Free camping near Tate, GA
Within 25 straight-line miles of Tate, GA there are 49 camps: 28 free, 21 fee. The closest is Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area (Campground), 1.1 miles south of town. The closest one our audit calls free is A.T. Plum Orchard Shelter, 3.0 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at. The circle crosses a state line: GA and NC and SC.
Who manages them: 48 on the Forest Service; 1 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area (Campground) | 1.1 | Fee | — | 1.1 mi to Tate | — |
| Tate Branch Campground | 1.5 | Fee | — | 1.5 mi to Tate | — |
| A.T. Plum Orchard Shelter | 3.0 | Free | Plumorchard Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Titus | — |
| Tallulah River | 3.4 | Fee | — | 3.4 mi to Tate | — |
| A.T. Muskrat Creek Shelter | 3.5 | Free | Muskrat Branch (stream) | 3.1 mi to Tate City | — |
| A.T. Carter Gap Shelter | 3.5 | Free | — | 3.5 mi to Tate | — |
| Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Camp | 5.9 | Fee | — | 5.9 mi to Tate | — |
| A.T. Standing Indian Shelter | 6.2 | Free | Bearpen Creek (stream) | 4.4 mi to McDonald Mill | — |
| Macon CountyDave slept here | 6.6 | Free | Shope Fork (stream) | 4.1 mi to McDonald Mill | — |
| Kimsey Creek Group Campground | 6.7 | Fee | — | 6.7 mi to Tate | — |
| A.T. Long Branch Shelter | 7.1 | Free | Long Branch (stream) | 3.5 mi to Teresita | — |
| A.T. Rock Gap Shelter | 8.1 | Free | Little Rock Branch (stream) | 2.4 mi to Rainbow Springs | — |
| A.T. Deep Gap Shelter | 8.4 | Free | Chastain Creek (stream) | 4.1 mi to Osborn | — |
| Wildcat Campground #2 | 11 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Helen | — |
| Wildcat Campground #1 | 11 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Sautee-Nacoochee | — |
| A.T. Siler Bald Shelter | 12 | Free | Right Prong Rough Fork (stream) | 3.5 mi to Rainbow Springs | — |
| Jackrabbit Mountain Campground | 13 | Fee | Shooting Creek (stream) | 1.5 mi to Elf | — |
| Lake Chatuge Recreation Area | 13 | Free | Hog Creek (stream) | 0.8 mi to Friendship | — |
| A.T. Tray Mountain Shelter | 14 | Free | Mossy Cove Branch (stream) | 4.5 mi to Mountain Scene | — |
| Wine Spring Horse Camp | 14 | Fee | — | 12 mi to Andrews | — |
| A.T. Wayah Bald Shelter | 15 | Free | Little Laurel Creek (stream) | 2.3 mi to Slickrock Ford | — |
| Nantahala Lake Dispersed Camping Site - Lake Access | 15 | Free | Johnson Branch (stream) | 3.6 mi to Aquone | — |
| Indian Grave Gap Road Dispersed Campsite 1 | 15 | Free | Hiwassee River (stream) | 2.6 mi to Mountain Scene | — |
| Lake Rabun Beach Recreation Area Campground | 16 | Fee | — | 5.5 mi to Tallulah Falls | — |
| A.T. Blue Mountain Shelter | 16 | Free | Watkins Branch (stream) | 3.8 mi to Mountain Scene | — |
| Sarah'S Creek Campground | 17 | Fee | — | 5.6 mi to Sky Valley | — |
| Bristol Horse Camp | 17 | Fee | — | 4.3 mi to Hayesville | — |
| Andrew'S Cove | 17 | Fee | — | 4.8 mi to Helen | — |
| A.T. Cold Spring Shelter | 18 | Free | Burningtown Branch (stream) | 2.3 mi to Burnett Fields | — |
| Blue Valley Camp | 18 | Free | Brooks Creek (stream) | 2.6 mi to Satolah | — |
| Appletree Group Camp | 18 | Free | Appletree Branch (stream) | 2.3 mi to Aquone | — |
| Upper Chattahoochee River Campground | 19 | Fee | — | 6.3 mi to Helen | — |
| Van Hook Glade Campground | 19 | Fee | Long Branch (stream) | 2.8 mi to Lickskillet | — |
| USFS dispersed camp — Macon County, NC | 19 | Free | Brooks Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Highlands | — |
| Van Hook Glade Campground | 19 | Fee | — | 3.0 mi to Highlands | — |
| Willis Knob Horse Camp | 19 | Fee | — | 8.2 mi to Longcreek | — |
| Fires Creek Campground | 19 | Free | Huskins Branch (stream) | 0.8 mi to Fires Creek | — |
| West Fork Campground | 20 | Fee | — | 7.3 mi to Highlands | — |
| Whetstone | 20 | Fee | — | 5.7 mi to Longcreek | — |
| Low Gap Campground | 20 | Fee | — | 4.3 mi to Helen | — |
| A.T. Low Gap Shelter | 21 | Free | Low Gap Creek (stream) | 2.9 mi to Hood | — |
| A.T. Wesser Bald Shelter | 21 | Free | Wesser Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Briertown | — |
| Long Bottom Ford | 21 | Free | Adline Branch (stream) | 0.1 mi to Long Bottom Ford | — |
| Ammons Branch Camp | 23 | Free | — | 3.7 mi to Highlands | — |
| Cassidy Bridge | 23 | Fee | — | 2.7 mi to Longcreek | — |
| Grapevine | 24 | Free | — | 5.1 mi to Longcreek | — |
| A.T. Rufus Morgan Shelter | 24 | Free | Silvermine Creek (stream) | 0.6 mi to Wesser | — |
| A.T. Whitley Gap Shelter | 24 | Free | Dodd Creek (stream) | 4.2 mi to Hood | — |
| Burrells Ford | 25 | Free | King Creek (stream) | 3.7 mi to Moody Cove | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Tate, GA, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.