Are you searching for the best (completely free!) camping locations in Georgia? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Georgia provides so many free camping and boondocking sites it’s impossible to mention them all; however, I will share my favorites and let you in on how you can track others down.
With this list, you can begin planning your next free camping trip within the spectacular wilderness, beautiful mountain ranges, stunning national forests, surrounding state parks, and even wildlife management areas. Read on to discover the best places for free camping in Georgia!
Free Camping In Georgia
In the camping world, boondocking and free camping remain popular and ever-growing topics among campers, and it just so happens that the state of Georgia offers plenty of opportunities to experience these offshoots of classic camping! How exciting is this? You’re sure to enjoy your time away from it all, camping off the grid and making lots of memories at these hand-selected locations!
Let’s take a look at my list of top favorite places to camp for free in Georgia.
Free Camping In Georgia: Mountain and Trail Locations
The Appalachian Trail – Springer Mountain
Springer Mountain is located in Dawsonville and lands first on our list of free camping in Georgia.
Springer Mountain offers you many primitive camping sites to choose from located along The Appalachian Trails.
Find your perfect location to set up camp, entirely off the grid and nestled near miles of trails. Make sure to plan a hiking trip along the Appalachian Trails for an incredible nature experience!
Expect more striking views while walking in the shadows of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in North Georgia, also located along these Appalachian Trails.
Find out more about The Appalachian Trail or Springer Mountain on the Forest Service website!
Free Camping In Georgia: State Park Locations
Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge
Next on our list to explore is Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge, also located in Dawsonville, Georgia.
Plan to camp in The Black Gap shelter found over six miles away from Amicalola Falls State Park. The Black Gap shelter will provide you with several overnight camping spots free of charge.
Amicalola Falls State Park’s trails are also open-range and allow tent camping anywhere you choose!
Make extra time to hike the trails to the Amicalola Waterfall, and you’ll surely never regret it! Amicalola Waterfall, located within Amicalola Falls State Park, is quite impressive due to its height of seven hundred and twenty-eight feet. Amicalola Waterfall is known as the highest waterfall in the state of Georgia!
To find out even more about Amicalola Falls State Park, you can visit the Amicalola Falls Lodge website!
Cloudland Canyon State Park
Next up for Georgia free camping, you can find accessible camping locations in Cloudland Canyon State Park, located on Lookout Mountain in Georgia.
Cloudland Canyon State Park is only twenty-five miles southwest of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and includes thirteen primitive walk-in tent sites on backcountry hiking trails two miles long!
Make sure to visit the spectacular Cloudland Canyon with an additional rim hiking trail.
Explore the caves with a guided tour, rent mountain bikes, or even play a game of frisbee golf on the state park’s disc golf course!
Visit the Georgia state parks website to find out more about Cloudland State Park!
Fort Mountain State Park
Fort Mountain State Park is another great spot for free camping in Georgia, located forty-five miles southeast of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
You will find this park to have four backcountry campsites and ten walk-in campsites available to campers.
Finally, during your stay at Fort Mountain State Park, make sure to visit the fire tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the impenetrable stone wall thought to be built by Native Americans.
Want to know even more about Fort Mountain State Park? Head over to the Georgia state parks website.
Free Camping In Georgia: National Forest Locations
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
You will find plenty of free camping spots at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest near Atlanta, Georgia.
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is full of dispersed camping locations along the forest trails. However, you can only use these camping spots for up to seven days. Enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and exploring the equestrian trails during your visit.
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is home to Georgia’s most significant peak, Brasstown Bald, which contains four hundred and thirty miles of trails to hike along and more than a thousand miles of trout streams to fish in!
Visit the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River, perfect for whitewater rafting. Try kayaking along the Chattahoochee and Toccoa Rivers in this national forest if you prefer tamer waters.
You can find information about the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest on the USDA Forest Service website!
Oconee Ranger District
Oconee Ranger District within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is a great location to explore dispersed campsites.
Oconee Ranger District will offer you thirty-eight different campsites located in the north-central part of Georgia.
This property stretches out over sixty miles from Atlanta and is such an ample amount of free camping locations. Oconee Ranger District is named one of the best spots for boondocking in Georgia!
Head to the Forest Service page to find out more about the Oconee Ranger District!
Dawson Forest
Next, Dawson Forest, located just northeast of Atlanta in Gainesville, is a free camping spot that doubles as part of the local Wildlife Management Areas, also known as WMAs.
Dawson Forest covers over ten thousand acres of land, leaving many choice locations along the forest for dispersed camping!
While camping in Dawson Forest, a few suggested outdoor activities are hiking along the acres of land and mountain biking along the trails.
Find out more about Dawson Forest from the Georgia Department of National Resources!
Paulding Forest
Paulding Forest is yet another free camping spot in Georgia just west of Dawson Forest but near the Chattahoochee National Forest. You will find over twenty-five thousand acres of land on this property.
While camping here at Paulding Forest, make sure to check out the many lakes available for paddling.
Choosing where to camp in Paulding Forest will come easily, as you can engage in dispersed camping anywhere along the forest.
You can learn more about the Paulding Forest from the Georgia Department of National Resources.
Free Camping In Georgia: Wildlife Management Area Camping Locations
Hannahatchee Creek- Wildlife Management Area Camping
You will find many Wildlife Management Area camping locations south of Macon, Georgia. One of these Wildlife Management Areas or WMA’s is Hannahatchee Creek.
Choose from several different primitive camping options along this property in Hannahatchee Creek.
Hannahatchee Creek will also provide you with outdoor activities such as hiking, geocaching, and even hunting!
Wildlife Management Areas are favorite locations for hunters during the hunting season. You can find closed areas maintaining a safe spot for hunters to hunt without worrying about ever hurting people or protected wildlife.
Flint River- Wildlife Management Area Camping
Next, an excellent free camping location in Georgia is Flint River, another Wildlife Management Area to add to your list. At Flint River, you can expect to find many excellent free tent camping locations.
Flint River is located south of Macon, Georgia, in the county of Dooley, and is a twenty-three hundred acre property with many hunting spots.
Wildlife Management Areas are locations favored by hunters during the hunting seasons due to the safe and protected hunting spots. This Wildlife Management Area on Flint River allows hunting for deer, turkeys, small game, dove, and feral hogs.
If hunting isn’t for you or you’re looking for extra outdoor activities, then plan to go hiking, fishing at one of the many fishing spots, and finally geocaching at this location.
Redlands Wildlife Management Area
Last on my list of Georgia free camping locations, Redlands Wildlife Management Area is a convenient location to choose!
Redlands WMA has available free and dry camping spots that are mostly hunting camps but open to the public.
For the most beautiful camping locations, check out the north side of Lake Oconee, located fourteen miles from Madison, Georgia.
Finding Additional Places for Free Camping in Georgia
When you choose to camp for free, I highly recommend having a handful of places lined up to visit. Making alternative lists gives you other options if your researched locations aren’t what you expected. You will find on your journey that many free campsites close unexpectedly or have weather issues. If locations become popular, fees may be invoked, which defeats cost-free camping. Doing your own research is always a great plan. Always remember to look up where areas are precisely on a map to avoid getting lost.
Word of mouth can become a vital tool in finding the best locations for free camping in the states! During your camping trips, ask fellow campers if they recommend any great places, and let them in on your lists and any research you’ve found.
Wrapping Up Georgia Free Camping
After looking at this list of some of the most amazing and free camping locations in Georgia, you now know why these places need to be your next camping choice!
You’ll love experiencing free camping in Georgia’s one-of-a-kind gorgeous locations! Enjoy many outdoor adventures and recreational activities on your trip, and also use the tools listed to find even more additional locations!
Have you visited any of these free camping locations in the past? Do you have any recommendations for free camping in Georgia? Please share with me below; I’d love to hear from you!
Looking for some Georgia camping that’s a bit on the fancier side? Check out our list of the 7 Best Places for Glamping in Georgia!