Best Campgrounds in Georgia

Georgia offers some of the most diverse camping experiences in the southeastern United States. From the misty mountains of the north to the coastal marshlands of the south, the Peach State delivers natural beauty in spades. Whether you’re seeking family-friendly amenities or secluded wilderness, these exceptional Georgia campgrounds provide unforgettable outdoor adventures. Let’s explore the state’s finest places to pitch a tent or park an RV.

Vogel State Park

Number of Campsites: 103
Reservation Website: gastateparks.org/Vogel
Address: 405 Vogel State Park Road, Blairsville, GA 30512

Nestled at the base of Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Vogel State Park stands as one of Georgia’s oldest and most beloved state parks. The campground sits at 2,500 feet elevation, where cool mountain air drifts through towering hardwoods that transform into a spectacular kaleidoscope of color each autumn.

The centerpiece of the park is the 22-acre Lake Trahlyta, its still waters perfectly mirroring the surrounding mountains. Morning fog often clings to the surface, gradually burning away as sunlight filters through the canopy. Campers wake to the sound of songbirds and the gentle rustling of leaves, nature’s perfect alarm clock.

The campsites themselves offer varying levels of privacy, with some nestled against the treeline and others providing views of the water. Paved pads make for easy setup, while fire rings beckon for evening s’mores sessions and storytelling. The comfortable spacing between sites strikes that perfect balance between community and solitude.

Hikers can access the challenging 4-mile Bear Hair Gap Trail directly from camp, climbing to a ridge with sweeping vistas of the park below. For the truly adventurous, the famous Appalachian Trail crosses nearby at Neels Gap. After a day of exploration, cool off with a swim in the lake’s designated beach area or try your luck fishing for trout in the streams.

When temperatures drop, the campground transforms. The mountains receive a dusting of snow, and the crowd thins to hardy souls who appreciate the pristine winter landscape and crackling campfires that seem to burn brighter against the cold.

Cumberland Island National Seashore

Number of Campsites: 27 (primitive camping only)
Reservation Website: recreation.gov
Address: 101 Wheeler Street, St. Marys, GA 31558

Cumberland Island exists as a world apart—a barrier island where wild horses roam free across windswept dunes and beneath moss-draped live oaks. Accessible only by ferry, this National Seashore offers what few places in the eastern United States can: genuine seclusion.

The camping here is primitive by design, preserving the island’s untamed character. Sea Camp, the most accessible campground, features fire rings, cold showers, and drinking water. But venture further north to Stafford Beach or the wilderness sites, and you’ll find yourself truly unplugged from civilization, with only the rhythmic crashing of Atlantic waves as your soundtrack.

The island stretches seventeen miles long, its eastern edge defined by pristine beaches where loggerhead turtles nest and shore birds dart between the surf and sand. Massive dunes, some reaching thirty feet tall, stand as silent sentinels protecting the maritime forest beyond. These remarkable dunes shift and change with each passing storm, a landscape in constant motion.

Mornings on Cumberland bring mist rising from salt marshes on the western shore, where herons wade patiently in the shallows. Midday finds sunlight dappling through the oak canopy, creating patterns on the forest floor. And evenings? Pure magic, as the setting sun paints the sky in watercolor hues of orange and purple over the darkening ocean.

The island’s wild residents make frequent appearances—armadillos snuffling through the underbrush, deer watching cautiously from thickets, and of course, the famous feral horses, descendants of those brought by early settlers. These magnificent creatures move like ghosts through meadows and across beaches, their manes catching the breeze.

History buffs will appreciate exploring the ruins of Dungeness, a Carnegie mansion slowly being reclaimed by nature. Its weathered tabby walls and skeletal chimneys create a hauntingly beautiful scene against the maritime landscape.

Cloudland Canyon State Park

Number of Campsites: 72 standard sites, 30 walk-in sites, 13 yurts, 10 cottages
Reservation Website: gastateparks.org/CloudlandCanyon
Address: 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road, Rising Fawn, GA 30738

Perched on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, Cloudland Canyon delivers on its dreamlike name. The park’s dramatic landscape features one of the most spectacular canyons in the Southeast, where sandstone cliffs plunge a thousand feet to the canyon floor below.

The main campground sits near the canyon rim, offering easy access to the most breathtaking overlooks. Each morning, campers can stroll a short distance to watch the sun rise over the vast gorge, illuminating layers of mist that pool in the canyon’s depths. The effect is otherworldly—hence the fitting name.

Sites are thoughtfully designed, many featuring natural borders of mountain laurel and rhododendron that burst into bloom during spring months. The east rim campsites provide the most shade beneath a mixed hardwood forest, while the west rim sites offer more open skies for stargazers.

The real magic of Cloudland lies in its network of trails. The Waterfalls Trail descends via staircases into the canyon, where Cherokee Falls and Hemlock Falls cascade over ancient rock ledges into emerald pools below. In winter, these falls sometimes freeze into spectacular ice sculptures. The 5-mile West Rim Loop Trail delivers vista after vista, each seemingly more impressive than the last.

Evening brings a special quality of light to the canyon walls, the setting sun painting the sandstone in warm amber tones. As darkness falls, the remote location reveals a canopy of stars rarely seen near cities. On clear nights, the Milky Way stretches across the sky like a celestial river.

Rock climbers test their skills on the canyon walls, their colorful gear contrasting against the natural stone. Mountain bikers cruise the Five Points Recreation Area trails through forests of oak and hickory. In autumn, the entire landscape transforms into a tapestry of red, orange, and gold that seems to glow from within.

Stephen C. Foster State Park

Number of Campsites: 66
Reservation Website: gastateparks.org/StephenCFoster
Address: 17515 Highway 177, Fargo, GA 31631

Deep in Georgia’s mysterious Okefenokee Swamp lies Stephen C. Foster State Park, a gateway to one of America’s most ancient and primeval landscapes. This remote outpost sits at the edge of the “Land of Trembling Earth,” as the Okefenokee was known to indigenous peoples, where floating peat beds give the sensation of walking on shaky ground.

The campground feels like a clearing in a prehistoric world. Sites are spacious and level, surrounded by towering cypress trees draped in Spanish moss that sways like spectral curtains in the gentle breeze. The atmosphere is hushed, respectful—as if the swamp itself commands reverence.

At night, the park reveals its most remarkable feature: it’s one of the darkest places in Georgia, designated as a Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Park. The stars emerge with startling clarity, their reflections doubling in the still black water of Billy’s Lake. The Milky Way sprawls across the heavens, unobscured by city lights.

Days here revolve around water. Canoes and kayaks glide silently along water trails that meander through cypress forests and open prairies. Alligators sun themselves on logs, barely opening an eye as paddlers drift past. Turtles plop from their perches at the approach of humans, creating concentric rings on the water’s surface.

The swamp breathes with life—bird calls echo through the trees, from the haunting cry of barred owls asking “who cooks for you?” to the prehistoric-sounding calls of sandhill cranes. Carnivorous plants like sundew and pitcher plants add to the otherworldly atmosphere, their specialized leaves glistening with sticky traps for unsuspecting insects.

During spring and summer, the air fills with the chorus of frogs and insects creating a symphony that swells with the setting sun. Fireflies dance through the darkness, their synchronous flashing creating a light show unlike any other.

F.D. Roosevelt State Park

Number of Campsites: 140
Reservation Website: gastateparks.org/FDRoosevelt
Address: 2970 GA-190, Pine Mountain, GA 31822

Draped across the rolling Pine Mountain ridge in west-central Georgia, F.D. Roosevelt State Park combines natural beauty with rich historical significance. Georgia’s largest state park was a favored retreat of its presidential namesake, who found solace and healing in these forested hills.

The campgrounds spread across several sections, each with its distinct character. The most popular sites ring the serene edges of Lake Delanor, where early morning mist hovers above the water and ambitious anglers cast their lines for bass and bream. Other loops tuck beneath mature hardwoods that provide dappled shade during Georgia’s warm summers.

Throughout the park, impressive stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s stand as testaments to Roosevelt’s New Deal programs. These rustic buildings blend harmoniously with the landscape, their weathered stone seeming to grow directly from the hillsides.

The true highlight for many campers is access to the 23-mile Pine Mountain Trail. This footpath traverses ridgelines offering far-reaching views across the valley, before dipping into cool hollows where small waterfalls splash over moss-covered rocks. In spring, the forest floor erupts in wildflowers—trillium, wild azalea, and lady slippers paint the understory in delicate hues.

For those seeking solitude, the backcountry sites along the trail offer a more immersive experience. After the day hikers have returned to their cars, these remote campers have the mountain practically to themselves, save for the barred owls that call through the twilight hours.

The nearby Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Site provides fascinating context about the president who found such comfort in these landscapes. The natural warm springs that drew Roosevelt here still bubble from the ground at a constant 88 degrees, now preserved within Warm Springs Historic District.

Skidaway Island State Park

Number of Campsites: 87
Reservation Website: gastateparks.org/SkidawayIsland
Address: 52 Diamond Causeway, Savannah, GA 31411

Just a short drive from historic Savannah lies Skidaway Island State Park, where coastal maritime forest meets salt marsh in a quintessentially Lowcountry landscape. The campground sits beneath a cathedral of live oaks, their massive limbs creating a canopy draped with Spanish moss that filters the sunlight into gentle patterns.

The campsites are some of the most spacious in Georgia’s state park system, arranged in loops that follow the natural contours of the land. Premium sites back directly to the marsh, offering campers front-row seats to the twice-daily drama of rising and falling tides that transform the landscape.

A network of hiking and biking trails winds through the forest, crossing wooden boardwalks over tidal creeks and pausing at observation towers that provide panoramic views across the vast expanse of marsh. The Sandpiper Trail and Avian Loop showcase the island’s remarkable biodiversity, from fiddler crabs scuttling across the mud to painted buntings flashing their rainbow plumage through the understory.

The interpretive center deserves special mention, housing exhibits that include a giant ground sloth skeleton (fossils of which were discovered on the island) and aquariums showcasing local marine life. Rangers offer programs on everything from owl prowls to marsh ecology, revealing the intricate relationships between the plants and animals that call this ecosystem home.

As evening approaches, the marsh takes on golden hues, and the distinctive call of clapper rails echoes across the grasses. The incoming tide brings feeding herons and egrets that stalk through shallow waters with balletic precision. After dark, the absence of city lights reveals stars twinkling above the treeline, while nocturnal creatures begin their nightly routines.

The proximity to Savannah makes this park ideal for visitors who want to combine outdoor adventures with cultural excursions. After a morning hike through maritime forest, campers can explore the city’s famed historic district, returning to their campsite in time to watch the sunset paint the marsh in watercolor hues.

Final Thoughts About Camping in Georgia

From the mist-shrouded mountains of north Georgia to the primeval swamps of the south, these six campgrounds represent the incredible diversity of landscapes the Peach State has to offer. Each provides its own unique gateway to natural wonders, historical sites, and unforgettable outdoor experiences. Whether you’re seeking adventure, solitude, or simply a peaceful night under the stars, Georgia’s best campgrounds await your discovery.