Overview This North Georgia mountain mecca has something for everyone, swimming, camping, picnicking, hiking, biking (on and off road), fishing and boating (electric, wind, or human powered), wildlife, foliage, camping, Recreation The Lake Russell Recreation Area maintains a swim beach for those hot summer days, along with plenty of picnic spaces with tables and grills to help fuel your day in the mountains. No dogs on the beach please, and no shore fishing within the swim area boundary. The Nancytown Recreation area adjoins the Lake Russell Rec Area and includes several popular trailheads as well as the smaller Nancytown Lake. Parking Access at Nancytown is included for day use visitors to the Lake Russell Recreation Area, and registered campers. No gas motors allowed on Lake Russell, nor the adjacent Nancytown Lake. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources stocks trout in Nancytown Lake four times between March and August. While the Broad River coursing through the adjacent WMA also produces trout for the hearty angler. Many other fish species can be found in both Nancytown Lake and Lake Russell.
Source: rec_gov · last verified 2026-05-19