Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Athens, 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. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Athens. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
Nestled between Athens and Atlanta, Fort Yargo is a 1,816-acre park located in Georgia state. Its namesake comes from a log fort that was constructed by settlers who, at the time, built it to protect themselves against the Creek and Cherokee. Nowadays, visitors flock to this park to enjoy the variety of outdoor recreation and activities.
Apart from all the recreation the park has to offer, it also provides some of the most gorgeous views in the Eastern region of the United States. Here, folks can enjoy over 20 miles of hiking and bike trails. Fort Yargo State Park is also a common location for outdoor weddings and other types of special events and celebrations.
Those looking to stay overnight have an abundance of options to choose from. The park offers 12 walk-in campsites, 13 “adventure” cabins, 40 RV and tent campsites, group shelters, and even lakeside yurts for anyone wanting a true “glamping” experience. The fees for staying overnight range from $25-135, and do not include the ParkPass fee. The ParkPass fee is $5 per day for passenger vehicles carrying a maximum of 12 people, and for passenger vehicles with additional occupants the fee is $30 per day. Additionally, there is an annual option for $50-75 per year. Luckily, visitors are only required to pay for a ParkPass once during the entirety of their stay.
The main attractions to this park are the variety of activities such as disc golf, mini golf, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, swimming, fishing, and geocaching. Disc golf has proven to be a challenge for many visitors, at least partly due to the fact that it's a densely wooded course. This park is also home to a gorgeous 260-acre lake with a seasonal beach. Visitors can enjoy a day at the lake on one of the two beach pavilions and fishing is a welcome activity as well.
$34 - $36 / night
Nestled among 3200 acres of natural beauty just outside of Atlanta, the Stone Mountain Park Campground features over 400 RV, Pop-up, and Tent sites as well as Yurt, Safari Tent, and RV Rentals. While Stone Mountain GA camping you'll also find a variety of recreational activities and family-friendly attractions and events available seasonally.
$44 - $65 / night
This recreation area is part of Lake Sidney Lanier
This recreation area is part of Hartwell Lake
$30 / night
We are proud to present our North Landing Beach camp resort & campground offering the perfect combination of amenities and rustic camping.
A playful railroad theme is just a hint of all the fun you will have at this one-of-a-kind resort. Offering full hook-up RV Sites, Cabin Rentals, and Tent Sites. The campground is full of authentic railroad boxcars, club cars, and cabooses – and you can spend the night in one! Situated on 55 acres on the enchanted Lake Oconee, North Shore Landing is a pure natural beauty. Its majestic location, located outside Atlanta, makes it one of our most enjoyable and wonderful RV camping properties. Lake Oconee not only provides a movie like background but the many recreational activities you will enjoy will keep your interest in hours. Fishing, boating or just wandering on the shoreline, it truly is an amazing spot. Plus, its proximity to the lovely town of Greensboro will be a destination you will love to explore!
$80 - $100 / night
Old Federal Campground lies on the eastern banks of Lake Sidney Lanier in Northern Georgia. Popular for its aqua-blue waters and spectacular scenery, Lake Sidney Lanier hosts over 11 million visitors annually for fantastic fishing and boating opportunities.
Old Federal Campground offers many outdoor recreation opportunities including fishing, swimming, picnicking and bike riding. On the lake there are opportunities for wake boarding, kayaking, boating and much more. There's also a swimming beach and boat ramp available for campers.
Lake Sidney Lanier is nestled in the foothills of the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains. The lake features 692 miles of shoreline and spans 38,000 surface water acres and 17,000 acres of lush terrain. The reservoir was created in 1956 with teh completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River.
This location is staffed. Please call (470) 774-7881 to speak with local staff.
Lake Lanier Islands as well as other nearby Army Corps and county parks provide may different recreation opportunities at the lake. The nearby city of Gainesville provides many opportunities for those looking to explore the local area.
Cancellations must be made via the online/phone reservation system or in person at the gatehouse. Cancellation calls to the gatehouse will not be honored.
$26 - $36 / night
Nestled between Athens and Atlanta, Fort Yargo is a 1,816-acre park located in Georgia state. Its namesake comes from a log fort that was constructed by settlers who, at the time, built it to protect themselves against the Creek and Cherokee. Nowadays, visitors flock to this park to enjoy the variety of outdoor recreation and activities.
Apart from all the recreation the park has to offer, it also provides some of the most gorgeous views in the Eastern region of the United States. Here, folks can enjoy over 20 miles of hiking and bike trails. Fort Yargo State Park is also a common location for outdoor weddings and other types of special events and celebrations.
Those looking to stay overnight have an abundance of options to choose from. The park offers 12 walk-in campsites, 13 “adventure” cabins, 40 RV and tent campsites, group shelters, and even lakeside yurts for anyone wanting a true “glamping” experience. The fees for staying overnight range from $25-135, and do not include the ParkPass fee. The ParkPass fee is $5 per day for passenger vehicles carrying a maximum of 12 people, and for passenger vehicles with additional occupants the fee is $30 per day. Additionally, there is an annual option for $50-75 per year. Luckily, visitors are only required to pay for a ParkPass once during the entirety of their stay.
The main attractions to this park are the variety of activities such as disc golf, mini golf, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, swimming, fishing, and geocaching. Disc golf has proven to be a challenge for many visitors, at least partly due to the fact that it's a densely wooded course. This park is also home to a gorgeous 260-acre lake with a seasonal beach. Visitors can enjoy a day at the lake on one of the two beach pavilions and fishing is a welcome activity as well.
$34 - $36 / night
Nestled among 3200 acres of natural beauty just outside of Atlanta, the Stone Mountain Park Campground features over 400 RV, Pop-up, and Tent sites as well as Yurt, Safari Tent, and RV Rentals. While Stone Mountain GA camping you'll also find a variety of recreational activities and family-friendly attractions and events available seasonally.
$44 - $65 / night
$30 / night
We are proud to present our North Landing Beach camp resort & campground offering the perfect combination of amenities and rustic camping.
A playful railroad theme is just a hint of all the fun you will have at this one-of-a-kind resort. Offering full hook-up RV Sites, Cabin Rentals, and Tent Sites. The campground is full of authentic railroad boxcars, club cars, and cabooses – and you can spend the night in one! Situated on 55 acres on the enchanted Lake Oconee, North Shore Landing is a pure natural beauty. Its majestic location, located outside Atlanta, makes it one of our most enjoyable and wonderful RV camping properties. Lake Oconee not only provides a movie like background but the many recreational activities you will enjoy will keep your interest in hours. Fishing, boating or just wandering on the shoreline, it truly is an amazing spot. Plus, its proximity to the lovely town of Greensboro will be a destination you will love to explore!
$80 - $100 / night
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
Amazing place. We went in the winter so it wasn't too crowded. Sites are waterfront and spacious
Guide
Very good spot near the lake. Awesome views and good signal at least for Verizon. Water pressure was a bit inconsistent so watch out for any issues that may cause
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.
Scout
Very rude and unhelpful said he would call me back to let me know if there was any openings. He never called back.
Guide
I loved everything about this campground. The sites all have beautiful views and lake access, they are decently apart from each other. And has great signal! I was getting consistent 5G 3 bars at least with Verizon. The bathrooms don't have showers so plan accordingly
Scout
Hosts were amazing and accommodating. We stayed for 2 nights for a soccer tournament and it was the perfect location. Not on the listing was an outdoor shower and my sweaty soccer son loved it. The ceiling fan and air conditioning unit do a great job of cooling in this GA heat. There was a small desk where I was able to do some work. Will definitely book again.
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.
Guide
Site 7 is separate from the others and has the whole point except there is a trail behind the site. No easy, sandy water access unless you go to the nice beach they have.
Traveler
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.
Legend
Beautiful location with a train themed well organized and super helpful staff. Tiered topography lends to beautiful lake and sunset views Used showers and laundry and both were great
Traveler
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.
LegendWe’ve camped here multiple times. We are always impressed with the spacious sites, lake access, quiet relaxing atmosphere.
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.
Scout
U can't even rent this place
LegendOn my way back from Florida to the NC mountains, I spent a night at the KOA campground on Lake Oconee in Greensboro, GA. I was in a full hook-up pull-through site#44. As you can see from the photos, the campground is right on the lake and has many campsites. The campground staff was accommodating during check-in and when getting to my site. However, the campground itself is pretty worn. Roads are poor. Decking at sites needs repair. At $108.90, for one night, there is little reinvestment in the campground grounds and facilities. The local area is proliferating with many upscale homes and businesses. I expected a more updated set of facilities. Site#44 has a lake view, which is nice, but it is one of 3 sites butted up end to end on the side of the road, with the site to my left currently unusable with some repair work going on. The site has a sizeable two-tier deck, grill, and firepit, but it had not been cleaned off in some time, with chairs and tree debris strewn around. I would skip this campground if I were back in the area.
Legend
We live in NC and have camped all over the eastern US. By far Georgia is a state with some of the very best infrastructure. Roads are great. State Parks are some of the best and we’ve camped at many. Tugaloo State Park is a nice park. Right on the lake. Lots of lake related activities. This area of the campground (sites 73-105) has a unique layout in that a large number of sites are pull through and arranged sideways along the access roads. This makes the sites long and narrow and results in close neighbors. The elongated sites mean the picnic table and fire pit are at far end and feel disconnected from the site. Roads are well maintained and sites all seemed pretty level. We were in site 97 with W/E. The bathhouse was very close, but we did not use it. We were a few rows back from the lake but had a view of the lake through the tall pines that provided some shade. We’ve camped here a couple of other times and would come back again.
Scout
Looking for a unique living experience while attending Toccoa Falls College? The Toccoa Falls College RV Park offers a fantastic opportunity for students to enjoy the beauty of nature right on campus. This student-only RV park provides a peaceful, community-oriented environment perfect for studying and relaxing. With convenient access to campus facilities and the stunning Toccoa Falls just a short walk away, it's an ideal option for those who love the great outdoors. leon s kennedy leather jacket Whether you're a full-time RV dweller or just looking for a temporary spot, the Toccoa Falls College RV Park has you covered!
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,
Guide
Great little place to camp. Beautiful lake. Bathrooms and showers are on site.
TravelerMy 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.
Scout
Cabin 3 stars- Older cabin, clean, spacious with very large living area, loft area small and a bit dingy, shared porch Campground 3 stars-wooded, shady, hilly Amenities 3 stars- a bit run down Staff 3 stars-average
Scout
Lots of quality quiet time short walk to Arabia Mountain part hiking fishing and bike riding saw people roller skating also. Very unique place I’ve visited to many times to list for extended periods it’s my get away from the crazy city place
ScoutGreat camp ground. Very clean and well maintained.
TravelerCame here for the first time last year and I love that it’s in the middle of no where. We had a great place next to the beach and the gate workers were so sweet!
Camping near Athens, Georgia, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled weekend, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping around Athens, Georgia, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Athens, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Athens, GA offers a wide range of camping options, with 116 campgrounds and RV parks near Athens, GA and 2 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Athens, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Athens, GA is Fort Yargo State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 40 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Athens, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Athens, GA.
What parks are near Athens, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 16 parks near Athens, GA that allow camping, notably Lake Sidney Lanier and Hartwell Lake.
