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Lake Russell

Cornelia, Georgia — Habersham County.

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88Surface acres
1Public access sites
3.6 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 46751637).

Location & fast facts

Where Lake Russell is in Georgia

The red circle marks Lake Russell.

Fast facts

About Lake Russell

  • Counties: Habersham, Banks
  • Nearest city: Cornelia (about 0.5 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 284 mi from Tallahassee and 307 mi from Jacksonville, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Georgia: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Georgia

Official Georgia DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 1 public trailer launch listed (see access)
  • Walking. 3.6 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 2 campgrounds within 15 mi, 1 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Brittle waternymph recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

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.

Lake map

Lake Russell shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Lake Russell Recreation Area (campground)Lake Russell (Boat launch)1¼ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Lake Russell
    Boat launch · Cornelia

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 46751637), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Georgia DNR WRD water access points. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

3.6 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 85%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 3.6 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Lake Russell shoreline, mostly along the east shore. They follow about 85% of the shore, so you can walk most of the way around but not a full loop.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Lake Russell, 200 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.

Campgrounds near Lake Russell

We found 2 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Russell, 1 of them within 5 miles. 1 is right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

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.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (34.4913, -83.4961). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Russell. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Lake Russell

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    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.

    Boat launches & access sites

    1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Lake RussellCornelia—Boat ramp · Yes ramp—FeeBoating34.4950, -83.4906

    Georgia DNR WRD water access points

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Lake Russell

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Lake Russell

    How big is Lake Russell?

    Lake Russell covers about 88 acres in Cornelia, Georgia (Habersham County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Lake Russell?

    Yes. 1 public trailer launch is listed: Lake Russell. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Lake Russell?

    Yes. We list 2 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Lake Russell?

    Lake Russell touches Cornelia in Habersham County and Banks County, Georgia.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lake Russell? 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).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Georgia lakes & ponds · All waters in Cornelia