LAKE LIFE · KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Ramps, parking and busy weekends
Lake Lanier boat ramps on the Forsyth County side are split between a dozen county access points and the Corps of Engineers. Knowing which gate opens when — and which park closes once it fills — is most of a summer Saturday.
Lake Lanier boat ramps on the Forsyth side
Four county-operated parks carry most of the traffic, and each one has three ramps. All four sit within about twenty minutes of downtown Cumming.
3 RAMPS · MULTI-USE TRAIL
Charleston Park
5850 Charleston Park Road. Picnic tables with grills, restrooms and a shoreline trail.
3 RAMPS · SHORELINE FISHING
Six Mile Creek Park
6020 Browns Bridge Road. Straightforward launch with fishing access along the bank.
3 RAMPS · SAND BEACH
Young Deer Creek Park
7300 Heard Road. Courtesy dock, swim area and a pavilion for the after-boat picnic.
3 RAMPS · SAND BEACH
Mary Alice Park
1820 Mary Alice Park Road. Courtesy dock and beach, and the one park that caps entry on busy days.
Five more Forsyth-side access points — Tidwell, Vann’s Tavern, Two Mile Creek, Keith’s Bridge and Long Hollow — moved to county co-management under a 2026 agreement with the Corps of Engineers. Fees and hours at those five are still settling, so call Forsyth County Parks & Recreation before you count on one.
Fees and hours
Two agencies, two fee schedules, two sets of gate hours. The park sign tells you which one you are standing in.
FORSYTH COUNTY PARKS
$10 a day, $60 a year
Annual passes are 10% off at 55 and over. Kiosks at Charleston, Mary Alice, Six Mile Creek and Young Deer Creek issue a temporary pass — redeem it within seven days at Central Park, Fowler Park, Old Atlanta Park or the Sawnee Mountain Preserve visitor center.
Day-use areas open at 6 a.m. and close at 9:30 p.m. March through October, 7 p.m. November through February. Boat ramps stay open 24 hours.
CORPS OF ENGINEERS PARKS
$8 a vehicle, $8 to launch
Walk-ins are $3 at most fee parks, and the Corps annual day-use pass is $40. A handful of parks, Little Ridge and Bolding Mill among them, are free.
Day-use areas run 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Launching is still allowed after the park closes for the day.
Passes do not cross over. Corps of Engineers passes are not accepted at Forsyth County facilities that charge for access. If you launch on both sides of the lake, you need both.
Busy weekends
Memorial Day through Labor Day, the lots fill before the lake does. Three things worth knowing.
ARRIVE EARLY
Mary Alice fills, then closes
On weekends and holidays the park closes its entry once it reaches capacity, and it does not reopen until the next day. Same-day re-entry is not permitted. Digital signs on Mary Alice Park Road post the status, and gates open at 6 a.m.
LATE MARCH TO LATE SEPTEMBER
Some ramps are seasonal
Several Corps day-use areas and ramps, including Keith’s Bridge and Long Hollow, run on a season rather than year round. The county campgrounds at Bald Ridge and Sawnee keep their own dates.
FEE-FREE DAYS AT COUNTY LAKE PARKS
Forsyth County waives standard day-use fees, including boat ramps and designated swimming areas, on Presidents Day, the Corps of Engineers birthday in June, Independence Day weekend, National Public Lands Day and Veterans Day. Camping, shelter rentals and specialized facilities are not included, and Mary Alice Park sits out the Independence Day waiver.
Check the park before you hitch up
Hours, closures and fees move around, especially in the shoulder seasons. Forsyth County Parks & Recreation posts current status by park.