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Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Guide - www.n-georgia.com
Discover Georgia's
beautiful parks, wildlife, mountains, waterfalls, lakes, coast and
islands, Civil War and historic sites, gardens, trails, festivals, and
other fun places to visit. Whether you are going out for a day or
vacationing in Georgia, this site is full of outdoor recreational ideas
and maps at your fingertips. Relax, browse around and get ready
for good times in Georgia.
Lake
Sidney Lanier General Info and Rules Lake Sidney Lanier is
well known for its recreational opportunities. The Corps operates 46 park
areas around the lake providing, picnicking, campgrounds, boat launching
ramps, swimming areas, picnic shelters and hiking trails. Following are the
lake's reservations, regulations and recreational activities general
information. Directions to Lake Lanier: From I-985/Buford
Take GA Hwy 20 West, from GA 400/Cumming, take GA Hwy 20 East, to North on
Suwanee Dam Road. Go 3 miles and go left on Buford Dam Road. The Visitor
Center is one mile down on the right. Make reservations at
1-877-444-6777. Contact Numbers: Water
Release Schedules 770-945-1466 Lake Info 770-945-1467 & Corps of Engineers
770-945-9531
Lake Lanier
Fishing and Waterfowl Hunting
Lake
Lanier is well known as a productive fishing lake. Many species of fish
thrive in the lake. The lake has approximately 39,000 surface acres of water
at its full level. Although there is little natural cover in the top 1/3 of
the lake due to tree clearing during construction, there are trees left
standing in the lower portions of the lake as well as brush piles,
drop-offs, submerged humps, and rock outcroppings in shallower areas. A
navigation map will be helpful for finding these spots and is available in
the map room.
The Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources actively manages fish habitat on Lake Lanier. Each year
volunteers help build and maintain fish attractors around the lake.
Information about fish attractor structures may be obtained the map room.
Trout
fishing below Buford Dam is also popular. The cold waters released from the
bottom of the lake support rainbow, brown and brook trout that are stocked
in the river by the GA DNR. Fishing is permitted year-round. However,
fishermen must use extreme caution when fishing below the dam and abide by
special safety regulations.
Waterfowl hunting is permitted on Lake Lanier in accordance with state and
federal regulations. Due to limited public land surrounding the lake and
intensive residential development, no other hunting is allowed.
Picnicking at
Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier has hundreds of picnic sites with
beautiful views of the lake and surrounding woodlands. Most sites have boat
ramps and convenient access to restrooms. Group picnic shelters are
available at several parks. These are a perfect setting for a family
reunion, birthday party or company picnic. Most shelters will accommodate up
to 100 people and all have tables, a large grill as well as electric outlets
and lights.
Reservations for Corps of Engineers operated shelters may be made by calling
our office. Fees range from $50.00 to $90.00 per day.
Larger groups of up to 3,000 people can be accommodated at Lake Lanier
Islands Park. Contact the park at 770-932-7200.
Swimming
at
Lake Lanier
Wade the shoreline, float on a raft or make a
big splash in the cool, clear waters of Lake Lanier. The Corps of Engineers
operates 20 swimming areas around the lake. All Corps of Engineers operated
swimming areas are “swim at your own risk’. No lifeguards are on duty. The
Corps recommends swimming at designated swim areas only. View the complete
list of all Corps swim areas.
For more excitement, visit the Lake Lanier Islands Beach and Water Park.
There you will find water slides, wave pools and a variety of other water
attractions.
Hiking at Lake Lanier
Hikers may want to visit the Laurel Ridge
Trail located near Buford Dam. Along the 3.8-mile trail you can glimpse
beautiful views of the lake, woodland and river scenery, as well as rare
wildflowers and a variety of wildlife. The trail winds through several park
areas, along the lake’s shoreline and the banks of the Chattahoochee River.
View a map of the trail from the map room or see a video.
You may also want to visit the newly constructed Little Ridge Trail. The
trail is 1.05 miles long and features a number of different wildlife viewing
opportunities.
Lake Lanier Reservations and
Regulations Info
Picnic Shelters are available
at several Corps of Engineers operated parks at Lake Sidney Lanier. These
shelters are ideal for family reunions, birthday parties or company
gatherings.
Reservations for shelters can be made in person at the Lake
Lanier Management Office located at Buford Dam or by telephone. Reservations
will be accepted beginning Monday March 6th 2006. The dates picnic shelters
are available for reservation are April 29th through September 10th 2006.
Reservation dates and/or locations are not transferable.
Reservation Fees are charged to offset the cost of
operating the shelters. Payment may be made by credit card (Visa or
MasterCard), personal check or cash. Tentative reservations will not be
accepted. All reservation fees are non-refundable. Payment of the
reservation fee does not include day use fees at selected parks.
Shelter Capacity is limited to the maximum number of people
established for the shelter. The setup of tents or carnival type equipment
is not allowed.
Directional Signs placed along park roadways are
prohibited.
Parking cannot be guaranteed. Because of Lake Lanier’s
popularity your group should plan to arrive before 11 a.m. When parking
areas are full, entry to the park may be closed.
Park Open Hours are from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. The Upper
Overlook, Buford Dam, West Bank and Lanier Park gates open at 8 a.m.
Lake
Sidney Lanier General Info and Rules
Lake
Lanier is well known as a productive fishing lake. Many species of fish
thrive in the lake. The lake has approximately 39,000 surface acres of water
at its full level. Although there is little natural cover in the top 1/3 of
the lake due to tree clearing during construction, there are trees left
standing in the lower portions of the lake as well as brush piles,
drop-offs, submerged humps, and rock outcroppings in shallower areas. A
navigation map will be helpful for finding these spots and is available in
the map room. 
Trout
fishing below Buford Dam is also popular. The cold waters released from the
bottom of the lake support rainbow, brown and brook trout that are stocked
in the river by the GA DNR. Fishing is permitted year-round. However,
fishermen must use extreme caution when fishing below the dam and abide by
special safety regulations. 
