Lake Russell Recreation Area

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Lakemont, GA, GA

Price: From $24 per night

Price range: $24–$48 per night

Rating: 4.1 out of 5 (107 reviews)

Season: May through October

This North Georgia mountain mecca has something for everyone, swimming, camping, picnicking, hiking, biking (on and off road), fishing and boating (electric, wind, or human powered), wildlife, foliage, camping,For facility specific information, please call (706) 754-6221.The campground offers 42 campsites for tents and RVs, however there are no hookups. Campsites have a fire ring, picnic table, and lantern hook. Water is available throughout the campground via water hydrants.

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, Flush Toilets, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/lake-russell-recreation-area to be notified when sites open up.

Lake Russell Recreation Area offers diverse activities including swimming, fishing, hiking, and boating in North Georgia mountains with a maintained swim beach and picnic facilities. Google reviewers praise the quiet lake views, minimal crowds, and excellent hiking trails including a full lake loop.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, American Beaver, Canada Goose, Double-crested Cormorant, Eastern Box Turtle, and Eastern Ratsnake documented in the area.

Insider tips for Lake Russell Recreation Area: GPS signal may be weak on approach — keep driving to find the parking lot. Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand. Bring self-contained RV or tent — no hookups at most sites.

Skip Lake Russell Recreation Area if: You need full RV hookups — only dump station and electric hookups available, no water/sewer at most sites.. You plan to visit November-April — campground is seasonal May-October only.. You want to fish from the swim beach — shore fishing prohibited within swim area boundary..

Best time to visit Lake Russell Recreation Area: May-October — Campground seasonal operations period per verified data.. Summer — Swim beach available for hot summer days..

Nearby campgrounds: Lake Rabun Beach Recreation Area (Lakemont, GA), Andrew’S Cove Campground (Lakemont, GA), Cassidy Bridge Primitive Camp (MOUNTAIN REST, SC), Upper Chattahoochee River Campground (Lakemont, GA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Lake Russell Recreation Area

Cell signal at Lake Russell Recreation Area (Lakemont, GA): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›GA›Lake Russell Recreation Area
Lake Russell Recreation Area — photo 1
Lake Russell Recreation Area — photo 2
Lake Russell Recreation Area — photo 3
See all photos
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Lake Russell Recreation Area

Share:
Lakemont, GA, GA★ 4.1 (107 reviews)From $24/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This North Georgia mountain mecca has something for everyone, swimming, camping, picnicking, hiking, biking (on and off road), fishing and boating (electric, wind, or human powered), wildlife, foliage, camping,For facility specific information, please call (706) 754-6221.The campground offers 42 campsites for tents and RVs, however there are no hookups. Campsites have a fire ring, picnic table, and lantern hook. Water is available throughout the campground via water hydrants.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV67 ft
Hookups1 electric sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowersFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump StationBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsElectric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need full RV hookups — only dump station and electric hookups available, no water/sewer at most sites.✕ You plan to visit November-April — campground is seasonal May-October only.✕ You want to fish from the swim beach — shore fishing prohibited within swim area boundary.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

GPS signal may be weak on approach

keep driving to find the parking lot.

Book early as this is a federal campground with high demand.

Bring self-contained RV or tent

no hookups at most sites.

Best: May-October

Campground seasonal operations period per verified data.

Best: Summer

Swim beach available for hot summer days.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G + 5G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, American Beaver, Canada Goose, Double-crested Cormorant, Eastern Box Turtle, and Eastern Ratsnake documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
1-706-778-8427· Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
Getting there →

Take Ga 365/U.S. 23 North from Gainesville past Cornelia to Hwy 197. Turn right for approximately 3 miles until dead-end. Right on Dicks Hill Parkway for approx.3/4 mile. Turn left onto the paved Lake Russell Road.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Lake Russell Recreation Area cost per night?+
Lake Russell Recreation Area costs $24–$48 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
What season is Lake Russell Recreation Area open?+
Lake Russell Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Lake Russell Recreation Area have hookups?+
No hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
What is the maximum RV length at Lake Russell Recreation Area?+
Lake Russell Recreation Area can accommodate RVs up to 67 feet.
How do I make reservations at Lake Russell Recreation Area?+
Lake Russell Recreation Area is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Lake Russell Recreation Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Lake Russell Recreation Area is rated strong. Best carrier: T-Mobile. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Lake Russell Recreation Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Lake Russell Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$24 /night★ 4.1 (107)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Lake Russell Recreation Area cost per night?+
What season is Lake Russell Recreation Area open?+
Does Lake Russell Recreation Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Lake Rabun Beach Recreation Area

Lakemont, GA

From $30/night

Andrew’S Cove Campground

Lakemont, GA

From $12/night

Cassidy Bridge Primitive Camp

MOUNTAIN REST, SC

From $30/night

Upper Chattahoochee River Campground

Lakemont, GA

From $12/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$24–48 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability