11 Army Corps of Engineers Campgrounds to Add to Your Bucket List

Imagine falling asleep to the lullaby of a river or waking to the view of a dam. With affordable prices and well-maintained campsites, Army Corps of Engineers (COE) campgrounds offer some of the best access to camping and recreational water activities. COE campgrounds are managed by the United States military to maintain public water sources. These campgrounds help complete recreation areas that consist of 41,188 miles of shoreline, 3,572 miles of trails, 91,583 campsites, and 3,713 boat ramps, according to the United States Army Corps of Engineers. In total the unit oversees 450 campgrounds across 43 states. Due to their unique locations, some COE campgrounds can be difficult to access. [caption id="attachment_30369" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Sawnee Campground | Cumming, GA - Photo by: traderboynh[/caption] To book a stay at a COE campground, research the area you’re looking to visit on Corps Lakes Gateway and reserve your campsite through Recreation.gov on the “Seasons and Booking” tab. This area also provides information on the booking window and may specify a time that reservations are released each day. Many of these sites are competitive to book, so you’ll want to look at booking as soon as reservations open. Complete your camping experience at one of these popular COE campgrounds: [caption id="attachment_30355" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Gunter Hill Campground | Montgomery, AL - Photo by: Jan[/caption]

Gunter Hill Campground, Montgomery, Alabama

• Number of Sites: 142
• Pad Type: Mixed
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

Nestled in a forest along Catoma Creek, Gunter Hill Campground is a quaint year-round destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The campground offers a dump station, electric hookups, renovated sites, and full-service bathrooms. Find nearby hiking opportunities at the Lowndes Wildlife Management Area. [caption id="attachment_30356" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Cedar Creek Campground | Mount Juliet, TN[/caption]

Cedar Creek Campground, Mount Juliet, Tennessee

• Number of Sites: 59
• Pad Type: Mixed
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

Located about 30 minutes outside of Nashville, Tennessee, Cedar Creek Campground is set on Old Hickory Lake. Amenities include electric and water hookups, hot showers, a dump station, laundry facilities, picnic shelter, a playground, and boat launch. Reviewers note strong cell phone coverage with nice waterfront views, shaded spots, and easy access to Music City. [caption id="attachment_30370" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Cotton Hill Campground | Morris, GA - Photo by: Jouppi Outdoors[/caption]

Cotton Hill Campground, Morris, Georgia

• Number of Sites: 104
• Pad Type: Concrete
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

Pull up to the water’s edge and set up camp in Cotton Hill Campground, a backdrop to Walter F. George Lake. This recreational area offers full-service bathrooms, a dump station, a playground, and a boat ramp. This area situated along the Alabama and Georgia state line is a fisher's paradise. The lake is stocked with largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish. Cotton Hill Campground also provides ideal access to hiking trails and historic Eufaula, Alabama, and Cuthbert, Georgia. [caption id="attachment_30358" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Eastbank Campground | Bainbridge, GA - Photo by: Don[/caption]

Eastbank Campground, Bainbridge, Georgia

• Number of Sites: 65
• Pad Type: Gravel
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

Eastbank Campground sits on the border of Georgia and Florida, along Lake Seminole’s 367-mile shoreline amid rolling forests of pine and hardwood. This campground has electric and water hookups, a dump station, laundry facilities, and full-service bathrooms. It’s also well-known for sport fishing.

[caption id="attachment_30359" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Boulder Recreation Area | Carlyle, IL - Photo by: Jo[/caption]

Boulder Recreation Area, Carlyle, Illinois

• Number of Sites: 82
• Pad Type: Concrete
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

You’re guaranteed a lakeview with a campsite at the Boulder Recreation Area in Carlyle, Illinois. Located only 50 miles outside of St. Louis, Missouri, the campground offers a serene getaway with campsites fully equipped with a picnic table, firepit, electric hookups, and full-service bathrooms.  Aside from typical lake activities, the Boulder Recreation Area also offers access to wildlife sites with viewing towers and an aquarium. [caption id="attachment_30360" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Twiltley Branch Campground | Collinsville, MS - Photo by: Nelson[/caption]

Twiltley Branch Campground, Collinsville, Mississippi

• Number of Sites: 62
• Pad Type: Gravel
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

Twiltley Branch Campground is a lakefront campground in eastern Mississippi, situated along the shores of Okatibbee Lake. This COE campground offers electric hookups, a dump station, full-service bathrooms, and a laundry facility.  “Spectacular setting on Lake Okatibbee in rural Mississippi … typical well-maintained COE site,” writes one Campendium reviewer.

[caption id="attachment_30363" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Jim Hogg Park Campground | Georgetown, TX - Photo by: Mike[/caption]

Jim Hogg Park Campground, Georgetown, Texas

• Number of Sites: 142
• Pad Type: Concrete
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

When you stay at Jim Hogg Park Campground, watch the sky fade from gold to black over Georgetown Lake. This camping destination runs along a reservoir on the northern end of the San Gabriel River. It offers full-service bathrooms, picnic areas, and an ample amount of space for large groups to camp.  While this area is popular with boaters, it’s also home to a winding 26-mile trail that rolls through grasslands and juniper forests just outside of Austin, Texas. [caption id="attachment_30364" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Dana Peak Campground | Harker Heights, TX - Photo by: TK[/caption]

Dana Peak Campground, Harker Heights, Texas

• Number of Sites: 30
• Pad Type: Concrete
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

In 1968, the COE built the Stillhouse Hollow Dam and Stillhouse Hollow Lake. Eventually, the Dana Peak Campground was created with full-service bathrooms, electric hookups, a man-made beach, and a four-lane boat ramp. This campground also has a group site for up to 80 people. Dana Peak is an activity haven with direct access to water sports, horseback riding, fishing, and hiking. It’s located near Fort Hood Army Base.

[caption id="attachment_30365" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Sawnee Campground | Cumming, GA - Photo by: ruddy one[/caption]

Sawnee Campground, Cumming, Georgia

• Number of Sites: 59
• Pad Type: Concrete
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

You’ll find Sawnee Campground under the shade of Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains along the 690-mile shoreline of Lake Sidney Lanier. Campers have access to electric and water hookups, full-service bathrooms, laundry facilities, and a sandy beach. This COE destination also has a variety of walk-in sites for tent campers. [caption id="attachment_30366" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] High View Park | Ennis, TX - Photo by: jlbirt[/caption]

High View Park, Ennis, Texas

• Number of Sites: 39
• Pad Type: Concrete
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

Visit High View Park in the spring for a magical morning of blooming bluebonnets along Bardwell Lake’s shores. While the bluebonnets are worth the trip, this COE campground also offers a variety of other features, like water and electric hookups, a marina, and designated fishing and hunting areas for wildlife adventurers.

[caption id="attachment_30368" align="aligncenter" width="1275"] Midway Park Campground | Waco, TX - Photo by: TheScottLife[/caption]

Midway Park Campground, Waco, Texas

• Number of Sites: 37
• Pad Type: Concrete
• Reservations: Yes
• Tent Camping: Yes

Midway Park Campground is located within Waco’s city limits and on the south shores of Waco Lake with full-service bathrooms, a boat ramp, and a variety of water activities.  “Nice campground, good price ... right on Lake Waco. Really great sunsets ... $15 for full hookups, you can't beat that with a stick!” according to a review on Campendium. COE campgrounds are an often overlooked but convenient source for RVers, campers, and vanlifers. While they’re less accessible and harder to book, they provide a high-quality stay with ample amenities and low nightly rates in beautiful, waterfront spaces across the U.S.