US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 126795979).
The red circle marks Carters Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Georgia: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).
Official Georgia DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 126795979), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Georgia DNR WRD water access points and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
OpenStreetMap shows about 5.1 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Carters Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and west shores.
No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Ridgeway, 400 ft from a shoreline trail (Georgia DNR water access data).
The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.
Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.
We found 11 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Carters Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. 2 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
Full hookups at 4 sites · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Dogs allowed
Electric hookups · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Dogs allowed
RVs welcome
RVs welcome
Wi-Fi
All campgrounds & RV parks in Georgia
Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.
Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (34.6211, -84.6267). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Carters Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.
8 public access sites listed, 7 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat ramp | — | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 34.6048, -84.6576 |
| Dam Site | Ellijay | — | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 34.6068, -84.6573 |
| Doll Mountain Camping Area | Ellijay | — | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 34.6091, -84.6185 |
| Doll Mountain Day Use Area | Ellijay | — | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 34.6108, -84.6153 |
| Ridgeway | Ellijay | — | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 34.6505, -84.6103 |
| Woodring Branch Camping Area | Ellijay | — | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 34.6126, -84.6459 |
| Woodring Branch Day Use Area | Ellijay | — | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | Fee | Boating | 34.6101, -84.6355 |
| Carters Lake Marina and Resort | Ellijay | — | Carry-in (hand launch) | — | Fee | Boating | 34.6025, -84.6506 |
Georgia DNR WRD water access points and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Carters Lake covers about 2,972 acres in Ellijay, Georgia (Gilmer County).
Yes. 7 public trailer launches are listed: Dam Site, Doll Mountain Camping Area and Doll Mountain Day Use Area. Check posted fees and parking rules.
Yes. We list 11 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.
Carters Lake touches Ellijay in Gilmer County and Murray County, Georgia.
Know Carters Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Georgia lakes & ponds · All waters in Ellijay