Andrews Cove Campground - Helen, GA
Andrews Cove Campground is a little slice of heaven between the quaint town of Helen and the Appalachian Trail in the North Georgia mountains. A large creek passes through the center of this small campground, providing tranquil sounds, trout fishing, and a fun spot to cool off after a long hike. If you're looking for a low-cost spot to pitch a tent or park your camper in North Georgia, Andrews Cove Campground is your spot!
Quick Glance
Price: $12/day
Type: Campground
Accessibility: Easy
Campsites: 10
Camping Types: Tent, Van, Small RV, Small Trailer
Amenities: Fire Ring, Grill, Tent Pad, Lantern Post, Picnic Table, Vault Toilets, Water Pump
Reservations: First-Come, First-Serve
Popularity: Low-Moderate
Best Time to Go: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Getting There
Latitude/Longitude: 34.778228; -83.737510
From Helen, GA, take I-75 North for 5.5 miles to the campground sign. Turn right into Andrews Cove Recreation Area. The road is paved all the way to, and inside the campground, granting easy access for all vehicle types.
Pros:
Andrews Creek runs through the center of the campground, providing the perfect white noise for sleeping and an easy water source.
There is a restroom! There are two separate pit toilets with chemical flushes.
The sites are spacious and relatively secluded. There are about six creek front sites, and plenty of foliage to make you feel separated from your neighbors.
You're only 15 minutes from Helen, Georgia. We highly recommend heading to town for a giant pretzel and liter of beer!
Mr. Scraggles was the best campground host we've ever come across! He came by to check up on us often, went on a 4 miles hike with another camping family, and even played with our dog, Nola. See the image below to meet this good boy.
Cons:
Andrews Cove Campground is geared more for tent campers than RVs. Not all sites have large enough parking spaces for large campers, and even fewer have flat parking. That being said, small trailers and vans fit just fine!
The campground is right off Unicoi Turnpike at a sharp turn. Sites #1 and #3 are closer to the road and you'll hear the log truck's exhaust breaks early in the morning.
Our Experience
We headed to Helen, Georgia for Oktoberfest towards the end of October and needed a place to stay. Unicoi State Park has a HUGE campground with all the amenities just outside of town, but we wanted something more secluded and didn't want to break the bank to camp.
Andrews Cove Campground, a small campground just 5 miles down the road, popped up on The Dyrt app, so we decided to give it a shot and crossed our fingers that there would be a site open for us as it was peak leave season. We were pleasantly surprised to be one of only three groups at the campground.
During our stay, we hiked Andrews Cove Trail to meet up with the Appalachian Trail, headed to town for a couple of brews and giant pretzel, and enjoyed relaxing in the campground, watching the leaves fall. Andrews Cove Campground was the perfect spot.
Campground Notables
Andrews Cove Campground is open seasonally from March through October. Check here to find the status of the campground. The maximum length of stay is 14 days.
The Interagency Senior and Access Passes and the Golden Age and Access Passports are accepted for a 50% discount on camping fees.
Nearby Recreation
Andrew's Cove Campground is right in the heart of the North Georgia Mountains. Andrews Creek runs straight through the campground, offering anglers the chance to catch both rainbow and brown trout. Check State fishing regulations before fishing here.
Andrew's Cove Trail leaves from the campsite, taking you on a two-mile ascent, parallel to the creek, to intersect the Appalachian Trail and Forest Service Road 283 at Indian Grave Gap.
Andrews Cove Campground is a short drive from Unicoi State Park providing miles of hiking and single-track mountain biking trails, including a short trek (0.4 miles) to Anna Ruby Falls. Other trails within a 30-minute drive of this campground include Dukes Creek Trail (trail length 2.5 miles), Raven CliffsTrail (trail length 4.9 miles), and Smith Creek Trail (trail length 8.7 miles).
Find Out More
For more information about Andrews Cove Campground, click here!
See what's going on in the famous Alpine town of Helen.
Thinking about building or buying a teardrop camper of your own? See our top 11 reasons why you need a tiny trailer!
