Lake Russell Recreation Area
Mt Airy, Georgia · on Lake Russell · Chattahoochee National Forest
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $5/vehicle
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Lake Russell Recreation Area
Lake Russell Recreation Area is a U.S. Forest Service day-use and camping site on the 100-acre Lake Russell in the Chattooga River District of the Chattahoochee National Forest, near Mt. Airy and Cornelia, Georgia. It has an official, developed grass swim beach adjacent to a campground, boat ramp, and picnic areas, making it a well-appointed national forest swimming hole and an easy lake to swim in near Cornelia.
The recreation area sits on a 100-acre lake within the Chattahoochee National Forest, with a developed grass-covered beach, boat ramp, fishing dock, and adjacent campground loops set in mountain forest terrain. A network of day hiking trails (Lake Russell/Foot Trail loop around the lake, Rhododendron Trail, Sourwood Trail past Nancytown Falls, and Ladyslipper Trail behind Nancytown Lake) radiates from the area.
Swimming at Lake Russell Recreation Area
Swimming takes place at a designated, officially maintained grass beach and roped swim area on the lake, described by the Forest Service as a beach area and by visitors as a large grass-covered beach with an in-water sliding board for children. Shore fishing and dogs are prohibited within the swim boundary, and boating on the lake is limited to non-motorized craft or trolling motors, keeping the swim area calm.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Gainesville, GA, take GA 365/US 23 North past Cornelia to Highway 197; turn right and go about 3 miles, then turn onto Lake Russell Road (3034 Lake Russell Rd., Mt. Airy, GA). The Cornelia city site describes the turnoff as on US 123 east of Cornelia near the Mt. Airy railroad bridge.
Parking: Day-use, boat launch, and trailhead parking require a $5/vehicle/day fee (also applies at nearby Nancytown Day Use); a camper review notes GPS may misdirect visitors to a dead-end road.
The hike in
No hike is needed to reach the swim beach itself, it sits right next to the paved day-use parking lot, a walk of a couple hundred feet at most. Separately, four optional day-hiking trails radiate from the recreation area but do not lead to the swim beach: the Lake Russell/Foot Trail (4.6-mile loop around the lake shore), Rhododendron Trail (1.5 miles), Sourwood Trail (2.7-mile loop passing Nancytown Falls around the 1.5-mile mark), and Ladyslipper Trail (6.2-mile loop behind Nancytown Lake).
Trail distances per the Cornelia city government page and n-georgia.com; none of these trails are required for or specifically routed to the swim beach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Designated grass swim beach with an in-water sliding board built for kids suggests a family-oriented design, and it's a calm lake (only electric trolling-motor/non-motorized craft allowed, no gas motors), but no source documents lifeguard presence, marked shallow zones, or a depth profile, so adult supervision is still warranted.
Parking
Paid, $5/vehicle/day
Designated paved lot at the picnic/swim site holds roughly 60 vehicles; boat-launch/trailhead parking and the separate Nancytown Day Use lot each also charge $5/vehicle/day (payable via Recreation.gov, phone, or on-site QR code). A camper review warns GPS sometimes misdirects visitors to Old Russell Lake Rd, a dead-end with a limited turnaround.
Restrooms
Yes
Flush-toilet bathhouse with hot showers near the picnic/swim area and campground (4 flush facilities total: 1 chemical-flush in Loop A, 3 with hot showers in Loop B); camper reviews (Campendium) describe the bathhouse as clean and recently renovated. One bathroom across from campsite #25 has reportedly been decommissioned.
Water clarity
Clear
Based on a single first-hand camper review (Campendium, Mark Augustin, May 2021): "Lake is beautiful clean and quiet." No other independent clarity reports were found; treat as a single data point rather than a confirmed pattern.
Hours
Day-use areas (swim beach, picnic, boat launch, Nancytown Day Use) are closed between sunset and sunrise; the boat ramp operates year-round but beach facilities are seasonal (summer); campground gates are open 24 hours with quiet hours 10pm-7am.
On the water
Restrictions: No gas/combustion motors allowed on Lake Russell or the adjacent Nancytown Lake, only electric trolling motor, wind-powered, or human-powered (non-motorized) craft are permitted. Boat-launch parking is a separate $5/vehicle/day fee from the swim beach lot.
No commercial kayak/canoe/paddleboard rental or outfitter serving Lake Russell was found in searches attempted; visitors appear to need to bring their own craft.
What regulars say
Visitor reports describe the lake as "beautiful clean and quiet" and the campground itself as quiet, with campers noting only a handful of occupied sites even on visits in spring and fall. The bathhouse restrooms are called out as clean and recently renovated. Practical tips from campers: don't trust GPS blindly, it can route visitors to Old Russell Lake Rd, a dead-end with a tight turnaround, and at least one RV camper (July 2025) found their assigned site rutted and tight for a 23' rig.
Lake Russell Recreation Area: FAQ
Does Lake Russell Recreation Area charge a fee?
Day use: $5/vehicle. Boat launch and trailhead parking: $5/vehicle/day. Nancytown Day Use: $5/vehicle/day. Campground site fees not listed on official pages found.
Is Lake Russell Recreation Area kid friendly?
Designated grass swim beach with an in-water sliding board built for kids suggests a family-oriented design, and it's a calm lake (only electric trolling-motor/non-motorized craft allowed, no gas motors), but no source documents lifeguard presence, marked shallow zones, or a depth profile, so adult supervision is still warranted.
Do I need to hike to reach Lake Russell Recreation Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Lake Russell Recreation Area?
Designated paved lot at the picnic/swim site holds roughly 60 vehicles; boat-launch/trailhead parking and the separate Nancytown Day Use lot each also charge $5/vehicle/day (payable via Recreation.gov, phone, or on-site QR code). A camper review warns GPS sometimes misdirects visitors to Old Russell Lake Rd, a dead-end with a limited turnaround.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lake Russell Recreation Area?
No commercial kayak/canoe/paddleboard rental or outfitter serving Lake Russell was found in searches attempted; visitors appear to need to bring their own craft.
When is the best time to visit Lake Russell Recreation Area?
Beach facilities are described as "open for the season" (summer); one source states the campground operates seasonally from early May through early November.
What are the rules at Lake Russell Recreation Area?
Day-use areas are closed between sunset and sunrise; a Georgia fishing license is required; hunters must stay at least 150 yards from developed recreation areas; only trolling-motor or non-motorized boating is allowed on the lake (no gas motors on Lake Russell or adjacent Nancytown Lake); dogs are prohibited on the beach and shore fishing is not allowed within the swim area boundary; campground check-in is 2:00 pm/checkout 12:01 pm with a 14-day stay limit and reservation required (no walk-ins) per Recreation.gov, though another source describes the campground as first-come, first-served with no reservations, sources conflict on this point.
What water body is Lake Russell Recreation Area on?
Lake Russell Recreation Area is on Lake Russell, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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