Payne Campground-allatoona Lake

Not a place for large families! This campground has rigid rules for the rules and more rules to manage addendum rules. Interpretations vary and the campground staff live to manage inside the box. Every member of my family was harrassed upon entering the campground. Staff walk around and LOOK for infractions, creating issues where none exist and fail to even apologize (the park ranger even apologized but not the staff). My parents had a 10pm NIGHTMARE arrival, only to be stopped at the gate and told they could NOT bring their truck and boat to the campsite they were registered at - for NO reason - the staff was wrong and confused about their own rules! My parents were advised they would need to walk down hill in the dark a half mile, carrying all of their things. They are 80yrs old and my dad can't walk!!! My mother was in tears and my dad terribly concerned. My sister was staying at Red Top Mountain and drove over to help them. The staff wouldn't even let her drive them to the campsite since she wasn't staying. What a MESS! I had to detach my truck from the camper in a HUGE rush before they locked the gate on them at 10:30pm sharp (per the staff), drive up to the gate, unpack all of their things in the dark, shove them into my truck, drive their truck (attached to the boat) over to the boat ramp over flow parking, go back pick up my parents from outside of the gate and drive them to the campsite, unpack all of their things in the dark from the now jumbled mess in the bed of my truck (my dad is diabetic and his medication was now lost among the mess). This experience in only ONE of several more encounters during our 1 week stay. We are a normal happy family, with 0 issues at any other campground we have ever stayed. We ALL felt like prisoners, NO one from my family staying at Red Top Mountain wanted to visit because NO one wanted to deal with the rules or the staff. 2020 was already a challenge. 2020 Vacation at Payne was PAIN I wish I never had!!!!

Not a place for large families! This campground has rigid rules for the rules and more rules to manage addendum rules. Interpretations vary and the campground staff live to manage inside the box. Every member of my family was harrassed upon entering the campground. Staff walk around and LOOK for infractions, creating issues where none exist and fail to even apologize (the park ranger even apologized but not the staff). My parents had a 10pm NIGHTMARE arrival, only to be stopped at the gate and told they could NOT bring their truck and boat to the campsite they were registered at - for NO reason - the staff was wrong and confused about their own rules! My parents were advised they would need to walk down hill in the dark a half mile, carrying all of their things. They are 80yrs old and my dad can't walk!!! My mother was in tears and my dad terribly concerned. My sister was staying at Red Top Mountain and drove over to help them. The staff wouldn't even let her drive them to the campsite since she wasn't staying. What a MESS! I had to detach my truck from the camper in a HUGE rush before they locked the gate on them at 10:30pm sharp (per the staff), drive up to the gate, unpack all of their things in the dark, shove them into my truck, drive their truck (attached to the boat) over to the boat ramp over flow parking, go back pick up my parents from outside of the gate and drive them to the campsite, unpack all of their things in the dark from the now jumbled mess in the bed of my truck (my dad is diabetic and his medication was now lost among the mess). This experience in only ONE of several more encounters during our 1 week stay. We are a normal happy family, with 0 issues at any other campground we have ever stayed. We ALL felt like prisoners, NO one from my family staying at Red Top Mountain wanted to visit because NO one wanted to deal with the rules or the staff. 2020 was already a challenge. 2020 Vacation at Payne was PAIN I wish I never had!!!!

We enjoyed the campground, the quietness of the cove, and proximity to the water but didn't care for the tight quarters in the sites. We realize this is an older campground, built before RVs started to become bigger, so we understand why it might be so. Will definitely be back again though. The park attendants were more than gracious and friendly.

We enjoyed the campground, the quietness of the cove, and proximity to the water but didn't care for the tight quarters in the sites. We realize this is an older campground, built before RVs started to become bigger, so we understand why it might be so. Will definitely be back again though. The park attendants were more than gracious and friendly.

We enjoyed our stay at Payne Campground. It was a wonderfully quiet trip and everyone working the gate house was super nice.

We enjoyed our stay at Payne Campground. It was a wonderfully quiet trip and everyone working the gate house was super nice.

Very nice get away!

Very nice get away!

Lower campground had serious fish smell where some camper had dumped dead fish on ground.

Lower campground had serious fish smell where some camper had dumped dead fish on ground.