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Recreation.govGA

Desoto Falls Recreation Area

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest

Upcoming Availability

14 of 14 days currently show available sites.

View releasing sites

Sun, Jul 26

20

sites

Mon, Jul 27

21

sites

Tue, Jul 28

21

sites

Wed, Jul 29

19

sites

Thu, Jul 30

15

sites

Fri, Jul 31

10

sites

Sat, Aug 1

10

sites

Sun, Aug 2

21

sites

Mon, Aug 3

21

sites

Tue, Aug 4

23

sites

Wed, Aug 5

23

sites

Thu, Aug 6

22

sites

Fri, Aug 7

20

sites

Sat, Aug 8

19

sites

Campground guide

What to know before booking

Forest Service Campground located approximately 2 hours North of Atlanta in the North Georgia mountains of the Chattahoochee National Forest. April 1st through October 31st, the campground has drinking water, warm showers, and flush toilets. Desoto Falls is part of the Chattahoochee National Forest and is located in a 650-acre (2.6 km2) area designated as the Desoto Falls Scenic Area.

Official campground details, summarized

Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.

Facilities

April 1st through October 31st, the campground has drinking water, warm showers, and flush toilets. The bathhouse has warm water outdoor showers connected to a flush facility, and is located on the lower loop. Hydrants are centrally located throughout the entire campground for your convenience. Centrally located in the upper loop is a vault toilet, which is a short walk from most campsites. NOTE: There are no hookups or a dumpstation avaliable in the campground. From November 1st - March 31st, fees are reduced because no water is available. A dumpster is located near site #3 for all bagged trash to be disposed of. Amenities include a picnic area, picnic tables, fire rings, vault toilets, lantern posts, drinking water, flush toilets, water hydrants, water front sites, and garbage service.

Natural Features

Desoto Falls is part of the Chattahoochee National Forest and is located in a 650-acre (2.6 km2) area designated as the Desoto Falls Scenic Area. This area of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia make up part of the Appalachian Mountain range stretching all the way to Canada. The hardwood coves, rushing waterfalls, creeks, and steep canyons are crisscrossed with abundant trails for hiking and fishing. During the Month of October, North Georgia’s trees put on a vibrant show. Summer's dark greens change to brilliant reds, oranges and yellows which makes the camping atmosphere amazing. Thousands make the yearly trek into the mountains near Desoto Falls for a front row seat.

Recreation

The primary attractions to this area are the two waterfalls along Frogtown Creek, which lead from the wooden bridge across from the Host Site. This hike is relatively short, kid-friendly distance and moderate elevation change make it one of North Georgia’s most popular waterfall hikes. .25 hike to lower falls and .75 to the upper falls. The trail hikes through several large exposed rock outcrops, beautiful rhododendron, and under the shade of several enormous old-growth pine trees with their wide trunks reaching high into the forest canopy above. The waterfall’s newly built observation deck makes a great spot for a mid-hike rest or picnic, and a great place to soak up the waterfall’s beauty. Note: slippery rocks and fast moving water can be extremely dangerous! Please don’t climb, stand on, swim near, or jump from any waterfall.

Nearby Attractions

Just 1.5 miles north on 19/129 is Neels Gap and the Appalachian Trail. Drive just a short piece down to Byron Herbert Reece parking area on the left, and the Appalachian Trail can be easily accessed there. Nearby water falls to visit are are Helton Creek Falls, Dukes Creeks Falls, and Raven Cliffs Falls. Just a short drive and located within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, the Brasstown Bald Recreation Area & Visitor Center is a great place to visit. It is the highest point in Georgia, rising 4,784 feet above sea level with a 360 degree view of four states. Towns within a short drive to visit are Blairsville, Helen, and Dahlonega, GA

Campsite map

Site markers come from Recreation.gov campsite coordinates.

23 mapped sites

Campsites

A sample of official campsite metadata for scanning equipment fit before booking.

Site 14

B

GROUP STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

10

people

β€”

shade

Site 19

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 21

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 13

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 23

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 17

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 1

A

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 11

B

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 12

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 5

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 4

A

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 18

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 22

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 7

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 8

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 15

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 16

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 3

A

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 10

B

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 6

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 20

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 2

A

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Site 9

B

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

β€”

vehicle

5

people

β€”

shade

Important notices

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.
Quiet hours are from 10pm until 6am. No generators, music or other loud noises during this time. Be respectful to other campground visitors.

More at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest

Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.

Surrounding campgrounds

Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.

Common questions

Is Desoto Falls Recreation Area available right now?

Kestrel's most recent scan found openings on 14 of the next 14 days, starting Sun, Jul 26. Availability changes constantly β€” check the calendar above, then confirm on Recreation.gov.

How do I book Desoto Falls Recreation Area?

Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.

How quickly will I hear about a cancellation?

Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.