# camping in the national forest



## CrazyCatfish (Mar 21, 2013)

i was talking to a friend last night and they mentioned that in the national forrest that you can camp free just about anywhere...is this true.. now they have only done tent camping and just pulled over on the side of the road and just set up... i was wondering if this was ok to do with a small camper..any ideas?


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## Garcia Mitchler (Mar 21, 2013)

I know off the forest roads up here you can, pulloffs that you can back a camper into. Just be careful, these sites also attract some scary peeps. Gary Michael Hilton frequented these areas. My brothers remember seeing his white van up in Dawson Forest. Most of the sites up here that are the free pulloffs are NOT clean... maybe the campsite is, but walk a few feet into the woods and you'll see things you wish you hadn't... 

Other thing I don't like is they are not patrolled, meaning not clean or sanitary. Idiot teen and college vegan pot smoker types camp and do NOT practice proper sanitary practices. We camped a whole weekend with our kids downstream from a very large loud obnoxious group of bongo jackwagons in Nimblewell. When they left, we walked up and found they made a make-shift privy RIGHT ON THE STREAM. Yep, you guessed it, they did EVERYTHING in it, including throwing used 'items' in the creek... site was trashed. Can you say HIV infested waters?  

Your better off going up into the sites like Cooper Creek, Mulky Campground, Frank Gross, etc only charge $6.00 I believe for first-come basis improved site camping. Very nice sites and not usually cluttered with jackwagons and are patrolled and clean! Restroom facilities are also provided (although primitive, meaning no showers etc).


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## CrazyCatfish (Mar 21, 2013)

wow very good info... i was looking at cooper creek and jones creek and a place called the pinhoti trail...yes i would much rather shell out $6 bucks for a little sanity and security.. i mean i always carry my 9mm ( for snakes only of course ) but yea for $6 bucks i am certainly in.


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## greg_n_clayton (Mar 21, 2013)

I never stay at a pay site, unless there is a fire ban, and I got a small camper I pull all over this area !!  Myself, I like to go and not see anybody for a few days !! Don't know where Garcia is talkin about  (too far away) when he says trashed, but, there will always be a few !! I would stay clear of the Earls ford/warwoman creek area here. The green man & DNR do their best, but their efforts are in vain when the do badders stay in their camp !!! There are too many free spots here to go into unless you give specifics as to what you want your surroundings to be !!


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## CrazyCatfish (Mar 21, 2013)

yea  iam pretty open to anywhere ...we live in the dallas/paulding area and have pretty much wore desoto falls out.. just really looking for cheap 2 day get aways not a million miles out.. my truck is a dodge with the big 360mtr so gas is a big factor... our camper is old and simple but easy to manuver.. no bathroom so a bucket for the wife...pretty much easily run off a small 1000 watt harbore freight generator or two deep cycle batteries...this is what were working with.we were hoping to sell and maybe downsize to a lighter pop-up but so far no bites on that...


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## Artfuldodger (Mar 21, 2013)

Garcia Mitchler said:


> I know off the forest roads up here you can, pulloffs that you can back a camper into. Just be careful, these sites also attract some scary peeps. Gary Michael Hilton frequented these areas. My brothers remember seeing his white van up in Dawson Forest. Most of the sites up here that are the free pulloffs are NOT clean... maybe the campsite is, but walk a few feet into the woods and you'll see things you wish you hadn't...
> 
> Other thing I don't like is they are not patrolled, meaning not clean or sanitary. Idiot teen and college vegan pot smoker types camp and do NOT practice proper sanitary practices. We camped a whole weekend with our kids downstream from a very large loud obnoxious group of bongo jackwagons in Nimblewell. When they left, we walked up and found they made a make-shift privy RIGHT ON THE STREAM. Yep, you guessed it, they did EVERYTHING in it, including throwing used 'items' in the creek... site was trashed. Can you say HIV infested waters?
> 
> Your better off going up into the sites like Cooper Creek, Mulky Campground, Frank Gross, etc only charge $6.00 I believe for first-come basis improved site camping. Very nice sites and not usually cluttered with jackwagons and are patrolled and clean! Restroom facilities are also provided (although primitive, meaning no showers etc).



That pretty much sums up most of the free camping places I've been to and a few pay camping places. But as Greg n Clayton was saying, you just gotta learn the areas that are better than other. I wonder how Sarah's Creek is in the Clayton area? My daughter likes to camp in the cheaper no services campgrounds and as she sometimes describe the clientele, It makes me and the wife nervous. 
That is one reason I like backpacking and canoeing. I can get away from the all night hooping & hollering and the generators. The generators I can tolerate. If I want to hear rebel yells all night I'll go to Myrtle Beach or Panama City Beach.


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## Garcia Mitchler (Mar 21, 2013)

Artfuldodger said:


> If I want to hear rebel yells all night I'll go to Myrtle Beach or Panama City Beach.



You forgot the bongo's... 

What gets me is we've met these peeps, (who are always vegans) and call themselves 'naturalist' and yet they decimate these places with vile waste, pizza boxes, and broken glass everywhere... (not to mention the nightly ukelele and bongo noise pollution)

prolly wiccans...


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## greg_n_clayton (Mar 22, 2013)

Artfuldodger said:


> That pretty much sums up most of the free camping places I've been to and a few pay camping places. But as Greg n Clayton was saying, you just gotta learn the areas that are better than other. I wonder how Sarah's Creek is in the Clayton area? My daughter likes to camp in the cheaper no services campgrounds and as she sometimes describe the clientele, It makes me and the wife nervous.
> That is one reason I like backpacking and canoeing. I can get away from the all night hooping & hollering and the generators. The generators I can tolerate. If I want to hear rebel yells all night I'll go to Myrtle Beach or Panama City Beach.




Sarahs Creek is nice, but is pay to play and you would have neighbors. Just past the first campground, I take the road to the left for a mile or 2 to Walnut Fork Creek. Lower end of grass patch on left is a nice camp. Also just past the grass patch on right where creek crosses the road is another. Search "Sarah's  Creek, Clayton, Ga". Zoom in and you can see Walnut Fork to the left on the screen. I am talkin bout right where Walnut Fork crosses the road.


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## CrazyCatfish (Mar 22, 2013)

ok, i see that it is up close to black rock mtn park.. we have been wanting to go up there anyway.. we can maybe stay there for a night and ride over and check out sarah's.. thanks man!


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## 7Mag Hunter (Mar 22, 2013)

I camp alot on ONF and Chatt Natl Forest......Using tents and
occasionally a small camper....On WMAs inside NF boundaries I use
hunt camps on the WMAs...

More than once I have used a sling blade and rake to make my own
campsite on a level spot off a NF road....I have also used dead ends
on NF roads to set up.....It is fairly easy to find places where other
folks have camped, but I look around alot before I use those sites,
because lots of people leave trash when they leave, that might attract
bears if i am in the mtns....
Never had a problem with party goers or people riding the roads,
but I mainly camp while hunting 3-4 days during deer/bear season....


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## greg_n_clayton (Mar 22, 2013)

CrazyCatfish said:


> ok, i see that it is up close to black rock mtn park.. we have been wanting to go up there anyway.. we can maybe stay there for a night and ride over and check out sarah's.. thanks man!



Well, you also got Moccasin Creek SP, and the campsites up Tallulah River(USFS). Tallulah Gorge SP, Lake Rabun Beach Campground(USFS) here in the county; unless you just want to be on top of a mountain !! Me, I prefer some kind water, whether it is a creek or lake !!


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## Blackberryhill (Apr 5, 2013)

Check the http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/conf/home website for campgrounds. Mulky Campground and Cooper's Creek Campground in the Cooper's Creek WMA are excellent. Sarah's Creek in Warwoman WMA is also a great campsite. I have camped in both places and always enjoyed my stay, especially during the week. Weekends can get busy, especially during hunting seasons. Both areas have primitive restrooms (permanent port-a-potty) without showers or running water. Mulky has water spigots in the camping area that operate during certain times of the year. 

I have seen people camp with tents and small rv's (like yours) in remote locations throughout both WMA's. If you are not familiar with the areas you will spend some time riding the roads until you find a preferred spot to set up camp. Even though these are WMA's, they are inside the national forest. Camping is allowed anywhere inside the national forest except where posted. 

Read the camping regulations on the website I provided and you will find most of your answers. If you are not sure about something call the local Rangers Station. I have always received the answer I needed from them and they are very friendly. If the person that answers the phone doesn't know the answer he/she will find out and call you back.

Good luck on your trip.


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## David Parker (Apr 5, 2013)

It's all free and as the posts suggest, they "styles" run the gamut.  I put a popup-camper in the first area above Helen where you have to cross the little bridge.  Was in there for several weeks and nobody setup near, nobody partied, heck nobody even visited.  Had my dog there so felt protected even.  Good times.


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