Don Carter State Park is a state park located in

Hall County, Georgia Hall County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 203,136, up from 179,684 at the 2010 census. The county seat is Gainesville. The entirety of Hall County comp ...

, along the shores of

Lake Lanier Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee Ri ...

. It is the only state park along the shores of Lake Lanier. The park offers camping, hiking, and access to the adjacent lake, among other amenities. It was officially opened to the public in 2013. As of 2022, it is Georgia's newest state park.

History

In 1994, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources began the process of land acquisition that would eventually lead to the creation of the park. In 2009, Governor

Sonny Perdue George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III (born December 20, 1946) is an American veterinarian, businessman, politician, and university administrator who served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. He previously served as t ...

signed a budget including $14 million for the construction of the park. Construction officially began in November 2011. The park opened to the public on July 15, 2013. The park is named for Don Carter, a local businessman who served on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources board for 29 years.

Area

Don Carter State Park is the only state park on the shores of

. It is located on the north side of the reservoir.

Facilities and activities

As of 2022, the park offers the following facilities and activities for visitors. * Boat Ramps * Cottages * Campsites * Docks * Equestrian trails (14.5 miles) * Hiking trails (14.5 miles) * Paddling trails (6 miles)

References

{{Georgia state parks State parks of Georgia (U.S. state) State parks of the Appalachians Protected areas of Hall County, Georgia 1993 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)