Don Carter State Park Campground welcomes pets throughout its diverse accommodation options, including tent sites, RV spaces with full hookups, and pet-friendly cabins. Dogs must remain on leashes no longer than 6 feet when outside accommodations, and owners are required to clean up after their pets. Bolding Mill Campground features spacious pet-friendly sites with water and electricity hookups, many offering lake views perfect for pets that enjoy swimming. Campsites at Lake Lanier locations like Duckett Mill provide good beach access for water-loving dogs, with sites that are clean and beautiful with trees between most areas providing shade for pets. Campgrounds maintain pet waste stations and designated pet exercise areas to support responsible pet ownership.
Dogs can accompany their owners on hiking trails throughout the Gainesville area's pet-friendly campgrounds, with Fort Yargo State Park offering several miles of dog-friendly trails alongside pet-friendly accommodations. Amicalola Falls State Park Camping welcomes pets year-round with clean, spacious sites that include picnic tables, fire rings, and easy access to dog-friendly hiking paths. Lake Lanier campgrounds provide excellent opportunities for dogs that enjoy swimming, though steep banks at some campsites can make water access challenging. Seasonal considerations affect pet comfort, with summer heat requiring extra water and shade provisions. Most campgrounds enforce quiet hours that include barking regulations, and pet owners should be prepared with basic supplies as the nearest pet stores and veterinary services are located in Gainesville proper, approximately 15-20 minutes from most camping areas.
$25 - $225 / night
"This Georgia State Park is in Gainesville on the Chattahoochee where it meets up with Lake Lanier. It was very easy to get to from the Atlanta area. "
"Situated at the far north end of Lake Lanier, this Georgia state park is awesome! One of the best things about it for RV/trailer camping is the huge distance between camp sites!"
$20 - $36 / night
"It was a little longer walk to the water and when a camper was next to us we couldn’t see the lake. We already have our reservations for 2025 in the site we wanted."
"Our site was near access to walk-in camping (which did not turn out to be a problem since we set up facing the water) and a long walk to the bathroom, which was reasonably clean with hot shower but no"
$26 - $36 / night
"Pet friendly."
"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."
$20 - $36 / night
"Our site was walking distance to the bathhouse, playground and swimming."
"Grounds were great with easy access to the lake."
$20 - $240 / night
"The host at the front office gave us a different spot that would be easier access to our 40ft 5th wheel. The view is fantastic. We brought 2 dogs which they enjoyed the scenery."
"Close to Cumming, Dawsonville and Gainesville. Right on the lake with boat ramps and kayak/paddle board rentals on site. Decent showers, cheap laundry (1 dollar to wash, 1 dollar to dry)."
$26 - $36 / night
"Our sites have all been lake-side and very large with a paved drive. There is hiking around the shore line and lots of ducks in the lake to feed (Shh!)"
"It was right on the lake with a beautiful view. It has a path that goes down to the lake. A lot of the sites are on the lake and most sites offer ample shade."
$27 - $275 / night
"Fort Yargo is in the Winder Ga area and is close to Helen, Jefferson, Athens and Atlanta. Entering the campground is a nice paved road and leads to tent camping, cabins, yurts and RV sites."
"Bike trails , great for walking ur dogs , tons , of activities , great lake for fishing caught a huge bass there, nice and quite, my home away from home ,i feel safe and secure, front gates are lock"
"It has plenty of access to lake Lanier, and plenty of room for grilling out."
"It's proximity to Atlanta can cause the area around the falls to fill up quick so the earlier or colder the better."
"If you're taking off on the AT, then you need to get walking. However, if you want a small taste of the AT and would like to camp out near the starting point, then this is a great place to be."
$63 - $100 / night
"We had a pave site full hookup pull thru with lake view. Very easy to get in and out, private and quiet, we had a picnic table, fire ring and bbq grill."
ScoutI was in a tent, not an RV. This spot is roomy and isn’t right on top of any other campers. Since no sites were to the east, I walked down to the creek with my chair to get away from people. It’s a very crowded campground, but quieter than expected, probably because the road to this site leads to a dead end. There’s a lot of road noise from Gainesville Hwy until dusk. The bathrooms are nearby and very clean.
RangerThis campground has a beautiful mountain view behind the lake. There is also a beautiful waterfall to hike to. They offer paddle boards, kayaks, peddleboats, and aqua cycles to rent for the lake. They also offer bike rentals and putt putt course. There is a general store in the visitor center. There are hiking trails for the extreme hikers too that go into the mountains on the Appalachian trail. The campsites are pretty close together, but we had a premier spot that was larger and a pull-through. The bathrooms were clean, but old and dated. This is one of the oldest campgrounds in the state. They offer cottages and cabins for rent. There was a dog parking loud constantly that was so annoying. We have dogs and many people camping there did, but our dogs don’t bark constantly. I would say this isn’t the campgrounds fault, but this irresponsible pet owner was literally between two campground hosts. Had it continued late at night past 10pm we would have had to call someone. It’s hard to relax by the fire with a dog barking constantly. The campground needs to add more signage. People are driving around looking lost. Here’s the problem ... if you have an RV or camper and park in the RV spaces when you pull out on the far end to the right you cannot see the directional signs. We pulled to the right and it was a dead end at the cottages. It was very stressful trying to the turn around hauling a camper. People in the cottages told us we weren’t the only ones to pull down there and have to turn around. Lots of cars were turning around down there, but with a camper it’s a nightmare. I paid extra for a pullthrough only to deal with that nonsense at the start. I suggest adding a sign at the far right exit of parking lot that has directions. Add another sign that says “Cabins only - Dead End”. If our camper had been an inch longer we couldn’t have turned around. Not impressed by the swimming area at the beach.
ScoutThis Campground is amazing. The woman in the office is so nice and very helpful. They have workers escort you to your site to make sure everything is OK. The man who escorted us was very nice, and made sure we knew where everything was (even after being told at the office). I loved that. The grounds are super clean. There are walking trails, a lake, a beach, and they even have things for dogs! (Dog bath, dog beach, dog park, ect). I'd recommend this place 1,000 times over!!!
LegendGreat mountain Thanksgiving vacay! Lots of area attractions and lots of activities at the KOA for our granddaughter! 2 playgrounds, mini golf, pillow pad, paddle boats, game room. Nice little dog park with mutt mitts, and staff friendly and helpful. Picnic table at each site, we were by the lake, but would have chosen near pillow-pad if available as those spots were better spaced. Nice store and clean facilities even though we didn’t use.
ScoutI would not recommend this place as a goto camp. The Yellow River floods into the park during high rain periods, park gives no warning till they are getting water into the park, then it is a knock on the door to get out of the park if they have no openings in high ground area. Lots of wild cats in park, but no vermin there. Many ex-cons in the park, all kinds of history in them....woof. They try to keep it in good shape, but a lot of trash offender, litters adults as well as kids, people not picking up behind their pets.
Over all not the worst, but surely not close to good either. Only stayed a month just had to go.
GuideLived in Georgia my whole life and yet my first time to Stone Mountain was literally three years ago. Now we have an annual pass and go all the time. This place is world renowned for its fireworks and laser show but you have to go off the pavement to truly fall in love with Stone Mountain! This place is great for everyone. I mean everyone, from free runners to hikers and all you folk that like to “camp” in your RVs. Visit this place anytime of year and you will not be disappointed. Apparently it’s rated #1 as the best place to camp in Georgia. I’m more into the nature only kind of camping but that’s not everyone’s cup a tea. Stone Mountain has something for everyone.
ScoutReally enjoyed our riverside spot at Bald Mountain Resort. Staff was all super friendly and very knowledgeable of local areas to visit. Full hookups, cable and WiFi were nice amenities. Pet friendly with multiple dog walk areas. Lots of fun stuff for the kids to do.
GuideAwesome hiking. Extremely pet friendly, lakeside campsite
ScoutWe are at spot 97 and was suppose to get 44. The host at the front office gave us a different spot that would be easier access to our 40ft 5th wheel. The view is fantastic. We brought 2 dogs which they enjoyed the scenery. They are firm on making sure pet owners have their leash on and do not free roam. A lot of deer just walking around. Bathrooms are in good shape. We plan on staying a week. No Wi-Fi so we are using hotspots on our cells. We have Verizon and showing 2 bar LTE.
Lake Lanier campgrounds near Gainesville offer diverse camping experiences along 692 miles of shoreline at 1,071 feet elevation. Sites range from paved pads at newer state parks to more rustic options at Corps of Engineers campgrounds. Lake temperatures remain comfortable from May through October, with summer water temperatures reaching 80-85°F.
Hike the canoe trail: Don Carter State Park Campground offers hiking options beyond the usual land-based trails. "A great place to camp with lots of hiking trails; there's even a canoe trail!" reports Kevan R., highlighting the park's unique water-based recreation.
Visit historic sites: Explore the 1792 log fort at Fort Yargo State Park Campground, where you can also enjoy disc golf and putt-putt. A visitor notes, "Georgia's newest state park (2013) and it is a beautiful park! The staff is great and there is plenty to see/do!"
Wildlife watching: Early evening offers prime wildlife viewing at many campgrounds. Crystal C. shares from their Don Carter experience: "From 6 in the evening and beyond you will find deer grazing in late summer and early fall, also raccoons and other small animals can be spotted roaming in some of the open areas."
Spacious lakefront sites: Bolding Mill receives consistent praise for its generous campsites with water views. Nancy K. mentions, "Most sites are on the water, tho the water is not easily accessible from the sites. The views are fabulous. There's a boat landing. Very well maintained. Most sites are secluded from neighbor."
Private beach areas: Many campsites at Duckett Mill offer exclusive lake access. Liz H. notes, "Sites are very large and trees between most sites. Lots of water view sites, some have easier lake access from your site than others for our kayaks. Has boat launch, huge beach area."
Walk-in tent sites: For campers seeking more privacy without a long hike, Fort Yargo offers an excellent compromise. "If you're like me and appreciate a bit of privacy when camping, the walk-in campsites at Fort Yargo are the place to go. Just a short 1-2 minutes walk from your car and bathrooms, but you feel much more secluded than the campsites in the regular campground," shares Amalia K.
No alcohol policies: Several dog friendly campgrounds near Gainesville enforce strict alcohol regulations. Rick B. warns about Shady Grove Campground: "If you enjoy having a beer while camping don't come here. Beautiful day, beer in a solo cup playing cards with my wife at a picnic table. We were not making noise, nobody complained about us. Ranger pulls up and gave us both tickets."
Campsite selection challenges: At Don Carter State Park, Joel R. cautions, "Who ever decided that every campsite needed to be asphalt should be hung! This is a newer State Park in Georgia and it could be nice, but it's been paved over. They classify them as RV sites, but they are parking lots."
Limited store access: Remember to bring all supplies as some campgrounds are isolated. Jim R. mentions about Don Carter: "Only bad thing is no close by stores make sure you have everything or be ready for a little trip to get it!"
Best swimming areas: Old Federal offers excellent beach access for children. "We stayed at spot #71 which is without a doubt the nicest spot in the whole campground," advises Mike K., adding that spots 70-72 have the best access to swimming areas.
Playground options: Bolding Mill's playground gets mixed reviews. Nancy K. notes, "The playground is crummy. Bathhouses fine! There are several spots to get down and into the lake for a swim."
Splash pad access: For families camping during hot weather, Laurel Park offers water features beyond the lake. Josh D. notes, "It has a splash pad that's operating from late spring through summer. It has plenty of access to lake Lanier, and plenty of room for grilling out."
Site access considerations: Amicalola Falls State Park Camping presents challenges for larger rigs. Soren B. cautions, "We have a 27' airstream and there are a couple campsites that are hard to get into. Number 18 does not look hard, but the layout is very difficult to get into. The bend halfway into the campground would be extremely difficult with much bigger than 27' camper."
Dump station logistics: RVers should plan for potential Sunday crowds at single-facility campgrounds. One camper at Bald Ridge notes, "Single dump station tends to line up on Sunday but I suppose that's part of the deal."
Heat management: Asphalt pads at Don Carter can create heat issues for certain RV types. George & Patty C. advise, "The ASPHALT is part of the reason for the review's title, coupled with the fact that this is a new park and tree coverage is a bit sparse for the time being. Once the canopy fills out, it will be shady. We camped in our trusty pop up camper so direct sun is always an issue (non-insulated bunk ends) but a travel trailer/RV would probably fare well."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Gainesville, GA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Gainesville, GA is Don Carter State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 35 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 193 dog-friendly camping locations near Gainesville, GA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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