Payne Campground

my second time here in the same space...i can only do pull thru
i like the water access and lake views...nice little beach only a short walk
unfornunately...it is closed Aug 4 indefinetly due to sewage problems....too bad...i enjoyed it there...only 5 hours from my home in Savannah....
had parked at McKaskey...same area once before...but didn't like it

An Army Corp of Engineers campground not far from the highways. A few small loops separated by trees. Our site #31 was perfectly level and long enough for our 28' RV and truck to both fit. Paved site with pebbled living area accessorized with a picnic table and fire ring plus a short path to the lake behind it. Some of the other sites weren't long enough for that and a few you could've parked an 18-wheeler towing an RV. Most of the sites are on, or very close to, the lake. The bathroom/shower was clean and the water was hot. No wifi and cell signal weaker as you get closer to the lake.

Payne campground offers a mix of electric and non-electric sites in three loops. The first two loops (sites 1-36) have electric and are similar in that about half the sites are waterfront and the shoreline is sufficiently level to allow the beaching of watercraft. There is not much separation from your neighbors on these sites, but they are waterfront and appear to be well maintained (with pea gravel if that is your pet peeve). The third loop (sites 37-58) are a mix of electric and non-electric. The waterfront electric sites, like the one we stayed in) are more water view with a trail down to the shore. than actual waterfront. The shore is fairly steep and does not look conducive to beaching of watercraft. One the plus side, these sites offer quite a bit of separation and screening from your neighbors. The parking pads are asphalt, though the pull-through sites are poorly designed so you may want to consider pulling in and backing out of some of them. Many of the non-electric sites in this loop are waterfront and suitable for beaching a boat. Though the screening between sites is limited for many. I would consider these sites for an RV that is solar-equipped as they get good sun and are nice sites. But don't ruin it for tent campers by bringing a generator.

Like most COE campgrounds, this one is focused on water recreation. There is a boat ramp as well as a swimming beach. Otherwise, there are no hiking or biking trails and no playground for the children. However, the campground is located quite close to I-75, so is well-situated for trips into Atlanta. Also nearby is the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield and a Cabela's if you need supplies.

The facilities at this campground are a bit outdated. Tree roots have created heaves at places in the road and the parking pads. The dump station is poorly designed as it is on a slope. Depending where your tank outlet is, you may not fully empty your tank. Plus there is no threaded fitting to allow you to use your black tank flush.

The camp host was very nice and friendly. The site was clean but it had a very thick layer of P gravel and made it difficult to walk around. Camp sites was very close together with very little privacy (winter time, no leaves). Site 21 which we stayed in fits an average size for a small camper, fire pit was in an inconvenient spot for putting chairs around it.