Best Dispersed Camping near Summerville, GA

Recent Dispersed Reviews in Summerville

25 Reviews of 8 Summerville Campgrounds

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  Lakisha D.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 16, 2024

  Tennessee Wall Camp

  Awesome escape

  Great sites with fire pits.

• 

  Sarah H.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 24, 2024

  Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA

  Blue Hole is neat

  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.

• 

  Robyn W.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 1, 2024

  Hidden Creek Campground

  Very Decent Primitive Spot

  Overall we enjoyed this stay! GPS wants to take you to where the road dead ends but the actual turn off is before the end of the road on the right where the big wood sign is. The first road is pretty nice but then the road forks. We went right which goes up, passed an open gate followed the road LOTS OF DEEP POTHOLES. The road then opens up to a four way, we kept going straight, followed the road down and then came to three sites all empty. It was quiet and we were alone so overall we enjoyed other than the deep potholes. Our truck is pretty high and 4x4 so wasn’t too bad for us but a low car may not fair as well. We were there on a Friday

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  heidi H.

  Traveler

  

  May. 4, 2024

  Hidden Creek Campground

  Pretty Decent Place to Stay

  A little farther off the highway than I wanted to go, but definitely a solid free campsite. There are a few substantial pot holes, so wouldn’t recommend for someone driving a super low vehicle. Also GPS isn’t perfect. It will take u to someone’s private property next door. Look for the big wooden sign that indicates that it is for public use.

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  sav

  Guide

  

  Aug. 14, 2023

  Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA

  Awesome!

  I loved it there. So peaceful! A couple of other people there and a little bit of trash, but I picked it up. Leave it better than you found it right? It rained, so no bugs, but that’s prob not true for the dry days…

• 

  richard C.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 4, 2023

  Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA

  Cool hole, not worth the trip

  The campground was beyond capacity. Went to the Ada site and it looked like it was a cruel joke? Unsure. But there's no way. The spring looked amazing but couldn't camp. Can't add pics atm. Also, stepped out just to see the clearance on a turn and got in with 4 ticks on me.

• 

  TNWoodsman

  Traveler

  

  May. 18, 2023

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Moto Camping

  Review from the perspective of a motorcycle traveler tent camping. Tent sites are near a frog pond. Access was a bit rough. Easy on a motorcycle but could be difficult for a car. Saw a copperhead while strolling around pond.

• 

  Ava R.

  Guide

  

  May. 13, 2023

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Camp

  Quiet but muddy

  This is a great FREE spot right outside the hunters entrance of prentice cooper state forest. There are about 12 spots and it wasn’t crowded when we came on a Saturday. It is a bit muddy but it is manageable.

• 

  Ava R.

  Guide

  

  May. 13, 2023

  Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA

  Great FREE spot!

  We stayed 3 days 2 nights here in our 21’ pop up camper with our generator. Road is pretty well maintained, spots are good size, some only large enough for tent/car camping. We were never bothered and it’s right down the road from blue hole and Ellison Cave trail.

• 

  Gabrielle D.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 16, 2022

  Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

  Group camping

  First location was Hickey Gap, we got there around 1 on a Friday and it was full so we headed to the primitive group camping site. Gravel road, lots of rocks included, and dust but if your not worried about your car do it! We had an suv but I saw a handful of sedans that made it up. We got to the group site at 1:20 or so and there was only one person at first but slowly people start trickling in. We stayed 2 nights but a lot of people stayed for 1. The look out driving up is awesome and the lake it gorgeous. Watch out for bears.

• 

  Michael M.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 13, 2022

  Blue Hole Dispersed- Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA

  Good dispersed camping at the blue hole

  It has a blue hole an caves no electricity or running water but the camp sites are pretty good. An the do have a handicap access area for rvs to do disperse camping also an parking for the bluehole ...no one to bother you!

• 

  Steve V.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 19, 2022

  Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

  Large Dispersed Camping Field

  This is a large field for dispersed camping along Conasauga Lake Road that is popular with both hikers (Emery Creek Trail and Tear Britches Trail both have trailheads here) and Overlanders (site is on the Big Frog Loop and Georgia Traverse). There are multiple fire rings established around the field and this field can handle many groups. No water or facilities here, but you can go down to the Lake Conasauga Campground about a mile away and use their facilities for a $5 fee. The field is fairly sloped, so you want to have some shoring if you are in a trailer, roof top tent, or van.

• 

  Roy B.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 6, 2021

  Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

  Grassy Field in forested mountainous area.

  This is a primitive group camping area close to Lake Conasauga. GPS is 34.86064073010609,-84.63659794105651. (Photos and this review are from my last stay here on 31 Oct- 02 Nov 2021.) 

  The camping field is at the base of Bald Mountain, altitude 4005'. Nearby Tearbritches Trail will take you to the summit of Bald Mountain and then down to the Conasauga River. The Emery Creek Trail is at the back of the camping area. There are some fire pits in the open field. 

  The cell connection is intermittent and usually only one bar(or no cell). 

  This area is fairly remote and the rough gravel forest service roads are best traveled by a higher clearance vehicle. 2x2 usually works ok though. (It takes patience and a while to get here.) This is a popular mountain bike area and the cyclists can easily hit speeds of 30MPH on the sketchy downhills.

• 

  Roy B.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 13, 2021

  Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

  Remote. Field.

  34.860688452654024,-84.63670121000321

  Stayed here a number of times during each of the four seasons. Fairly remote for eastern U.S, (but I have watched, over the past 2 decades, Atlanta grow northward, and a lot of development in Ellijay and Blue Ridge areas, and it is a little depressing).  Access is by gravel roads. There are bears in the area and they love food. (A fed bear is a dead bear-please don't leave any food out and scare them away if they come around.)

  No amenities. Lake Conasauga is nearby which has some amenities. One can hike up to the top of nearby Bald Mountain and then hike down to the Conasauga River. One can look for butterflies, other insects, birds, flowers, etc. There are many trails in the Cohutta Wilderness, which is just to the north.

  I will post some photos of nearby Bald Mountain and the trail head for Tearbritches Trail. Other photos of the area here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rbinv/albums/72157634085883873

  (N34 51.670 W84 38.120) This leads over the highest western-most mountain in the eastern U.S., and then down to Bray Field at the junction of Tearbritches Creek and the Conasauga River(N34 53.897 W84 37.296)- It is a long steep grade down to the Conasauga(1-way distance is 3.4 miles)| 30 August 2013

  Here are some notes I took about the vegetation in the area:

  The north-northeasterly facing slope of Bald Mountain within a half-mile of the summit, elevation 4005'. Mostly New York Fern(Thelypteris noveboracensis) here, but also saw Hay-scented(Dennstaedtia punctilobula), Cinnamon(Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), and Interrupted Ferns(Osmunda claytoniana) in this immediate area. New York Ferns are common throughout the widerness| Tearbritches Trail, Cohutta Wilderness, N. Georgia Mountains| 30 August 2013

• 

  Cole T.

  Guide

  

  May. 14, 2021

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Great

  Prentice Cooper is an amazing place and offers two campgrounds and several backcountry camping spots. There is a campground not too far after pulling in the gravel road that has some really nice spots. The other campground requires you to drive down a gravel road for approximately 7 miles and then down some trails that require high clearance. This campground is nice and tooked into the woods with a pond nearby. There are several OHV trails in prentice Cooper and the place can get very crowded on the weekends. Definitely recommend going during the week.

• 

  Marguerite S.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 26, 2021

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Pond Camping - Long drive

  This really wasn’t bad! Other than us not being sure where to go. We drove for what felt like 20 miles down a well kept unpaved road from the entrance but I think it reality was only 5.5 miles. There’s a gravel lot next to the pond which is where we set up our rooftop tent on surprisingly 0° incline on all sides so we had a very level set up. There grassy are is fenced off but has multiple fire pits for dispersed camping. Not much for a weekend trip unless you want to hike and the hikes are pretty mediocre. There’s an overlook somewhere but we were just testing our gear so didn’t go searching for it. Would camp again if we had to but won’t go out of our way to stay here.

• 

  Benjamin C.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 22, 2020

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  We loved this place!

  My wife and I are getting into Overlanding and we heard this was a good place for OHV trails and dispersed camping. We came down for just the day to check the Forest out. It was really wet and Sulfur Branch/Braddison was very torn up. We got stuck but was lended a hand. Other than that the place was taken care of and there was plenty of folks out that Saturday. The over looks are beautiful!! If your going to hit the trails either have a winch or wait till it’s dry! Have FUN

• 

  Tyler J.

  Ranger

  

  Mar. 20, 2020

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Wonderful tn camping

  A secluded spot in a protected forest not far from Chattanooga. You can camp at the ranger station, but your best bet is to drive out to the pond and camp in the middle of the forest

• 

  Tyler J.

  Ranger

  

  Mar. 19, 2020

  Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area

  Dispersed & wonderful view of Southern sky

  This is one of my favorite types of spots: remote, little light pollution, and deep in the mountains. I searched on terrain maps for some of the best south facing skies for a great view of the belt of the milky way. Go here on a new moon night in the summer and you're sure to have a great night of uninterrupted beauty!

• 

  Nate H.

  Legend

  

  May. 27, 2019

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  If you want seclusion, this is your spot!

  We stayed at the Davis Pond Campground which is about a 15min drive back into the park. If you want to stay here you have to be there before dark as they close the gates at dark. It's basically like having your own small park in the middle of the mountains on a small bass pond. There was one other couple staying there and it was Memorial Day weekend so I would be surprised if you run into many people out there. There are also tons of places to backpack in and camp. We were on the last leg of 3 campgrounds in 3 days so we had our rooftop tent but want to try packing in to one of the many hike in sites. Caught 4 largemouth bass in about 15 minutes of fishing on the pond, largest being about a 1lb. You will deal with some ATV/Jeep traffic during the weekends which can cause some dust to deal with and the pit bathrooms are about as disgusting as I've ever seen. They really should just bulldoze them down and it would make it even better but outside of that this campground is absolutely amazing if you are looking for seclusion. Expect about an hour and a half drive from Knoxville.

• 

  Lori H.

  Legend

  

  May. 27, 2019

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Truly roughing it!

  Prentice Cooper WMA is a great place if you’re looking to be in the wilderness. Keep in mind, this is a wildlife management area, so If you are not hunting, might want to avoid it during hunting season, you can find season dates on TWRA website.

  There are only two campground areas in PC, but it looks like you can backcountry camp on the map. Davis Pond and Hunters Check Station Campground and the two campground areas. There aren’t any hookups at either site. Hunters Check is a heavily wooded area, near the big game check building. Davis Pond is more of an open field by the pond, and that’s where we stayed. Only one other then there while we were there! There’s plenty of room for multiple tents and great hammock spots. There’s a trailhead that goes to blowing wind falls from the campground too. My husband caught several large mouth bass in the pond too (catch and release). There a lot of ATV, UTV, dirt bikes, jeeps, etc. riding the area, but there’s no riding after dusk, so at Davis Pond it’s very quiet and peaceful with only the sounds of nature! DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT even think of entering the “restroom” at Davis Pond. They really should demolish it. Completely disgusting. And creepy. So be advised, there is no USABLE restroom, you are truly roughing it! Great area for peace and quiet!

• 

  Kelly M.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 1, 2018

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Expansive forest with gorgeous fall colors

  We came here to camp among the turning trees one September. It is a huge area and I didn't see any camping other than primitive tent sites. Worked for us! I would like to go back when it's swimming season and jump in the sweet little falls. The fall colors were off the hook but might be even better in October. True to its name it is 'dispersed' with no 'main attraction' site- which is actually awesome if you're looking for seclusion, since people are spread out across the area.

• 

  Arden S.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 19, 2018

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Seclusion

  The forest is beautiful but also huge. You can definitely get lost driving around or hiking. If you're looking for a quiet place to camp near Chattanooga this is it.

• 

  Jeff W.

  Traveler

  

  May. 29, 2018

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Roughing it

  Good hiking, hunting, etc.

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  Sarah N.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 16, 2016

  Prentice Cooper State Forest Dispersed

  Dispersed Camping in Prentice Cooper State Forest

  We loved exploring Prentice Cooper State Forest! What a gem! We actually stayed in one of the camping areas, but next time we'd like to backpack instead. We ran a bunch of the trails - enjoyed the views - wonderful spot.