Best Tent Camping near Smyrna, GA

Recent Tent Reviews in Smyrna

665 Reviews of 19 Smyrna Campgrounds

• 

  Jeff E.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 18, 2024

  Red Top Mountain State Park Campground

  Beautiful Lake Views - Near Atlanta and I-75

  Red 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.

• 

  Michael T.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 13, 2024

  Panola Mountain State Park Campground

  Everything as promised

  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.

• 

  Tia K.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 25, 2024

  Victoria Campground

  Peaceful spot

  Easy access to the lake for paddleboarding; lot was close enough to paddle 1/2 mile to day use area/marina restaurant. Nicely shaded and good proximity to restrooms.

• 

  Tia K.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 25, 2024

  Sweetwater Campground

  Shaded and spacious

  Easy access to Lake Alatoona with good views, minimal shade and access area was swampy on my lot but manageable. Water surprisingly chilly in summer from the Etowah River.

• T

  Travis W.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 19, 2024

  Salacoa Creek Park

  Nice little campground, tent spots could be better

  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!

• 

  Michael T.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 18, 2024

  Sweetwater Creek State Park Campground

  A quiet oasis away from RVs

  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.

• 

  Allen S.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 12, 2024

  Red Top Mountain State Park Campground

  Beautiful campground with a couple of issues

  Recently 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.

• 

  Kris

  Scout

  

  Oct. 12, 2024

  Atlanta West Campground

  Great place

  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!

• 

  Jessica D.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 22, 2024

  Mckinney Campground

  Quiet, scenic, serene

  We stayed at site 125 with a full view of the lake. We could watch the sunset & the sunrise each day and it was incredible. There is plenty of tree cover & wilderness surrounding you. Bath houses were decent (albeit a little outdated). Our spot had a pretty bad ant infestation & they ended up getting into our trailer, which I had to scour with spray, etc. But what can you do? Just bring some supplies in case. What we really liked about this campground is how natural the surroundings are. You're really immersed in the wooded area with a view of the beautiful lake & the sounds of birdsong, etc. Good campground for bikes as things are spread out (swimming beach, bathhouses). We would certainly come back!

• R

  Richard F.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 18, 2024

  Duckett Mill

  Nice and Quiet

  Nice campsites with water and electricity. Almost all the sites have view of lake and many have access to the lake for swimming or paddle boarding or boating. Nice breeze off the lake. Will be back many times.

• 

  Nik J.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 12, 2024

  Bolding Mill

  Nice place to stay

  We stayed in site 7 and we really enjoyed it. The site was clean and the pad was very level.

  We had a minor issue popping the 30amp breaker but switched over to the 50 amp adapter and all worked fine.

  Didn’t use the bath house but I did go check them out and they looked clean.

  I would caution big rigs on the first loop (sites 2 - 9) the loop at the back is pretty tight. We did fine with our 28’ TT but anyone over 30’ might want to consider the other loops.

  Driving through and looking at the other sites some of the picnic areas need to be reworked or at the very least mowed and weeded. If it wasn’t for that sort of stuff I would give it 5 stars.

• J

  James E.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 27, 2024

  Chattahoochee Bend State Park Campground

  Maiden Voyage

  We just bought our first RV and it was a 22 foot Class C. We decided to stay close to home to try it out, learn everything on it in a forgiving place. Chattahoochee Bend was perfect. Drive through spot for our RV with 50AMP, 30AMP, water and dump service. The place is clean, quiet and in great shape! Electric bikes made it all the more fun, since the single road in, out and all about is quite hilly. Plenty of hiking trails!

• 

  Angela B.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 11, 2024

  Stone Mountain Park Campground

  Safari tent

  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.

• C

  Chris C.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 10, 2024

  Sweetwater Campground

  Camping weekends

  Great place to camp and just relax and watch all children play and laugh.

• A

  Andrew B.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 24, 2024

  Gatewood Park Campground

  Don't

  This place was a nightmare. I booked primitive site #4, that whole site is on a hill, the only flat place is where you park, and that's not really flat either. Needless to say it was difficult to set anything up; tents, food, games, etc... The campsites at this campground are very close together, and unfortunately our neighbors were very inconsiderate blasting country music all night long, they literally pulled an all-nighter, no joke, even after my wife and I asked them to turn the concert down at 3:30am, they got silent for about 1 to 2 minutes, and then started it right back up. The lake area where you swim is pretty gross, there are tons of people in a relatively small area, and pontoon boats pull right up to where the rope is that contains the swim area and cook out on their grills smoking out the swim area while idling petrol fumes and exhaust in to the water. We did manage to have some fun with making a fire, and although the lake was disgusting, it did feel good because it was 100 degrees outside. We decided to pack up and leave a day early, it was that bad. Find another campground to go to, or change your dates of your trip to avoid this place, do whatever you need to do to not end up here.

• 

  Greg S.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 18, 2024

  Victoria Campground

  4.7 stars

  This is a smaller COE campground than most we have stayed at, which is nice in a way. The playground and beach were never crowded, and it was pretty quiet with the exception of the boat traffic. The campground is right next to a public boat ramp, beach, marina, and restaurant. It's super convenient but not as quiet as some other COE places. We loved it because we brought our boat and tied it up by our site. The sites are not huge but plenty big, and there are many great waterfront spots. Ours was nice for swimming with clean water and a nice drop-off. It is a mixed bag in terms of privacy. While there was plenty of space between us and our neighbors, the sites were laid out so that even with our campers hooked up, we could always see each other. Took away slightly from the experience, but it was still a very fun place. We will go back next summer. I think that 22 is the best spot, followed by the waterfront pull-through spots on the cove.

• 

  Ali P.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 17, 2024

  Brooks Lake Campground

  Short 3 day stay

  Great little place to camp. Beautiful lake. Bathrooms and showers are on site.

• 

  Jeanne P.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 16, 2024

  Sweetwater Campground

  No rules enforcement

  Loud music loud voices bright lights generators used on tent site. Party to 2 am. No rules enforced even when you complain to the host. Then this is the place for you. You can get away with whatever you want. Expect No sleep!!

• 

  Katrina P.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 16, 2024

  Duckett Mill

  Beautiful camping

  My family and I camped here for the weekend. Our campsite was beautiful and level. We could easily accommodate our pop-up camper and a 4-person tent with room to spare! My son was able to play and explore. My only critic would be that we were a little let down at the condition of the beach and that there was no playground when there was one listed on the grounds map. We will definitely be returning nonetheless.

• R

  Ron G.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 14, 2024

  Bush Head Shoals Park

  a hidden gem

  We found this campsite while looking for an overnighter while traveling.  We are on a motorcycle so we checked with Raven to make sure we would be good.  The roads are gravel but well maintained.  We had no problems getting in.  The spots are well maintained, no power or water, so be prepared.  For the price, you won't find a better campground.

• 

  olivia A.

  Scout

  

  May. 26, 2024

  Bolding Mill

  Family friendly

  Great camp ground. Very clean and well maintained.

• 

  Deb F.

  Traveler

  

  May. 23, 2024

  McIntosh Reserve Park

  Macintosh Reserve

  The best place to camp Fish Enjoy the Chattahoochee

• L

  Lauren M.

  Traveler

  

  May. 20, 2024

  Old Federal

  Family getaway

  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

• H

  Hanna P.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 22, 2024

  Shady Grove Campground

  Deer everywhere!

  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.

• 

  Lucy P.

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 21, 2024

  Payne Campground

  Nice campground, missing some amenities

  This campground is full of beautiful lakeside sites! Many are well-spaced, but some are close together. We camped with our van in one of the tent sites because the rv sites were full.

  The drawbacks are that the bathhouse is pretty old and FAR from most of the sites and there aren’t any hiking trails. But this place is great if you love boating or don’t need a bathhouse.

• B

  Bob P.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 17, 2024

  Newton Factory Shoals Rec Area

  Nice campsite

  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.

• M

  MB

  Scout

  

  Apr. 17, 2024

  Shoal Creek Campground

  Beautiful lake front AND lake view camping spots; friendly staff

  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.