Carters Lake
FAQs
Planning Your Visit
FIND Outdoors operates four visitor areas at Carters Lake in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
Doll Mountain Campground & Recreation Area offers developed tent and RV camping along with lake recreation.
Woodring Developed Campground offers developed tent and RV camping, campground facilities, a swimming area, boating access, and nearby trails.
Woodring Primitive Campground offers 11 tent-only primitive campsites with more limited facilities.
Harris Branch Beach Recreation Area is a seasonal day-use area centered around swimming, picnicking, fishing, and enjoying the lake. Overnight camping is not available at Harris Branch.
Choose the area that best matches the type of visit you are planning:
Doll Mountain is a good choice for visitors looking for developed camping with tent and RV options and convenient access to Carters Lake.
Woodring Developed is another developed camping option with showers, restrooms, a swimming area, boating access, and nearby hiking opportunities.
Woodring Primitive is best for tent campers looking for a simpler and quieter camping experience with fewer developed amenities.
Harris Branch Beach is best for visitors planning a seasonal day trip focused on swimming, picnicking, and spending time beside the lake.
Operating seasons vary by recreation area.
Doll Mountain operates seasonally from spring through fall. Woodring Developed also operates seasonally during the primary recreation season, while Woodring Primitive is currently open year-round.
Harris Branch Beach operates seasonally during the warmer months and is closed on Wednesdays for maintenance and mowing during its operating season.
Exact opening dates, closing dates, hours, and available services are subject to change. Please check current FIND Outdoors information before traveling to your desired location.
Carters Lake is located in the North Georgia mountains near Ellijay and Chatsworth.
The four FIND Outdoors recreation areas are located at different points around the lake and have separate entrances. Visitors should navigate directly to Doll Mountain, Harris Branch Beach, Woodring Developed, or Woodring Primitive rather than entering only “Carters Lake” into a navigation app.
Carters Lake is the deepest of Georgia’s reservoir lakes.
The lake has an average depth of approximately 200 feet, with some areas reaching more than 450 feet. Its steep shoreline and deep water are part of what makes Carters Lake distinctive, but they also make water safety especially important.
Visitors should never assume water is shallow based on distance from shore and should always follow posted swimming, boating, and water-safety guidance.
Camping & Reservations
Overnight camping is available at:
- Doll Mountain Campground & Recreation Area
- Woodring Developed Campground
- Woodring Primitive Campground
Harris Branch Beach Recreation Area does not offer overnight camping.
Camping reservations are made through Recreation.gov.
Reservations cannot be created or changed by calling or emailing the FIND Outdoors office. Visitors can make reservations online through Recreation.gov or call the National Recreation Reservation Service at 877.444.6777.
The FIND Outdoors Reservations page also provides step-by-step booking instructions.
Campers should have a completed reservation before entering their campground.
Campsite availability can change quickly, particularly on weekends, holidays, and during popular spring, summer, and fall travel periods.
Reserving before traveling also allows visitors to review campsite dimensions, equipment limits, amenities, and other site-specific information.
Current campground information:
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Review your Recreation.gov confirmation before traveling in case additional campsite-specific instructions apply.
Doll Mountain offers a mix of tent and RV camping, including standard electric sites, tent-only electric sites, tent-only non-electric sites, and a group tent camping area.
Individual sites vary in size, electrical service, water availability, parking configuration, and equipment limits. Review the specific campsite listing carefully before reserving.
Current amenities include hot showers, flush toilets, picnic areas, tent pads, fire rings, a playground, and access to recreation on Carters Lake.
Facilities and services may occasionally be affected by maintenance, weather, or seasonal operating conditions.
They are two separate campgrounds.
Woodring Developed provides developed tent and RV camping along with hot showers, flush toilets, picnic areas, fire rings, playgrounds, a swimming area, boating access, and a life jacket loaner station.
Woodring Primitive contains 11 tent-only, non-electric campsites with tent pads, fire rings, and vault toilets.
Visitors should make sure their reservation is for the correct campground before arriving.
No. Current FIND Outdoors guidance states that a Woodring Primitive reservation does not include access to the swimming area, bathrooms, or other camper facilities within Woodring Developed.
Visitors staying at Woodring Primitive should arrive prepared for the more limited facilities provided within the primitive campground.
Camping at one or more campsites within the Carters Lake Project for more than 14 days within a 30-day period is prohibited.
Visitors planning an extended trip should review current Recreation.gov and Title 36 campground regulations before reserving.
Campsite limits vary, so always review the individual Recreation.gov listing before reserving.
Many standard Carters Lake campsites allow up to eight people and two vehicles, but campsite dimensions, vehicle capacity, RV length, trailer length, and equipment restrictions can differ significantly from one site to another.
Harris Branch Beach
No. Harris Branch Beach is a seasonal day-use recreation area.
The former campground at Harris Branch is no longer open for overnight camping.
Visitors can swim, picnic, fish outside of swimming areas, enjoy the shoreline, and explore the surrounding recreation area.
Amenities include a designated swimming beach, picnic areas, restrooms, drinking water, and nature trails.
The current standard day-use fee is $5 per vehicle.Â
Fees and pass benefits can change, so visitors should review current information before arriving.
Harris Branch operates seasonally during the warmer months.
During the current operating season, hours vary by day and the recreation area is closed on Wednesdays for maintenance and mowing. No visitors are admitted within one hour of closing.
Check current hours before traveling, particularly near the beginning or end of the season.
No. There are no lifeguards on duty at Harris Branch Beach.
Visitors swim at their own risk. Children should remain under close supervision, and swimmers should stay within designated swimming areas and choose activities appropriate for their abilities.
Swimming & Water Safety
Designated swimming opportunities are available at Harris Branch Beach and Woodring Developed Campground. Doll Mountain also provides access to lake recreation, including swimming.
Visitors should use designated swimming areas where provided and follow all posted rules.
Woodring Primitive campers do not have access to the Woodring Developed swimming area as part of their primitive campground reservation.
Yes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommends always wearing an approved life jacket when recreating on or around the water.
Life jackets are particularly important when boating, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, fishing from a vessel, or participating in activities where an unexpected fall into deep water could occur.
Choose a properly fitting U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket appropriate for your activity.
Carters Lake is an unusually deep reservoir with steep shoreline terrain.
Water depths can change quickly, and submerged stumps, logs, rocks, fences, and other underwater hazards may be present.
Visitors should never dive into water of unknown depth, should use caution when approaching shorelines, and should keep children under close supervision at all times.
Never dive into water when the depth or underwater conditions are unknown.
Carters Lake contains changing depths and submerged hazards that may not be visible from the surface.
Carters Lake water-safety guidance advises visitors not to use alcohol while in, on, or around the water.
Alcohol can affect judgment, balance, coordination, swimming ability, and reaction time. Operating a vessel while under the influence is also prohibited by Georgia law.
Before boating, paddling, swimming, or fishing:
- Check the current weather and lake conditions
- Wear an appropriate life jacket
- Make sure your vessel is not overloaded
- Watch for submerged and floating hazards
- Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return
- Know and follow current boating laws
- Follow all signs, buoys, barriers, and restricted areas
Visitors towing a boat should also confirm that their planned boat ramp is currently open before traveling.
Boating & Fishing
Yes. Boating and paddling are popular activities at Carters Lake.
Visitors can explore the lake using permitted powerboats, kayaks, canoes, and other watercraft while following applicable Georgia boating laws and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations.
Boat operators should remain alert for changing depths, underwater hazards, swimmers, paddlers, floating debris, and other vessels.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains current information about Carters Lake boat ramp conditions and closures.
Visitors towing a boat should check ramp status before leaving home, particularly during periods of unusually high or low lake levels.
Carters Lake supports a variety of popular game fish.
Anglers may encounter largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, striped, and hybrid bass, along with crappie, walleye, bream, and catfish.
Bank-fishing opportunities can be limited in some areas because of the lake’s steep shoreline, so many anglers use boat access to reach additional areas.
Anyone planning to fish should review current Georgia fishing license requirements, seasons, size limits, possession limits, and other regulations before arriving.
Pets
Yes. Dogs are welcome at Doll Mountain, Woodring Developed, and Woodring Primitive.
Pets must remain properly restrained and under control. Current campground guidance requires dogs to be leashed or kenneled, and owners are responsible for cleaning up after their animals.
Pets should never disturb other campers or wildlife.
Pets are not permitted on the swimming beach.
Title 36 regulations also restrict pets from designated swimming beaches at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation areas.
Service animals are permitted in accordance with applicable law.
Campfires, Wildlife & Site Rules
Campfires are permitted in designated campsite fire rings when current conditions and fire restrictions allow.
Never leave a fire unattended. Before leaving your campsite or going to sleep, make sure flames, embers, and coals are completely extinguished.
Visitors are encouraged to purchase firewood locally and burn it where it is purchased to help prevent the spread of forest pests and diseases.
No. Visitors should never feed or harass wildlife.
Keep food and trash secured, maintain a clean campsite, and observe wild animals from a safe distance.
Carters Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water-resource project.
Public use of Corps-managed lands and waters is governed by Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter III, Part 327, along with applicable Georgia and local laws.
Title 36 includes rules covering camping, swimming, boating, fishing, pets, fires, vehicles, sanitation, natural resources, recreation fees, restricted areas, and other activities.
Visitors are responsible for following posted signs, ranger instructions, campground rules, and applicable laws throughout their visit.
Yes. Visitors must comply with all warning signs, barriers, buoys, and restricted areas around Carters Dam and other project infrastructure.
Water immediately above and below dams can contain dangerous currents and turbulent conditions. Never enter a closed or restricted area.
Trails & Outdoor Recreation
Yes. Several established trails are located throughout the broader Carters Lake recreation system.
The Woodring Branch area provides some of the closest documented trail access to the FIND Outdoors campgrounds, including the Amadahy Trail and Oak Ridge Nature Trail.
Additional U.S. Army Corps of Engineers trails can be found at other recreation areas around Carters Lake.
Trail conditions may change because of weather, maintenance, erosion, or fallen trees. Review current information before beginning a hike.
Yes. Some Carters Lake trails are open to mountain biking.
The Amadahy Trail near Woodring Branch is shared by hikers and mountain bikers, while additional mountain-bike opportunities are available elsewhere in the Carters Lake recreation system.
Cyclists should use trails appropriate for their experience, wear a helmet, follow posted trail rules, and share multi-use trails responsibly.
Yes. FIND Outdoors offers educational programs, seasonal activities, and special events at Carters Lake.
Programs may focus on wildlife, water, forests, astronomy, conservation, stewardship, children’s activities, or other topics connected to the lake and surrounding environment.
Schedules vary throughout the year, so visitors should review the current FIND Outdoors event calendar before arriving.
Passes, Navigation & Trip Planning
Qualifying America the Beautiful federal recreation passes may provide benefits at eligible Carters Lake day-use areas.
Benefits can vary depending on the pass type, recreation area, campsite, and type of fee. Camping reservations and additional reservation charges should not be assumed to be covered by a day-use pass.
Visitors planning to use a federal recreation pass should bring the physical pass and review current fee information before arriving.
Cellular service may be limited or unreliable around portions of Carters Lake.
Visitors should save directions, campground information, reservation confirmations, weather information, and any maps they may need before arriving.
Because the four FIND Outdoors recreation areas have separate entrances, make sure your navigation app is directing you to the specific location you plan to visit.
Carters Lake is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
FIND Outdoors operates Doll Mountain Campground & Recreation Area, Harris Branch Beach Recreation Area, and the Woodring campground areas through a cooperative recreation partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Visitors may interact with FIND Outdoors staff during their visit while recreating on federal public lands managed by the Corps.
Still Have Questions?
Visitors can contact the Carters Lake recreation areas at 706.334.2248 or review the current FIND Outdoors and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers information before traveling.
For campsite reservations or changes to an existing reservation, use Recreation.gov or contact the National Recreation Reservation Service at 877.444.6777.