Tate Branch Campground (Clayton, GA)

This much-admired 17-site developed campground is sure to heighten the innate beauty of any season. Graced with various species of hardwoods and resting on the shore of the Tallulah River, Tate Branch Campground provides a rustic experience for the outdoor enthusiast to camp, swim, fish, or enjoy the scenery. You can enjoy walking along the Tallulah River, and fishing is a popular sport in it. If a hike is what you desire, take a short drive along Tallulah River Road through Tate City to the end of the road, which not only has some great views but ends at the Beech Creek Trail and Buck Creek Trail, both found in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness Area. Looking for an easier hike, you can go the other direction on Tallulah River Road for approximately 5 miles to bridge #1, where you will find a small parking area for the Coleman River Trail, a 1.1-mile in-and-out trail that runs along a portion of the Coleman River where it flows into the Tallulah. The campground offers 17 campsites with picnic tables, fire rings and a lantern post at each site. The toilet building, built in 2023, is located on the exit road from the campground, and there is drinking water available between the toilet building and campsite #2. Tate Branch Campground is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest, a place of exploration and wonder. This National Forest is rich in history and is said to be a hiker's paradise with its winding trails, scenic mountains and rolling hills. Visitors can enjoy scenic drives to nearby Rabun Bald, the second-highest peak in Georgia at 4,696 feet above sea level, and find many waterfalls to see and trails to hike. One of the longest trails in the area is the National Recreational Bartram Trail. The Chattooga Wild and Scenic River has fishing, whitewater rafting, canoe and kayak possibilities with outfitter and guide services available. Tallulah Gorge State Park and historic Lakemont are also a close drive, and Lake Rabun and Lake Burton are great places to put a boat in the water. Within an hour's drive you can visit the city of Helen, a beautiful alpine village in White County; if you find yourself there, be sure to stop by Anna Ruby Falls, Dukes Creek Falls or Ravens Cliff Wilderness. A short drive around will also find you at Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia, rising to 4,784 feet.