Winter Camping at Boggs Creek (Feb 2008)

A friend of mine asked me a couple of weeks ago where he might be able to take a short weekend camping trip in the mountains. That was in the middle of January, and the choices are not quite as plentiful as they are during other seasons. Boggs Creek Campground was the first site to cross my mind. Many of the National Forest campgrounds shut down in the winter, and some of the state parks have to cut their water off due to the cold. Boggs Creek Campground is one of the National Forest Campgrounds that doesn't close..and there is no running water to cut off. It's cheap ($8 a night-self pay), close to Turner's Corner and civilization, which makes it an easy drive from metro Atlanta where my friend lives, and it's beautiful.
The campground straddles Boggs Creek, a nice sized stream with tumbling rapids and still pools shrouded in a valley of pines, oaks and rhododendron. There are 26 camper/tent sites and 6 tent only sites, all with fire ring grills and lantern posts. There are vault (outhouse style) toilets but with no running water there are no sinks/showers. Boggs Creek is haul it in, haul it out camping-take your fresh water and trash bags in and haul all of your trash home with you.