Visiting the Mountains of North Georgia - Camping or RVing

Camping or RVing in the North Georgia mountains provides the perfect mountain escape to spend time with your friends and family, or by yourself. Georgia’s mountains offer stunning scenery with plenty of waterfalls and rushing waters and sites to visit. There is no bad time to visit Georgia’s mountains, but in the fall, brilliant orange, yellow and red colors blanket the mountains. Spring and summer brings out the trout fishermen; there are several creeks that are stocked weekly.

To view a map of Georgia's State Parks go to http://gastateparks.org/map.

If I could only visit one Georgia Mountains State Park - THIS is the one! Located at the base of Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Vogel is my favorite Georgia State Park.

Wolf Creek, a tributary of the Nottely river, winds its way through the woodsy park. There is a lake with a beach and "porch swings," so that you can watch the children swim or simply enjoy the view, and the views up the mountain are absolutely breathtaking. Vogel offers seasonal rentals for pedal boats. Fishing for bass and bream in the lake is a popular activity and it is stocked periodically during trout season. Also at the park are a miniature golf course and a Civilian Conservation Corps museum.

Vogel is near Blue Ridge, GA, which is worth a day trip. There are wonderful, interesting shops in Blue Ridge including an amazing antique store. And, the ride to Blue Ridge takes in some great scenery. From the town, The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway offers fall leaf excursions each October on the historic railway. It begins at the historic depot in downtown Blue Ridge and then you will wind your way along the Toccoa River in a vintage rail car where you can take in the awesome scenary. The trip takes about 3 ½ hours.

Hiking is a "must do" at this park. Duke's Falls is close by and there are plenty of other hiking opportunities including a one-mile trek around LakeTrahlyta, the 12.5 mile Coosa Backcountry Trail and the less strenuous 4 mile Bear Hair Gap Trail.

Frank Gross is Closed - Early December Until March

For more information, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/conf/recreation/fishing/recarea/?recid=10526&actid=43

If the campground is full, try Deep Hole Recreation Area located along the banks of the Toccoa River. Visit .http://www.n-georgia.com/deep-hole-recreation-area. Camping: $10 - Non-waterfront and $12 - Waterfront

A U.S. Forest Service campground, Frank Gross Campgrounds is located on Rock Creek and is home to one of the largest populations of stocked trout in the state. Fisherman flock to this part of Georgia in the spring for the trout fishing. Rock Creek, on Blue Ridge WMA, is easily accessible, and the Chattahoochee National Fish Hatchery is nearby.

The Frank Gross Recreation Area has nine camping sites. Each campsite has a tent pad, picnic table, lantern pole, and grill. The campground offers a vault toilet, but you will need a generator (if you need air) and a full tank of water. Campsites are first-come, first-served.

Even if you are not a fisherman, the location is awesome! Several sites sit directly on Rock Creek, which will lull you to sleep at night with the rushing waters.

At an altitude of 3,640 feet, Black Rock Mountain is Georgia’s highest state park. The views are phenomenal, so whether you choose to stay here (you really do need to be comfortable driving high, steep, winding mountain roads with your camper/RV) or come for part of a day, you will enjoy this park.

The campsites are tucked into the mountain. Overlooks have pull-offs to enjoy for a day trip. You can pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the mountain views from rocking chairs. Even if you choose not to camp here, it is worth the drive to enjoy the scenery. In addition, there are several hiking trails that will lead you past beautiful vistas. Black Rock Mountain offers cottages for rent in addition to tent and RV camping (with electric and water hookups.) A bit away from the camping sites, the park also includes a small lake for fishing.

Possible excursions from Black Rock Mountain include a visit to Tallulah Gorge, the Chattooga River for white water rafting, the quaint town of Clayton, Georgia for antique shopping and the Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center.

Located on the Western edge of Lookout Mountain, Cloudland Canyon State Park straddles a deep gorge. Hiking is a popular activity and the park offers a range of scenery. Hikers can explore a rim trail or hike to the canyon floor by a series of staircases.

A few miles from the park is Rock City, the iconic tourist attraction that you need to experience at least once in a lifetime. Nearby is Chickamauga National Battlefield; Civil War Buffs will enjoy this National Military Park. For additional excursions, you can visit Ruby Falls or take in the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga.

Campers may choose from tent sites or bring the RV and set up in the modern campground. Yurts can be rented for a reasonable fee. This park is worth the visit!

Close to Helen, Georgia and the Chattahoochee River, Unicoi State Park has is all! During October, the town of Helen hosts Octoberfest. In addition to the festivities, you will enjoy the splendor of North Georgia when the mountains burst into colors of orange and yellow and red with the leaf turning.

While staying at Unocoi State Park, located in the Chattahoochee National Forest, be sure and visit Anna Ruby Falls. During the spring and summer, tubing down the Chattahoochee is a popular activity. Tubes can be rented at several locations in Helen and you will be dropped off up river then tube back down to the center of Helen.

Canoeing and kayaking are popular on Unicoi lake. Don't have your own canoe or kayak? No problem...they can be rented on site.

The lake is stocked with catfish, bass, and brim. Fishing is allowed from the bank and from 6 fishing docks, with standard Georgia fishing requirements.