View from the Observation Deck
Foot Bridge(across from host site) that accesses the trail to the upper and lower water falls.

Featured amenities

Parking Parking
Pet Friendly Pet Friendly
Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
River Access River Access

Available sites

23 total sites

About Desoto Falls Recreation Area

Desoto Falls Recreation Area is a U.S. Forest Service Campground located approximately 2 hours North of Atlanta in the North Georgia mountains of the Chattahoochee National Forest.  Desoto Falls offers visitors year-round recreation opportunities including camping, fishing, picnicking, and beautiful hikes to our nearby waterfalls. The campground is situated along Frogtown Creek with at an elevation of 2.1 ft above sea level, under a dense forest of deciduous and evergreen trees.   23 campsites are neatly arranged in two loops(upper and lower), with each loop having creek sites. The climate here is fairly mild and generally offers all four seasons, so it is a wonderful place to relax and experience each of these throughout the year. North Georgia is a playground for wildlife watchers. An abundance of Deer, Turkey, Bear and, small furbearers can be seen as well as bird watching. If you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, come to Desoto Falls.   

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - Apr 1 to Oct 31

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Parking Parking
Pet friendly Pet friendly
Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
River Access River Access
Fire Pit Fire Pit
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Restrooms
Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Picnic Table
  • Grill
  • Fire Pit
Parking and Transport

Parking and Transport

  • Parking
Water Access

Water Access

  • River Access
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

23 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 1, Loop: A RV
Pet Friendly · 40 × 30 ft · Gravel
⛺ 10, Loop: B Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 11, Loop: B Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 12, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 27 ft · Gravel
⛺ 13, Loop: B Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
🚐 14, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 90 × 33 ft · Gravel
🚐 15, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 42 ft · Gravel
🚐 16, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 36 ft · Gravel
🚐 17, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 36 × 21 ft · Gravel
🚐 18, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 36 ft · Gravel
🚐 19, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 36 × 36 ft · Gravel
🚐 2, Loop: A RV
Pet Friendly · 40 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 20, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 40 ft · Gravel
🚐 21, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 36 ft · Gravel
🚐 22, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 50 × 27 ft · Gravel
🚐 23, Loop: B RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 42 ft · Gravel
🚐 3, Loop: A RV
Pet Friendly · 50 × 36 ft · Gravel
🚐 4, Loop: A RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 36 ft · Gravel
⛺ 5, Loop: B Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 6, Loop: B Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 7, Loop: B Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 8, Loop: B Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 9, Loop: B Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire

Reviews (323)

What Guests Are Saying

Desoto Falls Recreation Area offers a clean and well-maintained campground with beautiful surroundings and spacious sites, especially along the creek. Many visitors appreciate the friendly camp hosts and the proximity to hiking trails leading to stunning waterfalls. However, some guests note significant road noise from nearby traffic and mention that the facilities could use improvements, particularly the bathrooms. Overall, it remains a popular destination for those seeking a peaceful camping experience in nature.

Review Summary

4.3
323 reviews
5
57.0%
184
4
24.1%
78
3
10.8%
35
2
5.0%
16
1
3.1%
10

Dennis S

Verified

September 13, 2022 • Stayed at: 18, Loop: B

3

The camping experience was almost wonderful.

The camp host was nice and polite. I did not have an issue during my stay.

The only issue I had was it rained the whole time. I don’t have a problem with the rain. It’s what came with the rain that made it miserable. I stayed in campsite 18B and when it rained; it flooded. All the water ran onto the tent pad and had I not put a tarp down before the tent, the tent floor would have been flooded as well.

Although this one site in particular was a problem, I will say staying at DeSoto itself is a great adventure. So before you book, if possible, stake out the sites when it’s raining to see the best ones to get.

Robert D

Verified

September 25, 2022 • Stayed at: 23, Loop: B

3

Nice clean campground. Site 23b was next to creek. Could hear the water flowing. No cell signal which was awesome!! Why go into the woods if you need electronic entertainment?
Downside was the motorcycle traffic on main road. But it was a Saturday, great curvy road for riders to enjoy. No judgment. Will go back for sure but most likely during the week.

Jason C

Verified

October 2, 2022 • Stayed at: 8, Loop: B

4

This was a great spot for a quick family camping trip! Our kids loved the campsite, and the 1/4 mi hike to the waterfall was perfect for our 4-year-old. Our only complaint is that the nearby road was busier than expected and a bit loud.

Hella O

Verified

October 18, 2022 • Stayed at: 7, Loop: B

5

Our experience was wonderful. The kids really enjoyed the stream next to our campsite, number 7, and we could hear the beautiful sound of it at night! From other reviews we learned that it was noisy at this site from the road being close by, and yes, we did hear cars pass, but it wasn't too bad most of the time. The hauling of water wasn't too bad either and it was right behind the restrooms, a 2 minute walk from the campsite. Overall we enjoyed our stay!

Christian H

Verified

October 19, 2022 • Stayed at: 11, Loop: B

3

Beware, dry pit toilets, no electricity, no running water. We were at campsite 11, if the wind changed direction, we could smell the toilets. You can hear the road at all times also.
Perfect for hiking the waterfall trail.

Stacey Y

Verified

October 19, 2022 • Stayed at: 8, Loop: B

3

The campsites are very clean and spacious, the restroom facilities are fine. The major problem with this campground is the very loud road noise coming from the highway. We went in the fall and the motorcycles and semi trucks were loud enough to be a major distraction during the day, and made it difficult to sleep at night. I would not come back for that reason.

Amy F

Verified

October 22, 2022 • Stayed at: 10, Loop: B

4

The campsites are really nice and kept extremely clean. The bathrooms are exactly what you would expect of a mountain side campground bathroom, tidy and simple. My only complaint has nothing to do with the campground itself. The road noise is horrible. During the day it is noise from motorcycles and little cars and at night the noise is from semi-trucls and their Jake brakes. We did not have a solid night's sleep the entire time we stayed. The next time we camp there(and we will again) we will bring ear plugs to drown out some of the nightly road noise.

roy m

Verified

October 27, 2022 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: A

5

Too cold

Robin C

Verified

November 7, 2022 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: A

3

Nice and quiet except road traffic. Think it would benefit the camp ground during the season to close the gate at ngt even if it is not locked. An enormous amount of ride through traffic in the evening, we were at site 4 which should be the host site, since it’s on the corner of incoming traffic, bath house and trash dump. Fairly clean bath rooms. It looked as if some campers had trashed the bathroom but it was cleaned over night. Only complaint is the abundance of non-campers driving through.

Melinda W

Verified

November 9, 2022 • Stayed at: 17, Loop: B

5

Favorite spot in the woods-midweek only! Too many roadsters on weekend

Location & Directions for Desoto Falls Recreation Area

De Soto Falls Recreation Area, Dahlonega, GA 30533 United States

Elevation: 624 ft

Getting There

<p>From Blairsville, GA take U.S. Highway 19/129 South for 17 mi and the campground entrance is on your right. From Dahlonega, GA take Highway 19 North for 18 mi and the entrance in on your left. From Cleveland, GA, take 19/129 North for 16 mi and...

Nearest town

Dahlonega, GA - 17 mi

About 29 min to downtown

Highway access

Desoto Falls Recreation Area is accessible via U.S. Highway 19, with connections to U.S. Highway 129. It is approximately 17 miles from Blairsville and 18 miles from Dahlonega.

Policies & Rules

General

  • During non-peak season (November 1 - April 1), all water is turned off to the entire campground.
  • Be bear aware; keep all food in containers or locked inside a vehicle as much as possible. Remove all food from the area after eating and during nighttime hours. Dispose of garbage promptly in our bear proof garbage dumpster.
  • Limit of two vehicles per campsite except the double site (site #14), which is a maximum of 4 vehicles.
  • No generators, music or other loud noises during this time. Be respectful to other campground visitors.
  • Campfires are permitted in grills only.
  • Pets must be on a leash at all times.
  • Discharging of firearms and fireworks is prohibited.
  • Do not leave fires unattended; they must be fully-extinguished and cold to the touch before check-out.
  • Note: cell phone service may not work in some areas due to tower location and terrain.
  • No day use or picnicking in the campground. Please use the day-use area or the picnic area if you do not have a reservation.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: October 22, 2026

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Explore Dahlonega, GA

Population: 7,299

Nearby city: Alpharetta, GA

Approx. 49 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 1,450 ft

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Managed by the USDA Forest Service