Don Carter State Park

"The Chattahoochee River, flowing from the north Georgia Mountains, meets Lake Lanier at Don Carter State Park, creating a unique opportunity for recreation and outdoor appreciation on the northern edge of metro-Atlanta."

Don Carter is Georgia’s newest state park, as well as the first state park on 38,000 acre Lake Lanier. Situated on the north end of the reservoir, the park offers outstanding recreation for water lovers. Guests can stay cool at a large, sand swimming beach with bath house. Boat ramps provide quick access to the lake, while a multi-use trail welcomes hikers and bikers to explore the hardwood forest.

This new park offers several choices for overnight getaways as well. Two-bedroom cabins are perched on wooded hillsides near the lake. One campground is designed specifically for RVs, while another primitive camping area is just for tents and hammocks. The campground and cottage loop is gated, providing access to overnight guests.

The park is named in honor of real-estate executive Don Carter who served on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources board for 29 years and worked to establish Lake Lanier’s first state park.

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Reservations, Accommodations & Facilities

• 1,316 Acres
• 38,000 Acre Lake Lanier
• 8 Cottages
• 41 Tent, Trailer & RV Campsites
• 12 Primitive Tent Campsites
• 3 Picnic Shelters
• Boat Ramps
• Docks
• Fish Cleaning Station
• Sand Beach
• Playground
• Outdoor Fitness Equipment
• Gift Shop

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Things To Do & See

• Biking
• Boating — private boats permitted
• Educational Programs
• First Time Camper Program
• Fishing
• Hiking — 4 miles of trails
• Paddling — 8 miles of trails
• Picnicking
• Swimming
• Water Skiing
• Kayak, Paddleboard & Aquacycle Rentals — seasonal

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Nearby Attractions

• Chattahoochee Golf Club
• Dahlonega Gold Museum State Historic Site
• Elachee Nature Science Center
• Flowery Branch, GA
• Gainesville, GA
• Hardman Farm State Historic Site
• Jaemor Farm Market
• Lake Lanier Islands Resort
• Moccasin Creek State Park
• North Georgia Canopy Tours
• Northeast Georgia History Center
• Quinlan Visual Arts Center
• Road Atlanta
• Smithgall Woods State Park

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Educational Programs

Let us bring nature to you! Don Carter State Park can provide your class or group with programs in the classroom, or visit your local festival at no cost. With a maximum of 30 students per class, our bilingual Naturalist Ranger will engage your class with a 45-minute program. Please check the options below. Please call 678-450-7726 for more information or to schedule an outreach program.

Casting Animal Footprints

Be a nature detective. Learn about the different clues that animals leave behind such as fur, footprints, scat, and others. Identify different footprints of some common Georgia animals. Make a plaster cast mold of a footprint to take home! Appropriate for all ages.

Owl Pellets Dissection

Kids will explore the contents of owl pellets, small packages of fur and bones coughed up by owls after they hunt. Using bone charts, they will identify various types of prey, and then explore an owl’s food chain. Appropriate for all ages.

Oh Deer (Animal Habitat)

A fun game that will introduce students to the components of habitat and the limiting factors that influence the carrying capacity of deer populations. Explore predator-prey relationships through data collection and analysis. Appropriate for all ages.

Snakes LIVE!

Learn interesting facts about our scaly friends. Interact with live non-venomous snakes and discover the differences between venomous and non-venomous. Become a snake expert! Appropriate for all audiences.

How Many Bears Can Live in This Forest?

During this physical activity, students will become "bears" to look for one or more components of habitat. Students will discover how a limiting factor can affect bear populations. Appropriate for all ages.