Elrod Ferry
Hartwell Lake — lakeside, fishing
Location: HARTWELL, GA, GA
Price: From $75 per night
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (8 reviews)
Season: May through October
Elrod Ferry Recreation Area is a 39 acre site situated on a gently sloping point that overlooks the lake near Hartwell Dam. The site presently offers day use and boat launching facilities consisting of 1 gatehouse/entrance, 37 picnic sites, 2 standard picnic shelters with water and electric service, 1 boat ramp, 1 courtesy dock, 2 comfort stations, 2 playgrounds, 3 designated swim areas/beaches, 1 volleyball pit, and associated paved roads and parking areas throughout. The area experiences inten
Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.
Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch
Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/elrod-ferry to be notified when sites open up.
Elrod Ferry Recreation Area offers a scenic 39-acre lakeside setting near Hartwell Dam with excellent boating, fishing, and swimming facilities. Google reviews consistently praise it as a family-friendly destination with clean restrooms and friendly staff (4.6/5 from 169 reviews).
Wildlife alert: White-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Eastern Phoebe, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Eastern Ratsnake present in the area.
Insider tips for Elrod Ferry: Book early—this is a federal campground with limited availability (only 2 tent sites). Note the $7 parking fee for day use visitors. Picnic shelters include water and electric service if you need amenities.
Skip Elrod Ferry if: You need full hookups—no hookups available at tent sites.. You want year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only.. You're visiting outside peak season without advance confirmation of availability..
Best time to visit Elrod Ferry: May through October — Official operating season for the campground..
Nearby campgrounds: Watsadler (HARTWELL, GA), Big Oaks (HARTWELL, GA), Crescent (HARTWELL, SC), Springfield (HARTWELL, SC).
Cell Phone Coverage at Elrod Ferry
Cell signal at Elrod Ferry (HARTWELL, GA): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
- Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
- AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage · AT&T 5G: 100%
- T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage · T-Mobile 5G: 100%
Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.
Elrod Ferry Recreation Area is a 39 acre site situated on a gently sloping point that overlooks the lake near Hartwell Dam. The site presently offers day use and boat launching facilities consisting of 1 gatehouse/entrance, 37 picnic sites, 2 standard picnic shelters with water and electric service, 1 boat ramp, 1 courtesy dock, 2 comfort stations, 2 playgrounds, 3 designated swim areas/beaches, 1 volleyball pit, and associated paved roads and parking areas throughout. The area experiences intense public use during the peak recreation season.
Verified facts
RIDB / Recreation.gov official databaseAmenities
RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verifiedStraight talk
CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reportsKnown issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.
Insider tips & when to go
CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entryBook early
this is a federal campground with limited availability (only 2 tent sites).
Note the $7 parking fee for day use visitors.
Picnic shelters include water and electric service if you need amenities.
Official operating season for the campground.
Things to do nearby
RIDB /activities /recareas + intelConditions today
LiveCell signal
FCC BDC · quarterly datasetFCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
Wildlife nearby
iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 kmLocation
Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Getting there →
From Hartwell, GA, travel approximately 2.5 miles on Highway 29 North. Turn left onto Elrod Ferry Road, and after a mile follow the brown directional signs to the facility. 1387 ELROD FERRY ROAD, Hartwell GA 30643
Campground entrance
Google Maps APICommunity
#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)Pro tips
- Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Hartwell Lake fills fast in peak season.
- Check current road conditions at Hartwell Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.
Frequently asked questions
RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakableHow much does Elrod Ferry cost per night?+
What season is Elrod Ferry open?+
Does Elrod Ferry have hookups?+
What is the maximum RV length at Elrod Ferry?+
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What is the cell service like at Elrod Ferry?+
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●Data sources on this page
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