# Don Carter State Park



## mebster (Aug 21, 2013)

Wow, 14 million dollars... really?

The good.... everything is new.
The bad.... campground is absolutely horrendous.

We camp 10 to 20 times a year and were very excited to hear the park was open. We drove an hour on a Saturday to see the campground. Once we arrived we noticed the campground was gated and was told that they will not let anyone drive through unless you rent a site, so you can't actually see what your renting until they have your money (smart move on their behalf). We then asked if we could walk in and was told yes. The walk is about 3/4 of a mile and we couldn't have been more disappointed. The campground is basically a black top parking lot. Only 2 or 3 sites have the any shade and you have no privacy. The sites are not level, front-back, left-right. There is no access to the lake what-so-ever and you can only barely see the lake at a couple of the sites. The beach area was crowded but seemed ok, it's just the layout is all over the place. Whoever designed this place obviously has no clue how to design a campground/state park.  Absolutely hideous.  I would only think of camping at Don Carter if the Wal-Mart parking lot was full.  They do have "walk-in" sites, but so far haven't heard/read anything positive about those as well.  Way too many beautiful campgrounds in Georgia to waste a moment at this disaster.  On a good note, the main lodge/check in is very nice and I hear the cabins are very nice as well, but we didn't walk the extra mile to see them.  I want my tax dollars back.


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## papachaz (Sep 1, 2013)

they did the same thing as far as clearing all the trees when they built Chattahoochee Bend SP a few years ago. No way I'm camping there in the dead of summer, not even with a travel trailer with A/C!


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## riprap (Sep 2, 2013)

Glad I didn't waste my money there. I have been to Chattahoochee bend to meet my buddy to kayak. It would be more of a camping experience to camp in my driveway. At least there are some trees.


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## gsp416dre (Sep 4, 2013)

I figured there was something not on the up and up about Don Carter SP, especially when the photos on the SP website show nothing but cabins. That park looks to be no more than a state owned snowbird rv park!! I have to wonder who designed that place! In a few months they will probably be seen like the guy a Ford who said the "Pinto" was a good idea!!!!!
On the other hand, I know that not many of the state parks let you drive in anymore to just look at the sites. I know a Park Ranger who told me they stopped that because people would ask to just drive through so they could take a quick look, then stay and fish or play. Thats ok with me. I buy my annual parks pass, so I have no problem with it. Unless they tell me I can't drive in to a State Park on my park pass unless I rent a spot, then we have a problem! I wouldn't have a problem if when people wanted to just drive through, give them  an easily recognizable complimentary  30 min or so pass, that they can place in drop box when they leave, and get their tag number.  I don't love the idea that I can't drive through anymore, but they have done that for a reason. And hey, I have a reason to buy my annual pass and we can go in and out of any park we choose. (With the exception of the GP and GA coop parks)


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## Milkman (Sep 4, 2013)

No water view.......... bad

No shade............ worse

thanks for the report.   Don Carter is off my to-do list


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## hipster dufus (Sep 24, 2013)

went up there 3 times now to fish. i have driven thru and looked at campsites.asphalt everywhere. the cabins are very nice, but at 160 a nite i dont see them getting used much. i fish and camp and do it out of a tent. i require electric to at least charge my batts. all that being said, we are camping there the first week of oct. 4 niter. we will have to stake the tents out on asphalt and bring a canopy.sites 1-11 look ok.our first pick was old federal but they close in sept. all the parks near the dam end of the lake arenot appealing to us because we fish out of a jon boat and any kind pf weather will shut us down on the big end of the lake.to me oct is the best month to camp, unfortunately ga pwr and the ace dont know this. i will pop up a review after our trip


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## riprap (Sep 24, 2013)

hipster dufus said:


> went up there 3 times now to fish. i have driven thru and looked at campsites.asphalt everywhere. the cabins are very nice, but at 160 a nite i dont see them getting used much. i fish and camp and do it out of a tent. i require electric to at least charge my batts. all that being said, we are camping there the first week of oct. 4 niter. we will have to stake the tents out on asphalt and bring a canopy.sites 1-11 look ok.our first pick was old federal but they close in sept. all the parks near the dam end of the lake arenot appealing to us because we fish out of a jon boat and any kind pf weather will shut us down on the big end of the lake.to me oct is the best month to camp, unfortunately ga pwr and the ace dont know this. i will pop up a review after our trip


Next time I camp at Lanier I am trying here:


http://www.hallcounty.org/parks/parks_details.asp?ID=29


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## hipster dufus (Sep 25, 2013)

i called them, they said no places for tents that had pwr


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## Poleclimber15 (Oct 4, 2013)

Riprap, thanks for that suggestion.  Looks like it could be a good place.


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## hipster dufus (Oct 11, 2013)

review time. just spent 4 nites at don carter.pros, cln, pwr, water, cable on site. cons, very little shade, boat docks no where near near campsites or cabin, staked tent out on asphalt, would have been miserable w/o canopy. sites are set up for rvs, had tournament anglers coming in, they all had rvs. i think they are planning on putting in tent sites, power at the doks would be good. i would go again but if u dont get sites 1-12 u will have no privacy. we had 11 and 12. 7 is the best site. i will email dnr about their horrible design. any questions ask away.


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## Milkman (Oct 11, 2013)

hipster dufus said:


> review time. just spent 4 nites at don carter.pros, cln, pwr, water, cable on site. cons, very little shade, boat docks no where near near campsites or cabin, staked tent out on asphalt, would have been miserable w/o canopy. sites are set up for rvs, had tournament anglers coming in, they all had rvs. i think they are planning on putting in tent sites, power at the doks would be good. i would go again but if u dont get sites 1-12 u will have no privacy. we had 11 and 12. 7 is the best site. i will email dnr about their horrible design. any questions ask away.



Shade, water view, and some degree of privacy are some of the top things I look for when selecting a campsite.  *Scratch Don Carter.*

thanks for the review.


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## Bob Shaw (Oct 12, 2013)

The sad thing is, that there were trees, and just like Chattahoochee  Bend, they cut them all down. Why? If yo camp at Tugaloo State Park, there is an area with trees and an area without trees, guess where people like to camp.... in the trees of course.


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## riprap (Oct 14, 2013)

Bob Shaw said:


> The sad thing is, that there were trees, and just like Chattahoochee  Bend, they cut them all down. Why? If yo camp at Tugaloo State Park, there is an area with trees and an area without trees, guess where people like to camp.... in the trees of course.



It had to be for ease of putting in utilities and leveling sites. Makes me sick. These parks they design now are to make things as easy as possible for people who get out once a year. I have a 30' 5th wheel, but I don't mind the extra effort to dodge some trees for a good spot. I believe most people today would rather have a pull through site with no shade and a ranger to come out and level it up for you and hook up everything.


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## Milkman (Oct 14, 2013)

Bob Shaw said:


> The sad thing is, that there were trees, and just like Chattahoochee  Bend, they cut them all down. Why? If yo camp at Tugaloo State Park, there is an area with trees and an area without trees, guess where people like to camp.... in the trees of course.



Kinda the same scenario as folks who completely grade away a subdivision then start planting trees.


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## Bob Shaw (Oct 14, 2013)

Well I do admit that, since I bought my latest 5th wheel, at 40' I have been unable to camp at most state parks, at least the ones I like (Fort Mountain, Tugaloo, Indian Springs), because the roads are too narrow, or the turns too sharp with trees. I've sort of relegated myself to Corps parks.


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## 3ringer (Oct 14, 2013)

Might as well camp in a walmart parking lot.


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## Milkman (Oct 15, 2013)

Bob Shaw said:


> Well I do admit that, since I bought my latest 5th wheel, at 40' I have been unable to camp at most state parks, at least the ones I like (Fort Mountain, Tugaloo, Indian Springs), because the roads are too narrow, or the turns too sharp with trees. I've sort of relegated myself to Corps parks.



Try Elijah Clarke SP if you care to go that far from home. I was there a few weeks ago and saw the mega campers going in and out of the pull through sites with ease.


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## scott stokes (Nov 20, 2013)

We went to river forks couple weeks ago it was nice.also Swanee is open on Buford dam for a trial run kinda self serve all year.i will go soon.


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## riprap (Nov 20, 2013)

scott stokes said:


> We went to river forks couple weeks ago it was nice.also Swanee is open on Buford dam for a trial run kinda self serve all year.i will go soon.



Do you have kids? If so are there some good sites near the playground?


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