Plan a Camping Getaway to Clarks Hill Lake
Break routine and refresh lakeside.
Clarks Hill Lake feels a world away yet is located just outside of Augusta and a little more than an hour’s drive from Atlanta and Athens. One of the largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River, Clarks Hill Lake laps the South Carolina border and boasts 1,200 miles of shoreline. Explore “Georgia’s Freshwater Coast” over the course of a weekend or midweek escape and you’ll never run out of things to do no matter how long you stay.
Where to Camp at Clarks Hill Lake
Nothing ends a day of outdoor adventure like relaxing by a crackling fire and toasting marshmallows while watching the sun dip behind rippling water. Pitch your tent or park your RV or trailer at these campgrounds for just such an experience.
Big Hart Campground, located on the western end of Clarks Hill Lake at the confluence of Big Creek and Hart Creek, is nestled under pine and hardwood trees near the waterfront for easy lake access. Pet-friendly with spacious campsites and several amenities, it offers both public and camper access to the lake and all its diversions, as well as the boat ramp and dock, fish cleaning stations, swimming beach, picnic sites, and playground. All 31 campsites offer water, 50-amp electric hookups, and natural shade. The group tent area has a large picnic shelter. Amenities also include restrooms, showers, drinking water, and a dump station.
Raysville Campground, located on Georgia’s Little River section of Clarks Hill Lake, occupies a pine- and hard-wooded area on the waterfront. All 55 sites have 50-amp electrical hookups. Amenities include two accessible shower/restrooms facilities and a dump station. The campground’s day areas, boat ramp, and dock are open for public use as well as overnight guests. Single and tandem kayaks and paddleboards are available for campers to rent and use for the day.
Sounds super fun but you don’t have a camper? Contact Pollard Camper Rental to have a trailer delivered and set up for you at your reserved campsite. All the campers are equipped with kitchen appliances, air-conditioning and heaters, bathrooms with hot water, and other comforts.
What To Do
Stay at a lakeside campground and fun is within easy reach, from water-based activities to shoreline amusements, playing sports to communing with nature. And Thomson is conveniently nearby for great shopping, dining, music and so much more. Here are just a few options.
Go fish. Widely considered one of the best bass fishing spots in Georgia (if not the U.S.), Clarks Hill Lake swims with largemouth bass, bream, crappie, catfish, and striped bass. You can also cast your line in seven different ponds and lakes at McDuffie Public Fishing Area to hook largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, and redear sunfish (aka Georgia bream). Want to be sure you catch something? Go fishing with a guide service like Reel’N Time Fishing Charters or Little River Guide Service.
Paddle the Little River Water Trail using your own kayak or rent one at Raysville Campground. The trail weaves 20-mile in Clarks Hill Lake featuring pristine wilderness, granite rock outcrops, native trees and plants, plus historic sites. The shady Storks Bend section in McDuffie County runs through part of the Clarks Hill Wildlife Management Area where the banks are thick with sycamores, white and red oaks, and towering pine trees.
Enjoy birdwatching at Clarks Hill Wildlife Management Area from your kayak or on land. It’s home to ring-necked ducks, mallards, gadwalls, teal, wood ducks, geese, and one of Georgia’s oldest and best-established turkey populations.
Discover lots of fun things to do in downtown Thomson, from historic sites to public works of art to unique shops like the new Sweet Annie’s, which stocks gifts as well as premade casseroles to pop into your camper’s oven if you didn’t catch a fish.
Visit a farm. Hillcrest Farms, the first robotic dairy farm in Georgia, hosts 90-minute tours of its operation that include opportunities to meet some happy cows. White Hills Farm, which grows lavender and herbs, offers farm tours, hands-on workshops, and an aromatic on-site Gift Shoppe.
Where To Eat
Tired of grilling your own grub? Thomson-McDuffie boasts a range of dining options to satisfy any craving. Here are three of the area’s newest dining destinations.
Bob’s Café is an out-of-the-ordinary place close to both campgrounds. You’ll walk through a gas station’s bait and tackle shop to reach the restaurant that serves genuinely good food including the popular steak and shrimp combo with baked potato or fries.
Viva Villa is a new Mexican restaurant that quickly became a hit with locals and visitors. The menu offers quality preparations of traditional favorites like quesadillas, burritos, carnitas, and more with vegetarian options as well as meaty classics.
Gathering Grounds is a new little coffee shop on Main Street serving high-quality, single-sourced coffee drinks (hot or cold) as well as tea, smoothies, and yummy pastries, cakes, and other baked goods.
Camping at Clarks Hill Lake is just one among many fun reasons to visit Thomson-McDuffie County. Read more about how to enjoy the area’s great outdoors, agritourism, and things to do.