Lake Hartwell Georgia or South Carolina

[Bears_Den]

I'm looking at planning a trip for next summer to Lake Hartwell. I have not decided if I want the Georgia side or South Carolina side. I am open to COE parks as well as SP. I am hoping some of you can give me some suggestions and pics would be great. I have a 30ft TT and of course I would be looking for a water front site. My son and his family live in Charlotte NC and will be meeting us. I have looked on ReserveAmerica and the Gov site to get ideas and have also been to RVParkReviews. I'm hoping some of you who have experienced this area can be of help, thanks.

[Kaz]

Ditto (triple ditto?) on Paynes Creek. Very nice. I also like Tugaloo SP (and all Georgia state parks), but you're right about reserving a particular spot, so if that's important, I'd go with Paynes Creek as between the two.

[magnusfide]

Markiemark32 wrote:




Markiemark:C

Great looking meal too.

[Bears_Den]

Great pics MarkieMark, thanks.

[Markiemark32]

Paynes creek is not a GA State Park, it is a Core of Engineer run, and you can reserve by sites.

Couple Site Pics:

Site 26 ~~





Sites 29 & 30 ~~





Markiemark:C

[jolooote]

The only other thing I don't like about Ga. St.parks is that they charge a separate 'Day Use Fee'. Its good for a week, but only at THAT PARK! If you go to a different Ga. Pk. after only a day, you must re-pay the day use fee.

[jaycocamprs]

We have been to both Tugaloo SP and Twin Lakes CoE. The site we had a Tugaloo had a very nice view of the lake, but didn't have good access to it. That is fine with us as we just like the view. Twin Lakes is on the SC side over near Clemson. We would have had water almost at the door, but at that time the water was very low.

[Bears_Den]

I have looked at Georgia SPs in the past, the only thing that I don't like is the fact that you can't reserve a site. I'm afraid that after a long drive there wouldn't be a water front site available for me. But I guess my chances would be better if I did a weekday arrival.

[magnusfide]

Markiemark32 wrote:
Paynes Creek is a good option on the Georgia side.

Double ditto.

Tugaloo State Park is a gooder as well with similar lake front sites and views: electric and water h/u with dump station.
http://gastateparks.org/Tugaloo

[Bears_Den]

Thank you MarkieMark.

[Markiemark32]

Bears Den wrote:
Wow, those pics are beautiful. Are they taken from your site?

Short walk down to the lake (several of the sites are terraced), but Lake views from your site.

Site 24 is the best one, on a peninsula (hard to get, but if available grab it).

Sunsets can be spectacular, at times, the real colorful one, was a stormy afternoon.

Markiemark:C

[Mich_F]

I stayed at Watsadler, a COE campground, one of the campgrounds on the Ga. side of the lake, maybe 6 or 7 years ago. I found it to be a very nice campground, with many nice waterfront sites.
I ended up there because the water level at the campgrond where I had reservations, (Shoal Creek on lake Lanier -which at the time was a COE park)was extremely low. Watsadler water level was down also but manageable for boating.
Watsadler reservations
I was on site 8 and then site 6, both of which had good waterfront access.
It is also on Reserve America's site I believe.

[Bears_Den]

Wow, those pics are beautiful. Are they taken from your site?

[Markiemark32]

Paynes Creek is a good option on the Georgia side.

Paynes Creek

Sites 24-28, some of the nicer ones over looking the Lake, and then 8-17 all over look & lake front.

Paynes Creek has a great Mountain Bike trail or hiking, playgrounds for kids, a small beach area, sites all well tree'ed. Electric & water hookups.

Could not find my campsite pics, but did find these sunsets on Lake Hartwell from Paynes Creek






Markiemark:C