Georgia / Columbia County

Petersburg

Open — Open year-round with reservations available through Recreation.gov. Gates open 7:00 a.m. and close 10:00 p.m. daily, with combination locks issued to registered campers. Maximum stay is 14 consecutive nights within a 30-day period.

About

Petersburg Campground sits on the shoreline of J. Strom Thurmond Lake, offering campers access to 70,000 acres of water and over 1,000 miles of shoreline. As the largest Corps of Engineers campground on the lake and the nearest to Augusta, Petersburg provides an ideal base for water sports, fishing, and outdoor recreation. The campground features 94 sites spread across three loops, most with electric and water hookups, surrounded by a mix of pine and hardwood trees providing shade and natural beauty. The campground is well-equipped with four bathhouses featuring flush toilets and hot showers, with the first bathhouse offering complimentary laundry facilities. Two swimming beaches provide lake access, while a boat ramp with courtesy dock serves boaters and water skiers. Anglers can fish from the shoreline, the large fishing pier, or launch boats to pursue largemouth bass, bream, crappie, catfish, and striped bass. A playground, reservable pavilion, and hiking trails wind through the campground. Just outside the entrance sits the largest trailhead for the Bartram Trail, a designated National Recreation Trail favored by hikers and mountain bikers. The 27-mile trail meanders along the scenic shoreline through Wildwood Park, with shorter sections accessible from multiple trailheads. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound, with southern bald eagles, migratory waterfowl, wild turkeys, and whitetail deer regularly spotted around the lake. The campground is located just 4 miles from the Lake Thurmond Visitor Center and Dam, and 25 miles from Augusta, home to the Masters Golf Tournament each April.

Directions

3998 Petersburg Rd, Appling, GA 30802. From I-20, take Exit 183 (Appling). Go north on Highway 221 approximately 6 miles. At the 4-way stop, go straight on Highway 221 another 2 miles. Campground road is on the left. Follow signs.

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