The lakes, town by town
- Unicoi State Park & Lodge, centered on Lake Unicoi in the Chattahoochee National Forest, is two miles from Helen. Unicoi State Park & Lodge
- Lake Burton covers 2,800 acres and is a prime spot for skiing, boating and fishing. Georgia State Parks
- Lake Nottely is a 4,180-acre reservoir with 106 miles of shoreline. Blairsville-Union County Chamber of Commerce
- Hiawassee, on Lake Chatuge, is the county seat of Towns County. City of Hiawassee
- Blue Ridge Lake is a 3,290-acre TVA reservoir. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests
- Lake Lanier, formed from the flooding of the Chattahoochee River plain, draws boaters, canoeists, anglers and campers to its Dawson County shores. Dawson County Chamber of Commerce & Office of Tourism Development
- Hickory Log Creek Reservoir (Lake Canton) can be explored on foot or by kayak. Explore Canton (Canton Tourism)
- Forsyth County runs along the western shore of Lake Lanier. Discover Forsyth County
- Lake Lanier opened in 1957 after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed its construction. Explore Gainesville (Gainesville CVB)
- The city describes Flowery Branch as one of the only Georgia historic downtowns on a lake, close to several marinas including Aqualand. City of Flowery Branch
- Buford is in northern Gwinnett County, 25 miles north of Atlanta on the southern shores of Lake Lanier. City of Buford
State parks on the water
- Don Carter State Park near Gainesville is Georgia's only state park on Lake Lanier, with more than 14 miles of trails, boat ramps, cabins and campsites. Georgia State Parks, Leaf Watch 2026
- Moccasin Creek State Park, Georgia's smallest state park, sits on Lake Burton. Georgia State Parks, Leaf Watch 2026
Lake towns
Lake towns we cover: Helen, Clayton, Blairsville, Hiawassee, Blue Ridge, Dawsonville, Canton, Cumming, Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Buford.
Questions about the lakes
What lakes are in North Georgia?
The big one is Lake Lanier, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir with more than 690 miles of shoreline touching Hall, Forsyth, Dawson, Gwinnett and Lumpkin counties. In the mountains, Blue Ridge Lake is a 3,290-acre TVA reservoir, Lake Nottely near Blairsville covers 4,180 acres, Lake Burton near Clayton covers 2,800 acres, and Hiawassee sits on Lake Chatuge.
Which towns are on Lake Lanier?
Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Buford and Cumming all border Lake Lanier. Flowery Branch says it is one of the only Georgia historic downtowns on a lake. Gainesville hosted the 1996 Olympic canoe and kayak events at what is now Lake Lanier Olympic Park. Buford sits on the lake's southern shore near Lanier Islands Resort, and Forsyth County runs along its western shore.
Source: City of Flowery Branch
Is there a state park on Lake Lanier?
Yes, one. Georgia State Parks says Don Carter State Park near Gainesville is the only state park on Lake Lanier, with more than 14 miles of forested trails, boat ramps, cabins and campsites. Beyond the state park, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates 46 park areas around the lake with picnicking, campgrounds, boat ramps, swimming areas and hiking trails.
Is there a free public beach on a North Georgia mountain lake?
Towns County Beach on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee is free and open to the public. Hiawassee, the Towns County seat, also hosts the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds on the lake, with 207 campsites along the shore. For a state-park option in the mountains, Unicoi State Park near Helen has a lakeside beach on Lake Unicoi.
Source: Lake Chatuge Chamber of Commerce
Dates, times and rules can change. Each listing links the organizer or local government page it came from, with the date we checked it; confirm there before you go.
