About Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area
Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area offers visitors year-round recreation opportunities including camping, picnicking, boating, swimming and hiking, all centered around beautiful Lake Winfield Scott. The area is situated high in a mountain valley within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, approximately 80 miles from Atlanta, Georgia. The facility offers a rental cabin with electricity and water, as well as sites for tent and RV camping. The Lake Winfield Scott Beach includes a designated swimming area, picnic tables, a bathhouse, pavilions (by reservation only), a playground and trash bins. Day-use hiking trails are found within the recreation area, ideal for a short stroll. A 0.4-mile trail parallels the lakeshore. In addition, the 1-mile Jarrard Gap Trail and 2.7-mile Slaughter Creek Trail both begin within the recreation area and connect to the Appalachian Trail. Lake Winfield…
- Managed by: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
- Where: 10 mi west of Helen, GA · 34.74033, -83.892
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Apr–Oct (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Dec–Feb.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Trail | Hiking | 0.7 mi | 76.9 mi |
| Helton Creek Falls | Hiking | 0.9 mi | 0.1 mi |
| Byron Herbert Reece | Hiking | 1.8 mi | 0.7 mi |
| Desoto Falls | Hiking | 2.1 mi | 1.0 mi |
| Freeman | Hiking | 2.1 mi | 1.8 mi |
| Coosa Backcountry | Hiking | 2.5 mi | 12.0 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 5G · AT&T 5G · T-Mobile 5G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way is clear overhead but fades toward town glow.
Class 4 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Dump station: 23.3 mi
Water fill-up: 6 mi
Propane: 14.6 mi