New GA State park - Don Carter. Underwhelming!!

[bodyshop_bob]

After waiting 2 years to have a State park in our county and on Lake Lanier; we drove out and got our first look at Don Carter SP. We were just broken-hearted. The sites are narrow and too close to each other. The majority are not level left-to-right and some slope aggressively down hill. The park is on Lake Lanier but only 5 or 6 sites had even a lake view. The lake is a long way off and down a steep hill. The designer of the CG placed many sites on the off side (you back in turning left and crossing the road) and the pads are no more than 6'X6'. They just placed crushed gravel over the dirt.
The sites are long and paved and the bath houses are new and very, very nice and the CG does offer cable TV as an amenity.
As a tax-payer and as an avid RV'er I feel like I got cheated.

[magnusfide]

Thank you, Jennifer. Those sites appear to be quite nice and with that many that are paved, it's already ahead of Unicoi. This will definitely merit a visit from us. Gonna fish too.

[JGRVING]

Just got back from a day trip to Don Carter State Park. We thought it was a very nice park. Everything was so green and lush. There are paved walking and biking trails as well as non-paved trails. The cabins look nice. There is a nice beach area with showers for washing off afterwards. Nice benches, swings and picnic areas throughout the park. A large boat ramp and fishing dock. Although the campground isn't the best I have seen for sure, it certainly didn't break my heart, I have seen FAR worse. Some sites are quite nice. I like that they have char wood buckets at each site..and cable TV ! We live 10-30 minutes away from from five very nice COE campgrounds with waterfront sites on Lake Lanier, so would not pick Don Carter as our first choice, but it will be nice to have this close-to-home option in the fall/winter when the COE parks are closed. SORRY IF I POSTED TOO MANY PICTURES. Jennifer

















SHOWERS TO RINSE AFTER BEACH:







PAVED WALKING AND BIKING TRAILS:





CABINS:



































CHAR WOOD BUCKETS AT EACH SITE:







PRETTY COUNTRY AT PARK ENTRANCE:

[campkrazy]

Same here on Chattahoochee Bend. We rode up in may to take a look. Very large. When we finally found the camp sites we were very disappointed. No trees. Not on the river. There is no draw To go there. They put a lot of money in this park. What a waste...

[NCBounder]

bodyshop bob wrote:
The sites are narrow and too close to each other. The majority are not level left-to-right and some slope aggressively down hill.

It could simply be the agency responsible for granting contracts only looks at it as a grading/paving project and gives it to the lowest bidder. We were in a state park in Florida recently with some new sites that are only a couple of years old, and very unlevel. The ranger said that the grading company that did the work had never done an RV park before and knew absolutely nothing about it.

[flyinjake]

Unfortunately Don Carter SP is not the latest SP screw up. We live in Coweta County, Ga. and were looking forward to Chattahoochee Bend SP opening a couple years back. Twenty minute drive for us. What a huge waste of money! The ranger station is really nice and it looks like the ranger housing is nice. The restrooms look nice but the camping spots themselves are dismal. Looks like someone got paid to allow a logging company to come in and take out all the trees in the campground. Even the tent camping sites have little to no shade. The park has such potential but unfortunately I do not think it will be realized.

I am not surprised that Don Carter SP sounds just as bad. Maybe the same company designed both parks. City dweller?

It would have been in the state of Georgia's best interest to hold the number of SP's constant and take the saved money and maintain and or improve the current facilities to draw in more customers. Paying customers! Sorry, What am I thinking?

I myself do not see why the state switched to RA. We still cannot reserve a specific site. Are they planning to move in that direction in the future? I myself would like to be able to reserve a specific site so I do not feel rushed to try and get a good spot. Heck, I would just be happy with a decent level spot.

We have camped at many Ga SP's and most have their own unique character and reasons to return. Disturbing that the two latest SP's do not warrant a first camping visit.

Jake

[Horsedoc]

That is the problem, our state cannot afford this and yet they do it anyway. The closed a very popular state park on Lake Hartwell, saying there was no money to operate and pay rangers. Another SP on the Broad River was scheduled to close and the two counties that border on the river managed to come up with enough money to pay to keep it open with limited help and many volunteers.
If they are going to the trouble to build a new park, they should at least do it right.

[campinginthewoo]

Be glad your sate can afford to open a campground ours threatens to close state parks and we only manage to send our governor's to prison we are finally getting to conceal carry but after they passed the law they are still fighting and trying change the rules around so who knows. I frequent SP's and the age is creeping up on them too and although the camp fees continue to rise the money from the camp fees are going straight to the general funds not back to the state parks......

[magnusfide]

bodyshop bob wrote:
We need some new blood and new thoughts.

Amen to that! Reserve America needs to go and so does that current climate in Georgia's state park bureaucracy. They ran off some excellent park rangers because they were earning at the top of the salary scale which still wasn't very much salary at all, less than a school teacher's). You just don't run off good people.

GAs computer registration system in place before RA worked great. It was simple, reliable and not a single problem with it. Makes one wonder if someone wasn't being paid off to switch or someone's relative worked for RA.

[bodyshop_bob]

Magnus -- The Director and I have shared emails in the past concerning the states reservation system. In the next week the Gov of the State would like me to contribute to his reelection campaign and offers me 10 second of face time for the priviledge. I'll probably contribute and I will definitely use the 10 seconds to say a change is necessary at the Park Director level. We need some new blood and new thoughts.

[Olde_Volks_Plac]

just read your post, went to their site & no real pics up yet, BUT looks like a real nice beach and cabins though.
As for your tax dollars not being spent well,well they NEVER ARE.

But when we get a new SP we should rejoice and support them, because they could be closing them and that would be sad.

[magnusfide]

bodyshop bob wrote:

As a tax-payer and as an avid RV'er I feel like I got cheated.

Then do what other tax payers do and start writing letters (not emails) to the people in charge and to your local representative. Here are the contact addresses, etc. While you're at it, tell them that Reserve America is worse than their previous computer reservation system. I've already written to them about RA but the more who write in the better. A few of my friends have also complained about their RA system.
http://www.gastateparks.org/contact#phone

[fla-gypsy]

I think most states have no clue on how to design a good campground.

[Markiemark32]

Saw the opening of the new park, not to far from me.

Park Info Don Carter


Bummer that it sounds not so good for RV'ers.

We have had good luck with Corps of Engineer parks, and Ducket Mill on Lake Lanier is a good campground.

Duckett Mill

Thanks for the info.

Markiemark