USDA Forest Service · Georgia
Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area
USDA Forest Service · Georgia, United States
- Sites
- 34
- Hookups
- 7 electric, 6 with water, 27 no hookups
- Season
- January 1 to November 1
- Max RV length
- 40 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Laundry
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,953 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- AT&T weak · Verizon weak · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
- Nearest town
- SUCHES
- Address
- FOREST SERVICE ROAD 37, SUCHES, GA, 30572
- Phone
- 706-747-3816
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Swimming
34 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
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.
Recreation
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 Scott is open to hand-powered and electric motor boats only. Fishing for catfish, trout, perch, brim and bass is a popular activity. See the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for a complete listing of freshwater fishing regulations for the lake. A boat ramp and accessible fishing dock provide year-round lake access.
Facilities
Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area's cabin is a short walk to the lake, and can accommodate up to 12 people. A sleeping area upstairs is furnished with six twin beds and three double beds, all with mattresses. Visitors must provide their own bed and bath linens.
The main floor houses a living room with wood stove (no wood provided), dining room and kitchen, which is equipped with a refrigerator, electric stove, microwave, assorted pots and pans, utensils, plates, glasses, cups and flatware. The bathroom has a flush toilet, shower and an electric heater.
Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area's campground consists of 31 campsites configured in two loops for tent or RV camping. Showers, flush and vault toilets, grills, picnic tables and lantern posts are provided. The campground has no dump station. Nearby Vogel State Park has a dump station with a nominal fee.
There are water and electric hookups on Site #12, 13, 14 and 15.
Natural Features
The recreation area includes 18-acre Lake Winfield Scott, which forms the headwaters of Cooper Creek. The lake was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
A variety of wildlife makes its home in the surrounding forest, including deer, bear, wild turkey, grouse and songbirds.
Nearby Attractions
Suches, Georgia is five miles southwest of the recreation area and offers a general store and fuel station.
Blairsville, Georgia is 16 miles north on U.S. Highway 19/129 and offers the nearest full-service grocery stores and shopping villages.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43° | 27° | 9° | 64° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 51° | 33° | 21° | 64° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 58° | 41° | 19° | 73° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 65° | 45° | 29° | 76° | 2 of 11 |
| May | 73° | 56° | 40° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 78° | 61° | 49° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 65° | 59° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 81° | 65° | 58° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 76° | 61° | 48° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 65° | 45° | 31° | 79° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 57° | 38° | 22° | 72° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 48° | 31° | 19° | 60° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Vogel State Park · Georgia State Parks · 2 mi · 109 sites
- Desoto Falls Recreation Area · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 23 sites
- Lake Winfield Scott Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
- Low Gap Campground · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi
- Dockery Lake Recreation Area · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 11 sites
All public campgrounds in Georgia · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.