variations of up to 30 degrees between day and night during spring and fall seasons.
What to do
Waterfront activities: Access from nearly every site at Bald Ridge Creek. This campground offers direct water access for swimming and kayaking. "We have stayed here several times now and love it. Our sites have all been lake-side and very large with a paved drive. There is hiking around the shore line and lots of ducks in the lake to feed," notes a camper.
Hiking historical ruins: 4-mile round trip at Sweetwater Creek State Park. The trails follow a scenic river path to abandoned mill ruins. "We took the trail that shows you where they built the mill then goes along the river for a while. It was a beautiful hike but definitely challenging since there are a lot of rocks you have to climb over," explains one visitor.
Wildlife observation: Best at dawn/dusk at Red Top Mountain State Park. The park features multiple observation points along lake trails. "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," shares a camper.
What campers like
Proximity to Atlanta with natural feel: Clark Creek North Campground offers seclusion just 30 minutes from the city. Many sites provide complete privacy from neighbors thanks to dense tree coverage. "We stopped over for the night on our way to Colorado. Shirley and Bud who checked us in and out were very friendly and found a spot right on the lake for us at 10 pm at night," one camper mentioned.
Clean facilities: Bathhouses at most area campgrounds receive regular maintenance. "The bathrooms are in good shape. We plan on staying a week. No Wi-Fi so we are using hotspots on our cells. We have Verizon and showing 2 bar LTE," reports a visitor to Shady Grove Campground.
Waterfront views: Prime sites available at multiple locations. "This is a nice park, especially for fishermen and we enjoyed our time here," explains a visitor to Bald Ridge Creek. Another camper noted, "We had site 21 and had a great time. Decent bathrooms/bath house. Sites were on the water and great sizes."
What you should know
Reservation timing: Book 3-6 months ahead for summer weekends. Most waterfront sites fill quickly, especially at Lake Lanier locations. "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," shares a visitor to Sawnee Campground.
Alcohol policies: Strictly enforced at certain parks. Some locations have zero-tolerance policies with significant penalties. Always check park regulations before arrival.
Campsite accessibility: Terrain challenges at some locations. "We have a 27' airstream and there are a couple campsites that are hard to get into. Number 18 does not look hard, but the layout is very difficult to get into. The bend halfway into the campground would be extremely difficult with much bigger than 27' camper," warns a visitor to Amicalola Falls State Park.
Security concerns: Take precautions with valuables. "While this great little park should deserve 4.5-5 stars, we had an unfortunate experience while we were there. My family of 5 were on the lake-side of our little 22ft TT while someone less fortunate than us decided to steal my 9yr old daughter's new bike," reports a Clark Creek North camper.
Tips for camping with families
Water safety: Bring life jackets even at shallow beach areas. Most lake swimming areas lack lifeguards. "This is a wonderful, scenic campground on beautiful Lake Allatoona. The sites are color coded depending on size and there is even a yurt to rent. We went swimming and hiking," a Red Top Mountain visitor explains.
Entertainment options: Look for McKinney Campground for kid-friendly hiking. Several trails under 2 miles suitable for younger children. "We always stop here on our trips down to florida and we always stay a couple days as we love to get a waterfront site and they are nice, clean sites with lots of shade and pet friendly," notes a regular visitor.
Glamping close to Roswell, Georgia: Canvas tents with amenities at Margaritaville. Full resort amenities available with glamping rentals. "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!!"
Noise considerations: Highway sound carries at some parks. "It's definitely not quiet unless you're in an RV. And I guess we camped on the wrong morning too because they started mowing the lawn at around 8:30-9 am after listening the highway all night," reports a tent camper at McKinney Campground.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: Bring extra blocks at most area parks. Many sites require significant leveling due to terrain. "Our site needed a little TLC. I did notice them updating sites," notes a Shady Grove visitor.
Access road difficulties: Some campgrounds have tight turns. "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 a Red Top Mountain visitor.
Dump station locations: Limited availability at certain parks. "Single dump station tends to line up on Sunday but I suppose that's part of the deal," mentions a Bald Ridge Creek camper.
Shade considerations: Trees affect satellite reception. "There are a lot of mature trees here, but we were able to get a clear north sky shot for Starlink," explains a visitor to Clark Creek North.
