Permits for Parking & Backcountry Camping
NOTICE: We are not changing below info about "B"/ second fire ring site reservations. But for now.... only ONE Backcountry permit will be issued for each of the 16 backcountry campsites. Reservations on-line a must. Reservation system will only allow you to make A side reservations. NO "B"/ second fire ring permits will thus be issued (no sharing sites.) Walk-in/non reservation permits can still be issued at the park office on first come basis/sites not reserved already. Groups can now be up to capacity for a campsite and as before a group of 6 or more will have whole site, BUT within total tent limits on the Site Descriptions chart. .
Parking Permits for Backpacking and just day hiking:
If you park anywhere within FDR State Park (roadside or in named parking areas) you must have a annual Georgia Park Pass or current daily use fee pass displayed. You can purchase a daily pass at the park office (The Park office takes cash and most debit and credit cards) or with cash or card from Self-Pay boxes located in the RV campground (and as shown as SPB on the Pine Mountain Trail map) at the WJSP-TV Tower Parking Lot (Parking anywhere at the WJSP-TV tower parking lot is within FDR State Park), Rocky Point Parking Lot, Mollyhugger Hill Parking Lot, Dowdell's Knob Trailhead and near the FDR Statue in the picnic area at Dowdell Knob and Fox Den Cove Parking Lot. NOTE: If you purchase a pass online via the link below or using the QR code on a Self-Pay box, you still have to get an envelope from the SELF PAY box and put the pass on your vehicle rear view mirror and write the online confirmation number from your online order on the envelope the pass came from before putting the envelope in the pay slot in the box. (see for purchasing online: https://gastateparks.reserveamerica.com/posProductDetails.do?id=554806&contractCode=GA )..So if you park at an area that does not have SELF PAY box, you have to drive to office or a parking area that has a box and purchase one first. The fee for regular size passenger vehicles and vans is $5.00 per day. A yearly pass available at the park office only is $50.00 for a vehicle (van/bus) up to 13 persons. For larger vans and buses fees, call the park office at 706-663-4858.
You should be aware of these fees before driving to FDR State Park. You will be asked the size of vehicle you are driving and charged accordingly. Vehicles will be ticketed by FDR State Park Rangers if found without a valid Daily Use/Parking Permit or a valid Georgia State Park yearly pass. The daily pass is just for daytime parking. Vehicles left overnight (while backpacking) must also have displayed on the dash the blue copy of your backcountry permit. The only place you don't need a parking pass is parking at the Country Store Parking Lot (which is off park property)
If you park anywhere within FDR State Park (roadside or in named parking areas) you must have a annual Georgia Park Pass or current daily use fee pass displayed. You can purchase a daily pass at the park office (The Park office takes cash and most debit and credit cards) or with cash or card from Self-Pay boxes located in the RV campground (and as shown as SPB on the Pine Mountain Trail map) at the WJSP-TV Tower Parking Lot (Parking anywhere at the WJSP-TV tower parking lot is within FDR State Park), Rocky Point Parking Lot, Mollyhugger Hill Parking Lot, Dowdell's Knob Trailhead and near the FDR Statue in the picnic area at Dowdell Knob and Fox Den Cove Parking Lot. NOTE: If you purchase a pass online via the link below or using the QR code on a Self-Pay box, you still have to get an envelope from the SELF PAY box and put the pass on your vehicle rear view mirror and write the online confirmation number from your online order on the envelope the pass came from before putting the envelope in the pay slot in the box. (see for purchasing online: https://gastateparks.reserveamerica.com/posProductDetails.do?id=554806&contractCode=GA )..So if you park at an area that does not have SELF PAY box, you have to drive to office or a parking area that has a box and purchase one first. The fee for regular size passenger vehicles and vans is $5.00 per day. A yearly pass available at the park office only is $50.00 for a vehicle (van/bus) up to 13 persons. For larger vans and buses fees, call the park office at 706-663-4858.
You should be aware of these fees before driving to FDR State Park. You will be asked the size of vehicle you are driving and charged accordingly. Vehicles will be ticketed by FDR State Park Rangers if found without a valid Daily Use/Parking Permit or a valid Georgia State Park yearly pass. The daily pass is just for daytime parking. Vehicles left overnight (while backpacking) must also have displayed on the dash the blue copy of your backcountry permit. The only place you don't need a parking pass is parking at the Country Store Parking Lot (which is off park property)
SHUTTLES for HIKERS AND BACKPACKERS.
Currently we do not have anyone who lives near the park/trail available to do shuttles. There is not any of the pay for fee services in the area either. FDR State Park folks don't do shuttles.
NOTE: Hikers and backpackers, if a bad weather situation comes up or you are injured on hike/backpacking trip , the park rangers may be able to pick you up at a trailhead to take you off the trail. Park Emergency numbers posted on the back of the trail map and on stickers posted all along the trails.
Backcountry permits for the Pine Mountain Trail.
Even if you have reservations, you still must go by the FDR State park office at least two hours before dark and fill out/receive your actual backcountry permit and they are issued only on the day you start out backpacking. If you don't have reservations you may call to see what is available, then you must come to the park office and see what is available at that time of the backcountry campsites which is thus "first come" basis for unreserved sites. Online site specific reservations can be made for the single fire-ring, single permit sites and only the "A" fire-ring of two fire ring sites.
The "B" fire-rings of two fire ring sites may be available for those coming to the park office without reservations, or if an "A" is not reserved they may choose it.
The FDR State Park office is open 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Friday, and 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
As you enter the park office, to the left back corner under the stairs is an area with a large trail map and blank backcountry permits. Review the map and pick out the campsite(s) where you'd like to stay if you don’t have reservation, then grab a permit and fill in your name, address and vehicle tag information only. You will need to do this even if you have reservations. Then go to the counter where the clerk or park manager on duty will tell you which backcountry sites are available or if you have site specific reservations they will help you fill in the rest of the permit including campsite and parking location (for trail entry and exit point.) You'll need the tag numbers of all vehicles you are using/driving and leaving at a trailhead to record on the backpacking permits and permit holders drivers’ license.
The individual Backcountry permit fee is $10.00 per night per person up to a group of 5. For a group/family or organization permit for 6 or more the fee is $50.00 per night. In addition to the backcountry permit, you will still need to purchase a one-time daily parking permit for every car parked on park property. Thus you will only have to pay for one permit (ie $5) for each vehicle regardless if you stay one night or several days.
Backcountry camping fees are waived for Pine Mountain Trail Association Members upon presentation of a valid, active in-date PMTA membership card. NOTE: the park does not have record of PMTA members, so the membership card is a must have. PMTA members can also make site specific online reservations, and hold- charge for reservation will be backed off their credit card upon arrival at the park office. Just fill out the permit and take to the clerk on duty, tell of your reservation and show your valid PMTA membership card.
As of December 6, 2018 you can make a reservation to backcountry camp for specific named sites. See SITE DESCRIPTIONS on this website for details before making a reservation so you will know/read about the various sites. Making a reservation on-line or by phone to the 800# still requires you to come to the FDR park office at least two hours before dark on the day you arrive* and tell the clerk of your reservation and they can issue your required backcountry permit based on your reservation for sites you reserved or if “walk in’ what is available at that time.. Noted on the site description page: There are some campsites that are single permit use only (5) and the rest have two fire rings and thus you may be sharing those sites with others, meaning another individual/couple or small group of 5 or less may be at the site when you arrive or come in later (but not a large Boy Scout group as they will be the only ones assigned a permit for a/one whole site.) So if you wish a campsite with no one else there, choose (if available and not already chosen/permitted out) one of the first five one fire-ring single permit sites which are listed below.
Turtle Bluff (one fire ring and noted as 2 tents only)
Broken Tree (one fire ring and noted as 3 tents only)
Whiskey Still (one fire ring and noted as 3 tents only)
Bethel Creek ( one fire ring and noted as 5 tents only)
Big Oak Springs (one fire ring with up to 15 folks about 10 tents)
Turtle Hollow (one fire ring/ will hold a group up 30+ but is usually permitted out to large groups)
You may make reservations online 24 hours a day, seven days a week at http://www.georgiastateparks.org/ or by calling 1-800-864-7275 8:00 am - 8:00 pm during the week and 9:00 am - 5:00 pm on weekends. There is no additional fee for the 800# or online service. Click here to go to Ga State Parks page for FDR.
Once on this page on the left you will see a box. 1- Under LOOP, click and choose BACKCOUNTRY CAMPSITE 2-Leave SITE # blank. 3- Under LOOKING FOR, then choose ANY CAMPING SPOT. 4-Go down to ARRIVAL DATE and choose a date. 5th, go to LENGTH of STAY and put in number of nights you wish to stay. 6- Click on SEARCH…..Then you can scroll down and see a list of all the campsites by name and number. The AVAILABLE ones will have a dark blue small box with a tent symbol and word "map". Choose then from an available site. The "B" sites and unavailable/already reserved sites are shown with a shadowed listing and words "not available". Again, groups will get all of any site and the B side of two fire ring sites are only available by coming to the park office as a "walk in." ALL the B side sites are showing on the GA PARKS page as UNAVAILABLE. You may call to see if a specific B side site is available but cannot make reservations for it to the park office over the phone. Any questions? Call Jim Hall with trail association for clarification. 706-569-0497
*NOTE: Arriving two hours before dark also applies to ALL in a group. No one may come late and catch up/hit the trail later. Idea per park rule: Is get all in a group on the trail, to their campsite BEFORE dark. No hiking after dark.
Currently we do not have anyone who lives near the park/trail available to do shuttles. There is not any of the pay for fee services in the area either. FDR State Park folks don't do shuttles.
NOTE: Hikers and backpackers, if a bad weather situation comes up or you are injured on hike/backpacking trip , the park rangers may be able to pick you up at a trailhead to take you off the trail. Park Emergency numbers posted on the back of the trail map and on stickers posted all along the trails.
Backcountry permits for the Pine Mountain Trail.
Even if you have reservations, you still must go by the FDR State park office at least two hours before dark and fill out/receive your actual backcountry permit and they are issued only on the day you start out backpacking. If you don't have reservations you may call to see what is available, then you must come to the park office and see what is available at that time of the backcountry campsites which is thus "first come" basis for unreserved sites. Online site specific reservations can be made for the single fire-ring, single permit sites and only the "A" fire-ring of two fire ring sites.
The "B" fire-rings of two fire ring sites may be available for those coming to the park office without reservations, or if an "A" is not reserved they may choose it.
The FDR State Park office is open 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Friday, and 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
As you enter the park office, to the left back corner under the stairs is an area with a large trail map and blank backcountry permits. Review the map and pick out the campsite(s) where you'd like to stay if you don’t have reservation, then grab a permit and fill in your name, address and vehicle tag information only. You will need to do this even if you have reservations. Then go to the counter where the clerk or park manager on duty will tell you which backcountry sites are available or if you have site specific reservations they will help you fill in the rest of the permit including campsite and parking location (for trail entry and exit point.) You'll need the tag numbers of all vehicles you are using/driving and leaving at a trailhead to record on the backpacking permits and permit holders drivers’ license.
The individual Backcountry permit fee is $10.00 per night per person up to a group of 5. For a group/family or organization permit for 6 or more the fee is $50.00 per night. In addition to the backcountry permit, you will still need to purchase a one-time daily parking permit for every car parked on park property. Thus you will only have to pay for one permit (ie $5) for each vehicle regardless if you stay one night or several days.
Backcountry camping fees are waived for Pine Mountain Trail Association Members upon presentation of a valid, active in-date PMTA membership card. NOTE: the park does not have record of PMTA members, so the membership card is a must have. PMTA members can also make site specific online reservations, and hold- charge for reservation will be backed off their credit card upon arrival at the park office. Just fill out the permit and take to the clerk on duty, tell of your reservation and show your valid PMTA membership card.
As of December 6, 2018 you can make a reservation to backcountry camp for specific named sites. See SITE DESCRIPTIONS on this website for details before making a reservation so you will know/read about the various sites. Making a reservation on-line or by phone to the 800# still requires you to come to the FDR park office at least two hours before dark on the day you arrive* and tell the clerk of your reservation and they can issue your required backcountry permit based on your reservation for sites you reserved or if “walk in’ what is available at that time.. Noted on the site description page: There are some campsites that are single permit use only (5) and the rest have two fire rings and thus you may be sharing those sites with others, meaning another individual/couple or small group of 5 or less may be at the site when you arrive or come in later (but not a large Boy Scout group as they will be the only ones assigned a permit for a/one whole site.) So if you wish a campsite with no one else there, choose (if available and not already chosen/permitted out) one of the first five one fire-ring single permit sites which are listed below.
Turtle Bluff (one fire ring and noted as 2 tents only)
Broken Tree (one fire ring and noted as 3 tents only)
Whiskey Still (one fire ring and noted as 3 tents only)
Bethel Creek ( one fire ring and noted as 5 tents only)
Big Oak Springs (one fire ring with up to 15 folks about 10 tents)
Turtle Hollow (one fire ring/ will hold a group up 30+ but is usually permitted out to large groups)
You may make reservations online 24 hours a day, seven days a week at http://www.georgiastateparks.org/ or by calling 1-800-864-7275 8:00 am - 8:00 pm during the week and 9:00 am - 5:00 pm on weekends. There is no additional fee for the 800# or online service. Click here to go to Ga State Parks page for FDR.
Once on this page on the left you will see a box. 1- Under LOOP, click and choose BACKCOUNTRY CAMPSITE 2-Leave SITE # blank. 3- Under LOOKING FOR, then choose ANY CAMPING SPOT. 4-Go down to ARRIVAL DATE and choose a date. 5th, go to LENGTH of STAY and put in number of nights you wish to stay. 6- Click on SEARCH…..Then you can scroll down and see a list of all the campsites by name and number. The AVAILABLE ones will have a dark blue small box with a tent symbol and word "map". Choose then from an available site. The "B" sites and unavailable/already reserved sites are shown with a shadowed listing and words "not available". Again, groups will get all of any site and the B side of two fire ring sites are only available by coming to the park office as a "walk in." ALL the B side sites are showing on the GA PARKS page as UNAVAILABLE. You may call to see if a specific B side site is available but cannot make reservations for it to the park office over the phone. Any questions? Call Jim Hall with trail association for clarification. 706-569-0497
*NOTE: Arriving two hours before dark also applies to ALL in a group. No one may come late and catch up/hit the trail later. Idea per park rule: Is get all in a group on the trail, to their campsite BEFORE dark. No hiking after dark.
Park rules state that each site can have a certain number of persons/tents per site per night. See our SITE DESCRIPTIONS section on this website for how many each site will hold. NOTE: if you are a Scout unit and say have 25 boys, be prepared to split up into two sites if available (unless you choose NEW Turtle Hollow Campsite and it is available. ).
Each vehicle left overnight anywhere within FDR State park must have a copy of the backcountry permit (blue copy) on the dash of the vehicle in plain view (last name and phone number written on back must be visible). and a valid daily use fee parking permit or Georgia Park Pass. If you travel to FDR in two or more vehicles, ask the clerk at the park office for a duplicate of the copy of your backcountry permit for each additional vehicle. The white original copy of your backcountry permit is to be fastened to the backpack of the person who obtains the permit.
Important things to note:
Most parking areas are patrolled by both the FDR State Park Rangers and the local county sheriff.
Each vehicle left overnight anywhere within FDR State park must have a copy of the backcountry permit (blue copy) on the dash of the vehicle in plain view (last name and phone number written on back must be visible). and a valid daily use fee parking permit or Georgia Park Pass. If you travel to FDR in two or more vehicles, ask the clerk at the park office for a duplicate of the copy of your backcountry permit for each additional vehicle. The white original copy of your backcountry permit is to be fastened to the backpack of the person who obtains the permit.
Important things to note:
- Permits must be obtained about 2 hours before dark (this is so you get on the trail and hike to your campsite before dark).
- You must be 18 years old or older to obtain a backpacking permit, so there must be at least one person in the group 18 or older who actually goes backpacking and whose name is on the permit as responsible for the campsite. Permit holder thus must also actually be with the group at all times.
- BACKCOUNTRY PERMITS are for backpackers hiking in with their gear on their backs and making it to a campsite in one trip. NOTE: Nothing with wheels is allowed on trails (no carts, wagons, wheeled coolers, strollers). If you can’t carry in gear on your back in one load…..Ask for a RV Campground or pioneer drive up site.
- You must park where your backcountry permit says and use only the designated named backcountry campsites you have a permit for as noted on the handout you will be given with your permit.
- It is up to the permit holder to R-E-A-D the handout give with your backcountry permit and make sure all with you understand what it says. Permit holder is responsible for all with him. . .
Most parking areas are patrolled by both the FDR State Park Rangers and the local county sheriff.
- If your group wants to camp out together and not hike in to a backcountry site, the FDR State Park has a Pioneer Camping area away from the Pine Mountain Trail near the RV campground. This is a drive up primitive area. Some scout units use this area for their younger scouts and another leader or two take the older ones backpacking on the Pine Mountain Trail.
- Contact the FDR park office for fees to camp in the Pioneer area. This area is not part of the Pine Mountain Trail backcountry.
- Like all Georgia State Parks, there is a "quiet time" to be observed starting at 10:00 pm. This applies to the FDR RV campground, Pioneer area, and at the PMT backcountry campsites. Adult leaders of groups backpacking on the PMT, please note this and be considerate of other backpackers you may share a site with.