About Lake Russell Recreation Area
Number of accommodations: 41
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Picnic Table
Restrooms
Water and Hygiene
- Restrooms
Cooking and Fire
- Picnic Table
Water Access
- Beach Access
- Lake Access
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Rates, Sites & Availability
41 Sites Available
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Site Details
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41 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (106)
What Guests Are Saying
Lake Russell Recreation Area offers a peaceful and serene camping experience, with fun bike trails and a lovely beach for lake access. Many reviewers appreciated the friendly campground host and the well-maintained campsites. However, there were concerns about restroom cleanliness, maintenance issues, and some overcrowding with neighboring campers, which detracted from the overall experience for some visitors.
What Guests Are Saying
Lake Russell Recreation Area offers a peaceful and serene camping experience, with fun bike trails and a lovely beach for lake access. Many reviewers appreciated the friendly campground host and the well-maintained campsites. However, there were concerns about restroom cleanliness, maintenance issues, and some overcrowding with neighboring campers, which detracted from the overall experience for some visitors.
Review Summary
Jennifer O
VerifiedOctober 8, 2023 • Stayed at: 35, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
Beautiful spot! I solo camped here and I felt safe and sound.
Michael A
VerifiedSeptember 28, 2023 • Stayed at: 33, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
There's not many sites with access to the lake but we were able to get one of the view. The lake is beautiful and we took our kayaks and were able to really enjoy the lake. The campsite was spacious and not right on top of each other. The bath house was clean and showers had good hot water. Overall it was a great time!
Paul C
VerifiedJuly 18, 2023 • Stayed at: 34, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
Lake Russell is a quiet, peaceful place to visit and stay with no generators running, or power boats making waves. We enjoyed kyaking and oar boarding on the lake. We saw some wildlife as well. The beach area is actually a grassy area with a roped swimming area which we enjoyed to cool off. We met wonderful people who were staying or visiting, which made the trip even more meaningful. The park and campground have recently been taken back over by the forest service and there are issues that need to be addressed, and I assume work is in progress as money is available. Please pay your use fee so the forest service can make improvements. The only negative was that we felt like the bathrooms could have had more attention during the weekends, when there is the most use. There is no electric or water at each site, which is fine with us. We use our electric car to power our very small camper, which came in handy when temps were high.
Sam H
VerifiedJune 21, 2023 • Stayed at: 33, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
Not just primitive but neglected and no enjoyment in camping. The restroom was clean but needed updating. The atmosphere was one of homeless shelters.
Jeffrey G
VerifiedJune 14, 2023 • Stayed at: 40, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
1
Amy G
VerifiedJune 5, 2023 • Stayed at: 26, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
This was a great campground! Absolutely perefct for what we were looking for. The lake was amazing!
Dorothy W
VerifiedNovember 5, 2022 • Stayed at: 33, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
Beautiful place!! Only stayed overnight but want to o go back and stay longer,
David S
VerifiedOctober 23, 2022 • Stayed at: 39, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
Clean site with new picnic tables. Clean bathrooms, sites were decently spaced apart.
Michael A
VerifiedJune 13, 2022 • Stayed at: 36, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
We had a fantatisc time the only thing is I wish we had carried a canoe to trully enjoy the lake. The camp host was extremely helpful and friendly
John W
VerifiedApril 15, 2022 • Stayed at: 33, Loop: LAKE RUSSELL RECREATION AREA
A very nice place. It was clean and quite, and easy to get to.
Location Lake Russell Recreation Area
Address:
3059 Lake Russell Road
Mt. Airy, GA, 30563
United States
Take Ga 365/U.S. 23 North from Gainesville past Cornelia to Hwy 197. Turn right for approximately 3 miles until dead-end. Right on Dicks Hill Parkway for approx.3/4 mile. Turn left onto the paved Lake Russell Road.
Lake Russell Recreation Area is accessible via Ga 365/U.S. 23 and Hwy 197. Ga 365/U.S. 23 is the nearest major road, providing access from Gainesville.
Latitude & Longitude: 34.4931 / -83.495
Elevation: 321 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
2PM
Check out time
12:01PM
General
- If a generator is unreasonably disturbing to other campers you may be asked to turn it off.
- Click here for more information on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
- Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org to learn more.
- Third loop for future use and part of campground facility. No hunting within any developed campground, developed campsite, developed trail, or other developed recreation site on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.
- 14 day stay limit at all campsites. All parties must vacate the site to allow other visitors to enjoy camping on that site.
- The bathroom across from Campsite #25 has been decommissioned and is no longer in use.
- No driving, unloading, or loading of any ATVs or UTV, allowed on or near all the campgrounds, dispersed campsites, and Day Use Areas to include Nancytown, and the Lake Russell WMA.
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Last updated: June 3, 2026
