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Lake Allatoona, Georgia, USA

Also known as:  Allatoona Lake

Lake Allatoona, located northwest of Atlanta, is one of the most visited Army Corps of Engineers lakes in the United States. With a shoreline of 270 miles, visitors may enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities, such as boating, fishing, swimming, canoeing, camping, hiking, hunting, and water skiing. Authorized by the Flood Control Acts of 1941 and 1944, Allatoona Lake was created by impounding the Etowah River….
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    • All About Lake Allatoona, GA

    Lake Locations: USA - US South Region - Georgia - Historic High Country Region, GA -

    Lake Allatoona, located northwest of Atlanta, is one of the most visited Army Corps of Engineers lakes in the United States. With a shoreline of 270 miles, visitors may enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities, such as boating, fishing, swimming, canoeing, camping, hiking, hunting, and water skiing.

    Authorized by the Flood Control Acts of 1941 and 1944, Allatoona Lake was created by impounding the Etowah River. As a project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, construction of the dam began in 1946. Completed in 1950, Lake Allatoona now provides hydropower generation, water supply, fish and wildlife management, water quality, navigation, and recreation.

    With scenic views of the lake and mixed pine and hardwood forest, visitors who like to hike will enjoy Allatoona Lake’s 11 hiking trails. Trails include Cooper Branch, Laurel Ridge, Cooper’s Furnace, Vineyard Mountain Eagle Scoot, Homestead, Sweetgum, Whitetail, Visitor Center Loop, Lakeside, Iron Hill, and Allatoona Pass Civil War Interpretation Trail. The Allatoona Pass was the site where more than 1500 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing after an eight hour battle. In addition to hiking, geocaching, an outdoor adventure activity for users of global positioning systems (GPS), has become a very popular activity at Lake Allatoona. Some restrictions apply and prior authorization is needed for placement of geocaches on Corps of Engineers property.

    Visitors will enjoy stopping by Allatoona Lake Interpretive Visitors Center, located at the Operations Project Management Office. Along with a bird’s eye view of Allatoona Dam, visitors will learn more about the history of hydropower, local mining, wildlife, the Battle of Allatoona Pass, Native American history, and more. An interactive computer was added to the visitor center so visitors can easily find information on Allatoona Lake. In the visitor center auditorium there is a 10-minute video which shows the history of Lake Allatoona and the surrounding area.

    Two popular pastimes on Lake Allatoona are hunting and fishing. Game and Fish Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources operates the Wildlife Management Area on the north side of the lake. This area is open to the public for hunting and viewing wildlife. A Georgia Wildlife Management Area stamp must be acquired in order to hunt on the property. Hunting is also permitted in specific Corps-managed area. Lake Allatoona has a wide variety of game species, including white-tailed deer, wild turkey, waterfowl, quail, rabbit and other small game. Lake Allatoona is annually restocked and is an excellent place for several species of bass, crappie, bream, gar, and catfish.

    Residential development is increasing around Lake Allatoona. Special permits must be acquired for any property built on the shoreline. For those who do not own lake property, there are 27 public recreation areas that offer hundreds of campsites and picnic sites. Check the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ website to see which areas are closed for this year’s recreational season. The beautiful and peaceful setting of Lake Allatoona is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

    Things to Do at Lake Allatoona

    These are some activities in the Lake Allatoona, GA area visitors can enjoy:

    • Vacation Rentals
    • Fishing
    • Boating
    • Swimming
    • Canoeing
    • Water Skiing
    • Camping
    • Picnicking
    • Hiking
    • Hunting
    • Wildlife Viewing
    • Birding

    What Kind of Fish Are in Lake Allatoona?

    Lake Allatoona has been known to have the following fish species:

    • Bass
    • Catfish
    • Crappie
    • Gar
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    Find Places to Stay at Lake Allatoona

    If you’re considering a Lake Allatoona lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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    More Sites to Book a Lake Allatoona Vacation

    Our interactive Lake Allatoona lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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    Lake Allatoona Statistics & Helpful Links

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    Lake Type: Artificial Reservoir, Dammed

    Water Level Control: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

    Surface Area: 12,010 acres

    Shoreline Length: 270 miles

    Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 840 feet

    Minimum Elevation (Min Pond): 0 feet

    Maximum Elevation (Max Pond): 861 feet

    Maximum Depth: 145 feet

    Water Volume: 367,500 acre-feet

    Completion Year: 1950

    Drainage Area: 1,110 sq. miles

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