# First Time Campers



## lcookie (May 28, 2015)

Hello All,

Long time forum member but first time poster on this board.  A few buds and I want to take the kids out tent camping all across North Georgia this summer.  We will be doing long weekend trips leaving out Friday around noon and returning on Sunday.  I have a host of questions that I was hoping some of you would help me out with.

1. For the camp sites that are no reservation first come first serve what is the general time these places fill up and/or the good sites get picked over?

2. We would like to pull our electric only boats (on trailers no walking it in) and make some memories fishing as well.  What are the better sites for launching a boat and catching a few fish?   Species does not matter.  We are just wetting hooks.  Would also like sites that you can pull the vehicles up to as well.

3. Are generators allowed in the sites where there is no electrical service?  If so what is an acceptable decibel level that would not disturb other campers?

4. What is the minimal amount of water one should carry with them for cooking/cleaning for 4 to 6 people for a long weekend?

5. What are some places to stay away from if you are taking younger kids?

6.  We are planning trips to Lake Russell (Cornelia), Winfield Scott (Dahlonega), Lake Conasauga (Chatsworth), and Sloppy Floyd (Summerville).  Any heads up on these area or better places close by is appreciated.

There are many more questions but these should get us on our way.


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## Nugefan (May 28, 2015)

check this out for first time camping ...

http://gastateparks.org/firsttimecamper


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## T-N-T (May 28, 2015)

Any decibel is unacceptable.  But take it and run in the middle of the day.  Not after dark.

Water to clean?  You are camping...  
Walmart sells a big green can that holds a few gallons of water.  That coupled with some Clorox wipes will get you a long way.

And after one trip you will have a Lot better idea of Your wants.  

Most of all,  Go,  take the Kids,  and have a Blast doing it!


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## NE GA Pappy (May 28, 2015)

Don't go to Lake Russell.  They have the lake closed because of a fecal cloriform contamination.  They are saying not to even eat the fish, unless you wash them really, really well.

They are testing it regularly to determine when it will be safe to swim and such


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## NE GA Pappy (May 28, 2015)

I bought a couple of Coleman battery powered LED lanterns.  They sure are nice and you don't have to worry about mantles/ fuel.  and they are safe in a tent.


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## riprap (May 31, 2015)

Lake Winfield Scott has one spot you can reserve with power and water. 15 others to reserve with no power/water and I guess about 20 that are first come first serve. The have places to get water and hot showers. Fishing is great for trout and yellow perch. Huge bass that will laugh at you. I camped across from a guy this weekend with a Honda 2000 quiet generator. It was quiet and he did turn it off at night, but I would have rather listened to the creek. I have a 30ft 5th wheel with a slide and I just took an extra deep cycle battery and used fridge on propane and battery lanterns inside and propane outside. Used onsite toilet and showers.


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## lcookie (Jun 1, 2015)

Update.  We did our trial run out in the back yard this weekend and it all went well.  Set up was a drag as All the items were new in the box.  Most of the time was spent unpacking and such.  It should go much smoother when we hit the campground now that we have completed our walk thru.  

A few questions I answered for myself:

1. 5 gallons of water was plenty enough for the 3 of us over the weekend for general cleaning and cooking.  Will take an additional 5 gallons for showers and we should be good.  

2. For all of my research on generators the super quiet ones are out of my range for what I wanted.  I will simply purchase a good one for back up power at the house and take a couple deep cycle batteries for weekend camping power.  Really only need it to power some small fans and recharge batteries.  

3. A good dolly is your friend for hauling heavy items by yourself.

Thanks for the posts and the advice.  Looking forward to fishing Winfield Scott.  I won't kill myself trying to get to spots with power and water as I planned on being off the grid when I was gearing up for camping.  They reopened Russell the end of last week.  Given the weather I doubt I will be camping this weekend anyways.  Water should be safe before we get there. Will just wait and see.


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## riprap (Jun 1, 2015)

Looks like you are ready to go. Any spot at Winfield will be good for you with your set up.


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## T-N-T (Jun 1, 2015)

lcookie,  thats a Heck of a setup you have there!  You will be good to go any place you choose.  Have fun,  and post up pics of your first time "out".


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## greg_n_clayton (Jun 1, 2015)

I am impressed to say the least !! That set up is a head turner !! You got it going on right down to the propane gas tree !! Would like to have me one of them ovens.


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## elfiii (Jun 5, 2015)

TopherAndTick said:


> lcookie,  thats a Heck of a setup you have there!  You will be good to go any place you choose.  Have fun,  and post up pics of your first time "out".





greg_n_clayton said:


> I am impressed to say the least !! That set up is a head turner !! You got it going on right down to the propane gas tree !! Would like to have me one of them ovens.



Amen.

Around Winfield Scott don't overlook Dockery Lake. Further north look at Deep Hole and Cooper Creek.

Just an FYI, this time of year getting there late Friday afternoon is a bad idea because all the campsites are likely to be taken. Somebody in your party needs to get there around noon to claim a spot.

P.S. - Smores are an essential!


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## lcookie (Jun 8, 2015)

Thanks for the tip.  I found out the hard way on site selection. The best sites were picked over when we got there.  

Another lesson learned was 1 gallon of water is not a lot for a shower.  We managed 2 gallons per on avg.


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## 660griz (Jun 8, 2015)

I love that stove. (and the cinnamon rolls) and the smores. Yall need some company? 
Look into Champion inverter generators. I have the 2000 watt model. It is quiet and great when you don't have power and you just want to run a few fans, make some coffee, or charge some batteries.


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## caughtinarut (Jun 8, 2015)

Coopers creek would be fun.


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## lcookie (Jun 8, 2015)

Good look on that generator.  The DB's look to be inline with the Honda/Yamaha models.  They don't seem to carry the load as well as those two but I don't need that much power.  That one could fit the bill for camping and light home use.  

I have Cooper Creek on the list of go to places.  I just have to remember that Rome was not built in a day.  The wife has already told me she aint gonna be bouncing around North Georgia every weekend.  The two of us on the other hand have different ideas about that.


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## T-N-T (Jun 8, 2015)

lcookie said:


> Good look on that generator.  The DB's look to be inline with the Honda/Yamaha models.  They don't seem to carry the load as well as those two but I don't need that much power.  That one could fit the bill for camping and light home use.
> 
> I have Cooper Creek on the list of go to places.  I just have to remember that Rome was not built in a day.  The wife has already told me she aint gonna be bouncing around North Georgia every weekend.  The two of us on the other hand have different ideas about that.



Bounce her once,  she will be hooked.  You have all the luxuries of home with that stove and shower...  She wont be missing out!  When she wakes up in the cool mountain air after a great nights sleep, from being tired from a long days adventure, she will be hooked.


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## LT4247 (Jun 8, 2015)

are those shrimp in the skillett?  With grits? AND cinammon rolls?????!!!!  
Bet you make friends easy!


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## lcookie (Jun 9, 2015)

Yes that was the meal.  We like to eat good around my parts.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Jun 9, 2015)

Cookie, that's an awesome looking setup.  My wife and I tent camped until we started having children, then we got us a little camper.  

One thing I see in your pics that could be a problem, and that's your tarp.  It's been my experience that having tarp exposed around the edges of your tent will collect rainwater and it will pool under the floor of your tent.  I learned long ago to tuck the tarp under the floor and not leave any exposed.  Nothing dampens the spirits quicker than wet gear inside the tent.


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## lcookie (Jun 9, 2015)

Northgeorgia

Good info.  We did fold the tarp under the tent when we went this weekend.  Going to buy a couple smaller ones and use this one as an enclosure cover in case of elongated heavy rains.


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