By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support local journalism.
Campers answer the call of the wild
With pricey vacations outside the budget, families pack up for fun in the outdoors
Placeholder Image

Camp sites

  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds on Lake Lanier, Check-in: 4 p.m. daily, Check-out: 3 p.m. daily. Must make reservation one day in advance. Pets allowed on 6-foot leash. 

Old Federal Campground

6219 Old Federal Road

Flowery Branch

(770) 967-6757

Rates: $19 per day/night for tent only

$25-27 per day/night for electric

Duckett Mill Campground

3720 Duckett Mill Road

Gainesville

(770) 532-9802

Rates: $15-17 per day/night for tent only

$25-27 per day/night for electric

Bolding Mill Campground

4055 Chestatee Road

Gainesville

(770) 534-6960

Rates: $15-19 per day/night for tent only

$23-27 per day/night for electric

Bald Ridge Campground

4100 Bald Ridge Road

Cumming

(770) 889-1591

Rates: $23-27 per day/night for electric

Sawnee Campground

3200 Buford Dam Road

Cumming

(770) 887-0592

Rates: $17-19

per day/night for tent only

$25-27 per day/night for electric

Shady Grove Campground

7800 Shadburn Ferry Road

Cumming

Rates: $16 per day/night for tent only

$24 per day/night for electric

$130-150 per day/night for group campsite

Toto Creek Campground

154 Toto Creek Park Road

Dawsonville

(770) 945-9531

Shoal Creek Campground

6300 Shadburn Ferry Road

Buford

(770) 945-9531

War Hill Park Campground

War Hill Park Road, off Hwy. 53 East

Dawsonville

(706) 344-3646

Rates: $16 per site/per night

Brent Troncalli, owner of The Outside World in Dawsonville, is noticing a trend with his business this year. Whenever families spend less on traveling and big vacations, sales for camping go up.

  

“During a little bit of a recession, you always see a resurgence in family camping,” said Troncalli, whose store specializes in camping, hiking, kayak and other outdoor products. “It’s pretty inexpensive to take your family camping, and it’s still something great to do on spring or summer break.”

  

With Lake Lanier’s water level rising and the Northeast Georgia mountains next door, more area residents are opting to save money and head to the nearby outdoors for leisure rather than pay a hefty fee to travel elsewhere.

  

“Reservations at state and national parks are way up this year,” Troncalli said. “Less families are going to big, expensive, exotic places.”

  

Many of Troncalli’s customers from Atlanta and southward tend to use Lanier as their getaway due to its numerous campsites with access to the lake itself. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages several different campgrounds, with 647 campsites among them; in all, 565 have water and electric hookups.

  

“Lake Lanier is definitely going to be popular,” Troncalli said. “It seems like a lot of people want to go north, so people who live in Columbus or Atlanta want to come to Lake Lanier.”

  

The Corps of Engineers’ campgrounds vary in price, based on how primitive the campsite is. A basic setup with a tent and no power can cost $15 per night, while a full setup with power costs as much as $25 per night.

  

Group campsites designed for 60 or more people come with power hookups and an assembly shelter. They cost $150-$170 a night.

  

“If depends on the type of camping you’re doing,” Troncalli said. “If you’re in a tent, you’ll probably have a primitive campsite with just running water. If you have an RV, you’re going to want electricity, water and sewage.”

  

According to Troncalli, residents already living near the lake tend to go to campgrounds in the mountains, such as Vogel State Park, Unicoi State Park and Amicalola Falls. State parks offer more activities, such as canoeing and hiking.

  

“The most popular is always the state parks,” Troncalli said. “There’s plenty of activities to do there. They seem to be a little bit more family-oriented.”

  

More experienced campers in the area typically head north for purposes other than camping itself, such as backpacking and kayak fishing.

  

Whitewater is also popular on the rivers in the mountains. Troncalli’s store gives lessons in its one-of-a-kind indoor training pool, which emits jets of water that simulate real river rapids.

  

“We probably teach about 400 classes a year inside the store,” Troncalli said. “It leads a lot of customers into outdoor classes.”

  

Regardless of what activities are done while camping, Troncalli stresses the low prices of relaxing in the great outdoors, as compared to an expensive vacation.

  

“When you consider how much it costs a family to go to Disney World, you can’t even compare the price to canoeing, fishing or hiking,” Troncalli said. “I’d rather go to the mountains anyway.”