4.36143 reviews
Price
$5 - $10/night
Booking
Walk-in Only
Sites
16 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$5 - $10/night
Booking
Walk-in Only
Sites
16 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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Learn more about alerts →Wildcat Creek Campground #1 Lower
2726 West Wildcat Rd., Clayton, GA
Trout anglers and disconnection-seekers who can wait out the closure will find a genuine payoff: fall temps in the 50s-60s, stocked rainbow trout, dark skies, and creekside sites within earshot of the water. Grab supplies in Clayton before the 25-minute drive in.
The road closure alone rules this out for now. Beyond that, reviewers with backgrounds outside the rural Georgia mainstream have noted interactions that made them feel unwelcome, so solo or diverse-group travelers may want to weigh that alongside the rough road, no potable water,
Reference information about Wildcat Creek Campground #1 Lower sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p><strong>CLOSED TO MOTORIZED VEHICLE DUE TO ROAD HAZARDS. No safe access by vehicle to the campgrounds.</strong></p><p><strong>***Travel by foot is welcome***</strong></p><p><strong>Wildcat 1 Campground is closed, no camping, no trash.</strong></p><p>Wildcat Road has sustained 4 slides in recent years (with the first slide happening in 2019). Due to the risk of additional slides, the road has been closed in the interest of public safety. Funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s <a href="https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs/erfo">Emergency Relief on Federally Owned R</a>oads program has been submitted for all 4 slides. Since then, slide 1 has been repaired with slides 2-4 remaining.</p><p><strong>It is our goal to have these slides repaired and the road reopened. We appreciate your patience as we work to restore Wildcat Road.</strong></p><p>Please see photographs of the landslides and recent repairs to slide 1: <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAQDh5">https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAQDh5</a></p><p>***end of update***</p><p>Although the winding road leading to the campground is not trailer or RV-friendly, the payoff of landing a night in this environment is pure delight. These developed tent camping-only campgrounds are buried deep in the North Georgia Mountains west of Lake Burton and along the headwaters of Wildcat Creek. The creek, seasonally stocked with rainbow trout, runs directly adjacent to the campsites and provides an astounding setting, so be prepared to capture nature at its best, and bring your camera. On clear nights the stars appear to be just an arm’s reach away! <br /><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5213411.jpg">Photo 1</a><br /><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5213412.jpg">Photo 2</a></p><p> </p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FChattOconeeNF%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02QCDeiuxcMEgoLZAhgjsJEnLmaWBb2exNjFNe5JKURFav3SFbD1fBxPQjCUuwMxEnl&show_text=true&width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p><p> </p>
The elevation is 2,420 ft. The campground is very rustic and adjacent to Wildcat Creek. The interior campground road is narrow and not very RV-friendly. Main problem is exiting from campground onto Wildcat Rd. Sites are close together. There are three walk-in tent sites.
Parking aprons are gravel. See General Comments. Facilities Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Vaults: Yes Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: No Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 0 Water Sports None Hiking: No Fishing: Stocked Rainbow trout
Parking aprons are gravel. See General Comments.
From Clayton, GA, take U.S. Rt. 76 west 9.7 miles to State Rt. 197. Turn left onto Rt. 197 and go 5.1 miles to Wildcat Rd. (Forest Rt. 26). Turn right onto Wildcat Rd. and go 2.8 miles to campground. NOTE: Wildcat Rd. is gravel, steep (in places), single lane with turnouts. There are minimal potholes and washboards.
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Fall is the best season here. Daytime temperatures sit in the 50s to 65°F, nights drop into the 30s and 40s by October. Trails dry out, humidity and biting insects disappear, and the creek quiets down for trout fishing. The elevation keeps summer temperatures cooler than the Georgia lowlands, though afternoon thunderstorms move through. Winter campers face bare trees and genuine cold. Spring and fall deliver the most stable conditions, with fall drawing fewer crowds than summer.
Fall described as the best season: cooler temps, dry trails, fewer insects and excellent hiking conditions.
Wildcat Creek Campground #1 Lower is currently closed due to road hazards caused by multiple landslides, with no safe access for motorized vehicles or camping facilities available. Walk-in travel is permitted, but all camping amenities such as trash pickup, restrooms, and potable water are unavailable until repairs are complete.
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