Lake Sidney Lanier

P.O. Box 567, 1050 Buford Dam Road
Buford, GA 30515-0567

Nestled in the foothills of the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains lies Lake Sidney Lanier, one of America?s favorite lakes. Over 7.5 million people a year choose to visit Lanier. Seventy-six recreational areas have been developed around the lake under the direction of the Corps of Engineers. These include 46 parks operated directly by the Corps, 10 marinas, and Lake Lanier Islands. The remaining areas are leased to county and city governments or other organizations such as the Boy Scouts. With over 692 miles of shoreline, the lake is well known for its aqua-blue colored water, spectacular scenery and variety of recreational activities. Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950?s, Lake Lanier is a multi-purpose lake that provides for flood protection, power production, water supply, navigation, recreation and fish and wildlife management. Lake Lanier is one of 464 lakes in 43 states constructed and operated by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. It has won the best operated lake of the year award in 1990, 1997 and 2002.

Directions

From I-985/Buford Take GA Hwy 20 West, from GA 400/Cumming, take Ga Hwy 20 East, to North on Suwanee Dam Road. Go three miles and go left on Buford Dam Road. The Visitor Center is one mile down on the right.

Reviews

Lake Sidney Lanier campgrounds are widely appreciated for their beautiful lake views, spacious and clean sites, and friendly, helpful staff. Visitors enjoy the peaceful and family-friendly atmosphere with good access to water activities like fishing, boating, and kayaking. Facilities are generally well-maintained, though some bathhouses and restrooms are dated and occasionally unclean. Recurring maintenance concerns include overgrown grass, inconsistent grounds upkeep, insect issues, and limited trash management. Some guests note noise disturbances, limited privacy, restrictive gate hours, and occasional unfriendly staff interactions as drawbacks. Overall, the park offers a scenic and enjoyable camping experience but has areas that could benefit from improved maintenance and management.

Beautiful lake views and waterfront access

Spacious, clean, and well-maintained campsites

Friendly and helpful staff and hosts

Peaceful and family-friendly atmosphere

Good access to water activities and outdoor recreation

Overgrown grass and inconsistent grounds maintenance

Outdated or occasionally unclean bathhouse and restroom facilities

Insect issues such as ants and flies in some areas

Noise disturbances and limited privacy at some sites

Restricted gate access hours and parking challenges for large vehicles

2,276 reviews

5 stars

1,509

4 stars

440

3 stars

173

2 stars

1 stars

Artsiom K

Campground:Van Pugh South Day Use Facility

Loop:Van Pugh South Day Use Facility

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

We had such a great time here for my birthday! The place is beautiful, clean, and very comfortable. Having water, electricity, and grills made everything easy and convenient. Everyone really enjoyed it, and we would definitely come back again!

Raktim S

Campground:Buford Dam Park Shelters (Ga)

Loop:Buford Dam Park Shelters (Ga)

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

We like the picnic shelter. It is next to the parking lot making it a very convenient option for seniors and elderly people. One recurring issue: The water basin has a drainage problem. This the 3rd year in a row we are seeing this problem. Water clogs and makes the area unusable. This needs to be fixed. It’s a minor issue and didn’t dampen our enjoyment at all! Overall, a very nice venue!

Whitney W

Campground:Van Pugh South Day Use Facility

Loop:Van Pugh South Day Use Facility

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

This was a terrible experience. Paid for a spot for my daughter’s birthday. We were not able to get to the spot because there was nobody at the gate. Even though the conformation email said check in was at 8:00. So I paid money for a spot I did not even get to use. Then had to pay another fee for a different spot. Very disappointed

Sharathbabu K

Campground:Bolding Mill Shelters (Ga)

Loop:Bolding Mill Shelters (Ga)

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

The location was good, water supply was good, parking was adequate. But the shelters were in poor state and many of the picnic tables were broken/no seats. The place is beautiful but shelters need some work ! This price is reasonable, you can actually improve the shelters and charge a bit more.

Danette C

Campground:Lanier Park Shelter (Ga)

Loop:Lanier Park Shelter (Ga)

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

This is our go to spot. The location is great, with the doc steps away and the bathroom a two minute walk. Ample parking and very private for large parties.

Yasmin A

Campground:West Bank Park Shelters (Ga)

Loop:West Bank Park Shelters (Ga)

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

The pavilion was clean, and the electricity was on, which was very helpful. Love the pavilion and use it every year. Wish the park rangers would clean the spider webs and spiders all over, which I know is tough if you want a place to have a get-together where everyone can use a beach, this is the park for you!!!

Keep your options open

Watch for a matching campsite across monitored campgrounds in Lake Sidney Lanier.

Popularity: Very quiet

Busiest in November, when about 8% of guest capacity is reserved. Based on 4 years of reservations.