Don Carter State Park
Notice: The designated swimming area is not accessible due to low water level conditions, but the beach area is open to the publ — details
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- 60 campsitesAlso cabins
- Official site
- gastateparks.org(678) 450-7726
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Closure The designated swimming area is not accessible due to low water level conditions, but the beach area is open to the public. The park will be closed November 3 - 4, 2026 for a managed deer quota hunt. Please contact the park office for more information.
Posted by the park. Official alert
Overview
Don Carter State Park is a 1,250-acre park in Hall County, about 8 miles northeast of Gainesville.
The park supports horseback riding, winter sports, canoeing and kayaking, boating, and swimming. The official site lists about 14.5 miles of trails. Water access includes a swimming beach and a boat ramp. For overnight stays there are 60 campsites across 2 camping areas (RV sites, tent sites, and primitive or hike-in sites). Roofed lodging includes cabins.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. | — |
| Daily | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — | |
| Office | Not stated | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
Official wording
Park 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Office 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Pets
Pets welcome if leashed (6 ft max) and attended; not allowed in buildings, lodges, yurts, group camps, swimming areas, beaches, or some trails at Panola Mountain and Tallulah Gorge.
Statewide rule from Georgia's park system (source). This park’s page doesn’t state its own pet rules, so check for local restrictions.
Fees and passes
State parks: per-vehicle daily ParkPass parking fee ($10); overnight guests pay once per stay. State historic sites: per-person admission set per site (shown in each site's sidebar).
Statewide fee rule from Georgia's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
Georgia park passes
- Annual ParkPass — $70 Details
- Daily ParkPass — $10 Details
- Historic Site Annual Pass — $50 family (admits up to 4); $30 adult; $25 student Details
From the Georgia state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveAmerica (gastateparks.reserveamerica.com)
- Phone
- 800-864-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tent, Trailer & RV Campsites | 44 | — | |
| Primitive Tent Campsites | 16 | — |
Camping details from the park
44 Tent, Trailer & RV Campsites
16 Primitive Tent Campsites
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Cottages: 8 units
8 Cottages
Things to do
BikingBoatingFishingHikingHorseback ridingCanoeing and kayakingPicnickingSwimmingWinter sportsCamping
Trails
Biking
Hiking — 14.5 miles of trails
Horseback Riding (trail fee, weather permitting, check for availability) — 14.5 miles of trails
Paddling — 8 miles of trails
Swimming
Swimming
Boating and paddling
Boating — private boats permitted
Paddling — 8 miles of trails
Kayak, Paddleboard & Aquacycle Rentals — seasonal
Fishing
Fishing
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
- Playground
- Park or camp store
Water
- Swimming beach
- Boat ramp
- Fish cleaning station
Camping
- Tent camping
- RV camping
- Primitive or backcountry camping
Lodging
- Cabins
Recreation
- Horse trails
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
- Cabins: #3
- Campsites: #17, #18, #24
- Campground Comfort Station: Yes
- Day Use Restrooms: Yes
- Picnic Shelters: Yes
- Trails: Parallel Trail (paved, 0.5 mile), Woodland Loop (paved, 1.5 miles), Overlook Trail (paved, 0.25 mile)
- Docks: Day use and overnight boat ramp
- Playgrounds: Cottage Playground
- Other: Fishing pier, beach, Visitor Center, ADA ramp for horseback riding
- All-Terrain Georgia Action Trackchair
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 5000 North Browning Bridge Road
Gainesville, GA 30506 - Nearest town
- Gainesville — about 8 mi northeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 34.3876, -83.7465
- Phone
- (678) 450-7726
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Map page (categorised site lists)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology