Camping at Fort Mountain State Park
Fort Mountain State Park is one of our Go-To State Parks in Georgia
This article deviates from our usual format of combining hiking and brewery visits. Instead, it focuses on our experience at the campground within Fort Mountain State Park. However, this is not a typical vacation recap. If you enjoy hiking, there’s a good chance you also appreciate camping. If that describes you, then this article will be of particular interest!
We camped at Fort Mountain State Park from April 5-8, 2025. We brought our camper, our two dogs, and the desire to get away from our everyday work lives. We went camping here years ago at Fort Mountain – but in a tent in November. November is an excellent time to tent camp at Fort Mountain. It is not hot, and the leaves are so pretty! Upon arrival, I checked in at the trading post.
Fort Mountain State Park has bears.
Fort Mountain State Park has bears. While checking in, I had to sign an acknowledgement about bears being in the area and promised that we would be bear aware and responsible with our trash. This might sound like a no-brainer, but I am sure they have people showing up on the campground that are unaware of bears in the area. Anyways, after checking in with the super friendly park staff, we made our way down to the lakeside campground.
We stayed at campsite 54. We could see the lake from our campsite. We were also at the bottom of a hill and there was a small stream running alongside our campsite. While we were there, there was a lot of rain, and so the little stream was constantly flowing.
Even though this camping trip was in April, it was cold and rainy the entire time. The mountain seems to have its own weather. On the second day and a lot of the third day, there was so much fog. It looked like a scary movie! Funny enough, last time we hiked at Fort Mountain, we experienced the thick fog. But we did not anticipate it happening again, what are the odds!?
During our stay, we hiked on the Lake Trail and Big Rock Nature Trail. These are some of our go-to trails at this park. When we reached the Big Rock Trail, we wanted to take the shorter route to the waterfall. Due to all the rain, the steep trail was very slick, and it was kind of difficult with the dogs. We ended up not doing the entire Big Rock Trail because of this.
We still hiked to the waterfall, and it was the most water I’ve ever seen there!
We still hiked to the waterfall, and it was the most water I’ve ever seen there! This part of the trail was so pretty, between the waterfall spray, the fog, and the emerging spring greens, it almost felt like we were in the Pacific Northwest, not Northwest Georgia.
Here are some other things to know about camping at Fort Mountain State Park:
- Bears are active at the park! We did not see any on this trip, but we have seen them here before. If camping, do not leave any trash out and do not keep any food or coolers outside. Secure them in your car or camper.
- Check the weather for Fort Mountain before you go. When we went, I packed for the weather in Chatsworth. I should have changed the actual location to Fort Mountain. It was really cold at some points of our trip, and I did not pack accordingly.
- All of the campsites are fairly short walks to the bathrooms.
- We had no cellular service whatsoever in the campground. We had to drive up to the trading post or back down the mountain for service.
- Explore your campsite! I found tons of large snails, wildflowers, and even a Pileated Woodpecker in our campsite.
The Cohutta slitmouth snail is considered imperiled due to habitat loss, but Fort Mountain State Park is one of the protected areas where it can still be found.
On this trip, we did not go to a brewery on our way home – it’s a difficult task while pulling a camper and having our dogs along. However, there are some great breweries nearby! Here are a few we recommend and have visited – check them out:
- Heavale Brewing Company in Calhoun
- Dalton Brewing Company in Dalton
- Talking Rock Brewery in Talking Rock
- Grumpy Old Men Brewing in Blue Ridge
- Cartecay River Brewing Company in Elijay
At Fort Mountain State Park, there is something for everyone. Hiking, fishing, bird watching, biking, etc. This is by far one of my favorite GA State Parks. Whenever we visit, we see so much wildlife. Whether you are a seasoned outdoorsman or just starting out, Fort Mountain is the perfect place for all campers!
Fort Mountain State Park Information
- Address: 181 Fort Mountain Park Road, Chatsworth, GA 30705
- GPS Coordinates: N 34.7613010 | W -84.702702
- Park Phone Number: 706-422-1932
- Fort Mountain Park Trail Map
- Reservations: This Georgia State Park has multiple camping options, including cottages and campsites. Click here to reserve online.
Read about our previous visit to Fort Mountain State Park!
