Dames Ferry State Park:
A Quiet Lake Juliette Campground

Dames Ferry State Park Campground is one of our favorite campgrounds in the Georgia State Parks system. We love this state park campground not because of its amenities or its size, but actually for the opposite reasons. Dames Ferry Campground is one of the smallest and quietest campgrounds we have visited.

If you like a campground that gives you room to breathe, a lake that stays calm enough for paddling, and evenings that seem to revolve around the sunset, this one is worth putting on your Georgia camping list.

A Little About Dames Ferry

Dames Ferry Campground is managed as part of High Falls State Park in Jackson, Georgia, but it is actually its own state park campground in Juliette, Georgia. The two parks are about 22 miles apart, so it helps to know that before you go.

With only 30 campsites, and many of them with views of the water, this campground is perfect for people who love to be on or near the lake. Dames Ferry sits on the shore of Lake Juliette, a Georgia Power lake that feels peaceful and tucked away.

The official Georgia State Parks page describes Dames Ferry as the only campground on 3,600-acre Lake Juliette. It also currently lists a 25 horsepower motor limit for boating, so it is a good idea to check the park page before bringing a boat. What we noticed most was how quiet the lake felt. With no jet skis or speedboats zipping around, it is an amazing, serene place to enjoy a long weekend or even a week or two if you like a slower pace.

Checking In and Getting Settled

When you enter Dames Ferry from the main road, you will either go right for the day-use area or left to enter the campground. If you arrive during normal campground hours, the gate will usually be open. After hours, you can only enter with a passcode, which adds a nice sense of security.

This campground does not have a camp store or a large ranger station. Instead, there is a small gatehouse where the attendant checks you in. They usually have a small table outside with a few trinkets and supplies for sale, and firewood is available across the driveway in a little shed.

As with most Georgia State Park campgrounds we have visited, the staff has always been nice and accommodating. They will give you a map and point you to your campsite. There are usually one or two campground hosts on site if you need anything during off hours, but for the most part everything is pretty self-explanatory here, and we have never really needed extra assistance.

Campsites and Campground Amenities

Each campsite comes with 50 amp power, water, a picnic table, and a fire ring. There is a dump station at the top of the hill near the entrance, along with one bathhouse that also includes laundry facilities. The campsites are well cared for and seem to be cleaned up nicely after each use.

The campground also has a boat ramp and a small dock with aquacycle rentals. Since the campground is small, everything feels easy to understand once you are there. It is not the kind of place with a lot of extras, but that is part of what makes it feel so quiet and restful.

Lake Juliette Is the Main Attraction

Our favorite activities at Dames Ferry are all related to beautiful Lake Juliette. I don’t know that I have seen a more beautiful sunset at any other lake in Georgia than on this one, so slow evenings are the way to go.

The water is almost crystal clear because this lake has little inflow from tributaries, and the grassy shorelines help filter the water and keep it fresh and clean.

During the morning or daytime hours, we love to go swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing. Once you get past the shoreline grass, you can see down six feet or more, which makes it feel a little like swimming in a spring without the extra cold water of spring swimming.

As you would expect with such a nice, quiet lake, you can see lots of fish, loons, ducks, geese, turtles, and other wildlife around Lake Juliette.

One drawback to the lake being used by Georgia Power is that the currents can change depending on their use. Sometimes there is a very strong current in one direction or the other depending on the flow being used by the power plant. This can make it tough when you set out on a longer kayaking trip across the lake, so it is something to keep in mind before paddling too far.

Quiet Evenings by the Water

After an amazing sunset, we love to sit out by the water and enjoy a cookout or a campfire. Because there are so few campsites at this park, the evenings are very quiet.

There is a little road noise from the main road that passes near the left-hand side of the campground, but overall it is a great place for a quiet evening in.

Visiting Juliette and Nearby Supplies

Dames Ferry Campground is about six miles from the very small town of Juliette, which was made famous by the 1991 film Fried Green Tomatoes, based on the book by Fannie Flagg. You can still eat at the Whistle Stop Cafe in the tiny mill town, and both the restaurant and the town were featured in the film.

There is also a nice amount of shopping on the outskirts of Macon. The Bass Pro Shops in Macon is only about 10 miles from the campground in the opposite direction from Juliette. Closer by, within about two to four miles, you will find a couple of Dollar General stores, a gas station, and a bait shop where you can pick up needed supplies pretty easily.