Atlanta Camping Articles

Atlanta Guide: Camping Within 0 - 25 miles

Atlanta Highlights

Since Atlanta is located at the nexus of varied physiographic provinces of Georgia, area residents can head in all four cardinal directions to find different settings in which to camp. There are mountains to the north, ridge and valley country to the west, and the Piedmont to the south and east.
Sweetwater Campground offers numerous lakefront campsites on Lake Allatoona. The 200-plus site camping area, bordered by gently rolling piney hills, offers electric and non-electric sites. Make reservations, as this campground can fill up on summer weekends, especially holidays. The rules are enforced so all can have a good time, so if you are looking to raise a ruckus, go elsewhere.
War Hill Campground offers a relatively less hectic setting than the southern shores of Lake Lanier. The campground is on a hill nearly encircled by water and connected to the mainland by a narrow peninsula, covered in pines and hardwoods. Many campers like to pull their boats directly up to their campsite. Enjoy the swim beach or super-long pier for fishing or relaxing.
The small, quiet forest service Oconee River Campground is located along the banks of the Oconee River. Five wooded campsites are laid out in a hilly loop above the stream. The Scull Shoals Trail leads upstream along the right bank one mile to Scull Shoals Historic Area. Paddling is a must on this pretty river. Start at the campground and end at Dyar Pasture. The last part of the run is on slack water.
Camping at Lake Sinclair Beach Campground is much cheaper than buying a lakefront lot. Waterfront sites allow easy water access but still offer woodsy solitude. Once here, you can enjoy the beach, relax in the sun, swim, take your boat out on the lake, or do a little hiking from the campground. Lake Sinclair Beach only gets crowded on summer holiday weekends.
Amicalola Falls State Park features a 729-foot waterfall, an intimate campground, first-rate hiking trails, some of the best interpretive programs anywhere in the country, and a lodge where you can stuff yourself silly after your outdoorsy adventures. The campground was made "campable" with a surprising amount of leveling work on a dry, wooded slope not far from the actual Amicalola Falls.

By Travel Expert: Johnny Molloy