A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Army Corps of Engineers campground

Woodring Branch Primitive Campground

Army Corps of Engineers campground in Carters Lake, Gilmer County, Georgia. 1,127 feet. 8.9 miles from East Ellijay.

Managed by
Army Corps of Engineers Carters Lake
Elevation
1,127 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
11 11 tent only non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Gilmer County

Overview

Woodring Branch Primitive Campground is located in the North Georgia Mountains on the beautiful Carters Lake Project, which is just a short 70 miles north of Atlanta. Carters Lake provides clean, safe, and quiet campgrounds that help you escape the hustle and bustle of your day-to-day routine and relax with your family. Woodring Branch offers boating, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking at the day use area, and many other summer activities.

Woodring Branch has two different loop style trails from easy to moderate. The Amadahy Hiking Trail and the Oak Ridge Nature trail will ensure a great family hiking experience as they both include a wide diversity of plants, animals, and scenic views.

Woodring Branch at Carters Lake has something for everyone, no matter what your hobbies are.

Recreation

Boaters visit Carters Lake to enjoy its solitude and scenic beauty. Whether in a powerboat or sailboat on the open water or paddling along the shoreline in a canoe, Carters Lake offers enjoyable boating experiences for everyone.

Fishing is a popular activity on the lake. Major species include bass (largemouth, smallmouth, hybrid, striped and spotted), crappie, walleye, bream and catfish. Bank fishing locations are limited due to steep shoreline terrain, but six boat ramps are scattered around the shoreline, offering easy access to the lake.

The Amadahy Trail is located in the Woodring Branch Recreation Area. This 4-mile loop is excellent for beginners with flat to rolling terrain. Bikers and hikers are treated to beautiful views of Carters Lake along most of trail's length. The Oak Ridge Nature Trail is also located in this area and offers a shorter one mile hike through upland forests.

Facilities

This heavily wooded campground offers eleven primitive sites.

Natural Features

Carters Lake embraces a spectacular tract of foothills scenery in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia. It covers 3200 surface acres and has 62 miles of undeveloped shoreline.

Nearby Attractions

Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge there are many attractions nearby. The towns of Blue Ridge, Ellijay, Jasper and Chatsworth all boast of many tourist opportunities. From restuarants, festivals, etc. there are many opportunities for exploration of local attractions.

The description, directions and fees are the Army Corps of Engineers’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • mountain biking
  • picnicking
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Woodring Branch Primitive Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.