Located on a 26,650 acre lake and featuring some of the best recreational activities a state park can offer, Richard B. Russell State Park is well worth checking out on your RV getaway. Located in Elbert County, Georgia, several Indian sites were excavated near the park in 1980 before the lake was filled. This indicated that Paleo-Indians lived in the area more than 10,000 years ago. Now named Rucker’s Bottom, this former Indian site is located deep within the waters of Lake Richard B. Russell. The park takes its name from Richard B. Russell who was a member of the Democratic Party and served as the 66th Governor of Georgia from 1931 to 1933 before also serving in the Senate from 1933 to 1971.
Most people who come to Richard B. Russell State Park are looking to kick back and relax by taking it easy or enjoying the great recreational facilities on offer. The park has some truly fantastic features, including beautiful 18-hole Arrowhead Golf Course, a very popular disc golf course, a swimming beach, six miles of hiking and biking trails, fishing and boating opportunities and of course multiple picnic shelters for you to enjoy.
Camping at Richard B. Russell State Park is also available for RV lovers who want to stay the night. In total there are 27 campsites located in a singular loop that are RV friendly and also feature 30 amp electrical hookups for you to enjoy. Camping at the park is available all year round and peak season in Richard B. Russell State Park occurs during the summer months.
Richard B. Russell State Park is located in north-eastern Georgia and is just before the border of South Carolina. The park isn't exactly remote but the closest town of Elberton is around 10 miles away. Other towns relatively close by include Lowndesville (around 17 miles away), Bowman (around 19 miles away) and Calhoun Falls (around 21 miles away). The closest major city to Richard B. Russell State Park is Athens, which is around 44 miles to the west.
There is one entrance and exit road to the park that is quite easy to locate as it is on the western side of Ruckersville Road. The roads leading up to and in the park are very well maintained and you should have no issues with accessibility as there are no obstacles that could be in your way. We recommend stocking up on supplies in Elberton before you enter the park as there will be no other towns closer once you enter. The only adverse weather conditions that usually affect the park are storms, so make sure that you check the forecast before you begin your journey so you don't get stuck.
There is plenty of parking available at Richard B. Russell State Park.
The campground at Richard B. Russell State Park is well worth staying at if you have an RV. It is known for being well-maintained and features shady, gravel packed sites that can accommodate RV's up to 30 feet in length. The campground is located near the banks of Russell Lake so you will be able to soak in some beautiful lake views at the majority of the sites available to stay at.
All 27 campsites are equipped with 30 amp electrical hookups and other amenities include water collection points, toilets, showers, a dump station, picnic table and light at each site and some sites even have boat docks to give you easy access to the lake. Cable and WiFi are also available at each site, which is a rarity for the majority of state park campgrounds. Pets are allowed to stay however they must be leashed at all times. Reservations are available up to 13 months in advance and the campground is open all year round.
The 26,650 acre Richard B. Russell Lake is a very popular fishing destination and is a must for those who do love to try and catch the big one. The lake has numerous fishing opportunities available, including shoreline fishing, kayak fishing and boat fishing, along with thousands of potential fishing spots that feature terrain that fish love. The lake supports both warm-water and cold-water species of fish so you will have a great choice of what you want to target. Some of the most popular fish caught in the park include bass, catfish, trout, sunfish, crappie, perch and striped bass.
Picnicking is a great option for those who want to relax during their visit to Richard B. Russell State Park. The park has three separate picnic pavilions that are available for guests to use. Each of the three pavilions can accommodate quite large groups, with 50 people being the maximum allowed. If you do have a large group and want to guarantee that you will get a pavilion we recommend that you book one online in advance to secure a spot on your chosen date.
Going for a swim is such a great way to cool off during the warm summer months and the beach at Richard B. Russell State Park will not disappoint. Located on the edge of the lake, the sandy beach is very large so there is enough space for everyone and it won't be cramped. The beach is extremely popular for families and often people who are out boating will stop in during their trip out and chill out at the beach. There is no guarantee that the beach will have life guards so make sure you take precautions when swimming.
Unfortunately there are no public transport options available that will take you to Richard B. Russell State Park.
It is not often that a stay within a state park can also be combined with getting out on the fairway and nailing some drives. Within Richard B. Russell State Park you will find the 18-hole Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course that was designed in 2001. 10 of the 18 holes skirt the shoreline of Lake Richard B. Russell so you will have some of the best views in Georgia while you are navigating the course. The course is also challenging yet rewarding and was named in TravelGolf.com‘s Top 10 Courses in Georgia, alongside the famous Augusta National. Arrowhead Pointe is the only public course that made the elite list. If you don't have clubs they are able to be rented from the pro shop and you can also grab a bite to eat after your round at the cafe.
For those who aren't fans of golf but still want to play a great game and explore the park we recommend giving disc golf a try. Disc golf is a great game that involves throwing a disc into a metal basket which is known as the hole. There are two disc golf courses at Richard B. Russell State Park, one with 18 holes and the other featuring nine. The courses are very popular with seasoned disc golf players but aren't too challenging to where beginners won't enjoy them either. If you need discs they are available to rent from the park office.
For the hiking lovers out there you will have a ball at Richard B. Russell State Park. There are six miles of trails available for you to explore that range in length from half a mile to around one and a half miles. The trails vary from having a compacted gravel surface to rubberized and compacted natural. If you only have time for one hike we recommend the Blackwell Bridge Trail where you will walk over a big steel bridge, along an old road and see forests both young and old.
