best-campsites-georgia

Best Campsites in Georgia

With 63 state parks inside Georgia’s borders, there really isn’t a bad campsite to pick from. Each one offers a unique view of the Peach State, from its blackwater swamps to its towering pine trees.

Home to the North Georgia Mountains, one of the state’s most popular attractions is the sea of lush green peaks that fade into a deep cerulean in the distance. Luckily, this gorgeous backdrop is not only visible but also explorable from many of Georgia’s campsites and grounds. Not to mention, many of the campgrounds have direct access to waterfalls, lakes and shorelines for waterfront adventures and relaxation during your trip.

With all that Georgia’s parks have to offer, it can be hard to choose which campsite is right for your group and their interests. But don’t sweat it – Outsider has put together a list of the most popular and unique campsites throughout the Empire State of the South for campers and adventurers of all kinds.

Browse below to find out where in Georgia’s 85,000 acres of parklands you should stake your tent.

Georgia, Cloudland Canyon State Park, Resting Hikers. (Photo by Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Cloudland Canyon State Park

For the all-around adventurers.

  • Location: 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road, Rising Fawn, GA 30738
  • Campground contact: (706) 657-4050
  • Park hours: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Campground website

Cloudland Canyon State Park has the most popular campsites throughout Georgia – and for good reason. Situated along the western edge of Lookout Mountain, the park is home to thousand-foot-deep canyons as well as a variety of creeks, caves, cliffs and waterfalls. Nearly every trail leads you to a new natural beauty within Georgia’s wildlands which is why so many choose to make their trip to Cloudland Canyon last the weekend.

Cloudland Canyon has two campgrounds – East and West Rims. The East Rim campsites are in close proximity to the Visitor Center and other attractions, while the West Rim is a bit more secluded and offers a quieter experience of the park.

Campground breakdown:

  • 13 backcountry campsites: $8 per night
  • 30 walk-in tent sites: $20 per night
  • 72 electric hook-up sites: $32 to $36 per night
  • 4 pioneer campsites: $55 per night
  • 16 cottages: $160 per night
  • 10 yurts: $100 per night

Cloudland Canyon amenities: phone service, campground market, trash cans, picnic tables, drinking water, electric hookups, bathhouses with flush toilets and showers, sanitary dump, pull-through sites and big rig-friendly sites.

Though Cloudland Canyon has an abundance of camping options, these sites fill up quickly, especially from spring to fall. Luckily, reservations are available year-round and are highly recommended for weekends and holidays. You can even reserve a site up to 13 months in advance of your trip.

Reserve a Cloudland Canyon campsite here.

Tallulah Gorge State Park

For the waterfall chasers.

  • Location: 338 Jane Hurt Yarn Drive, Tallulah Falls, GA 30573
  • Campground contact: (706) 754-7970
  • Park hours: 8 a.m. – dark
  • Campground website

Welcome to the waterfall capital of Georgia, otherwise known as Tallulah Gorge State Park. Stretching nearly two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep, the gorge beckons visitors to its rim trails where they can watch the power and might behind the rushing, white waters. Not to mention, the Gorge was featured in the Marvel movie, Infinity War. Hurricane Falls was the location for the final battle in Wakanda.

While the park has over 2,700 acres, much of the land here is dominated by rushing waters. Because of this, there aren’t quite as many campsites here to choose from, and the ones that are available book fast and tend to stay booked for the season. That said, it’s imperative that you make reservations as far in advance as possible.

Campground breakdown

  • 3 backcountry campsites: $20 per night
  • 52 electric hook-up sites: $37 per night
  • 1 pioneer campsite: $45 per night

Tallulah Gorge amenities: phone service, campground market, trash cans, picnic tables, drinking water, electric hookups, bathhouses with flush toilets and showers, laundry facilities, sanitary dump, pull-through sites, big rig-friendly sites and ADA-accessible sites.

Also close to the campsites are a sandy beach, the Visitor Center, a suspension bridge, a gift shop and two playgrounds.

Reserve a Tallulah Gorge campsite here.

Waterfalls Along The Tallulah River At Tallulah Gorge In North Georgia, USA. (Photo By: MyLoupe/UIG Via Getty Images)

Vogel State Park

For the leaf-peepers and anglers.

  • Location: 405 Vogel State Park Road, Blairsville, GA 30512
  • Campground contact: (706) 745-2628
  • Park hours: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Campground website

Located at the base of Blood Mountain in Chattahoochee National Forest, Vogel State Park is one of Georgia’s oldest state parks. Similar to Tallulah Gorge, Vogel State Park is particularly popular during the fall, when a velvet blanket of scarlet and golden hues covers the landscape. In the heart of the park’s 233 acres sits the 22-acre lake known as Lake Trahlyta which attracts anglers from all over Appalachia to its borders to catch spotted bass, fingerling rainbow trout and more.

Surrounding Lake Trahlyta are dozens of cottages, campsites and primitive backpacking sites to choose from. That means plenty of room to spread out and invite the whole family for a leaf-peeping and fishing adventure.

Campground breakdown

  • 29 electric hook-up sites: $34 – $36 per night
  • 18 walk-in tent sites: $30 per night
  • 1 pioneer campsite: $55 per night
  • 34 cottages: $135 – $200 per night

Vogel amenities: phone service, campground market, trash cans, picnic tables, drinking water, electric hookups, bathhouses with flush toilets and showers, sanitary dump, pull-through sites, big rig-friendly sites and ADA-accessible sites.

Reserve a Vogel State Park campsite here.

Providence Canyon State Recreation Area

For western enthusiasts.

  • Location: 8930 Canyon Road, Lumpkin, GA 31815
  • Campground contact: (229) 838-6202
  • Park hours: September 15–April 14: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.; April 15–September 14: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
  • Campground website

For those that can survive without plumbing and air conditioning for a few days, Providence Canyon State Park is an absolute can’t-miss. With red canyon walls, it’s the closest thing the East Coast has to a red rock national park, hence its nickname, “Little Grand Canyon.”

Unlike most of Georgia’s campgrounds, you won’t find quite as many options in Providence Canyon. Here, there are only two types of camping, which means you won’t have many amenities onsite. However, with how breathtaking the landscape is, you won’t miss those front-country comforts at all.

Campground breakdown:

  • 3 pioneer campsites: $40 per night
  • 6 backcountry campsites: $10 per night

Providence Canyon amenities: trash cans, picnic tables, drinking water, toilets and ADA-accessible sites.

Reserve a Providence Canyon campsite here.

Elijah Clark State Park

For the beach-goers.

  • Location: 2959 McCormick Highway, Lincolnton, GA 30817
  • Campground contact: (706) 359-3458
  • Park hours: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Campground website

Of course, we can’t talk about waterside campsites in Georgia without mentioning the highly popular Elijah Clark State Park, located along the western shore of the 71,100-acre Clarks Hill Lake. With boat ramps, fishing piers and sandy beaches, this is the go-to destination for natives in search of some island time from the comfort of their home state.

The park, itself, was named after Georgia war hero and Revolutionary War leader Elijah Clark. To honor the inspiration behind its name, the state park also has a log cabin museum on site that displays furniture, utensils and tools from the 1780s, adding a bit of education to your lakeside trip.

Campground breakdown:

  • 172 electric hook-up sites: $38 per night
  • 10 walk-in tent sites: $22 per night
  • 1 pioneer campsite: $45 per night
  • 20 cottages: $150 per night

Elijah Clark amenities: phone service, campground market, trash cans, picnic tables, drinking water, electric hookups, bathhouses with flush toilets and showers, sanitary dump, pull-through sites, big rig-friendly sites and ADA-accessible sites.

Reserve an Elijah Clark campsite here.