Corps of Engineers announces resumption of recreation fee collection at Hartwell Lake

USACE, Savannah District
Published March 11, 2021

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, announced today it will resume day-use and boat launching fee collection at Hartwell Lake beginning March 12 and will no longer accept cash at these areas.

Automated fee machines that accept credit/debit cards only, have been installed at the seven locations where day-use or boat launching fees are charged (listed below).  Fee collections were suspended since March 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. The automated fee stations, made possible with CARES ACT funding, will also eliminate the need for continued cash collection and associated health concerns. 

The Corps charges a $5 per vehicle day-use or boat launching fee at the following areas:

  • Big Oaks Recreation Area, Hart County, Georgia (fee for boat launching only)
  • Elrod Ferry Recreation Area, Hart County, Georgia (fee for day-use area only)
  • Poplar Springs Recreation Area, Franklin County, Georgia (fee for boat launching only)
  • Singing Pines Recreation Area, Anderson County, South Carolina
  • Broyles Recreation Area, Anderson County, South Carolina
  • Hatton’s Ford Recreation Area, Anderson County, South Carolina (fee for boat launching only)
  • Twin Lakes Recreation Area, Pickens County, South Carolina

Corps of Engineers Annual Passes will be accepted and can be purchased for $40. The pass allows unlimited nation-wide use of all Corps managed day-use and boat launching fee areas for a 12-month period from the month of purchase. Contact the Hartwell Project Office at 888-893-0678 to purchase an annual pass by phone or to obtain a list of campgrounds that currently sell annual passes in person. 

America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes such as the America the Beautiful Senior or Access passes will also be accepted. Use of these passes do not require the purchase of a separate Corps of Engineers Annual Pass or payment of the park use fee. 

In addition to the areas listed above, the Corps also manages numerous less developed recreation areas that do not charge a fee.  Recreation areas and boat ramps that are managed by other entities such as state or local government may charge their own fee. The Corps of Engineers Annual Pass and America the Beautiful pass are not valid at non-Corps managed areas.

The Corps is one of the nation’s leading federal providers of outdoor and water-based recreation, hosting millions of visitors annually to its more than 400 lake and river projects. It’s estimated that 90 percent of Corps-operated recreation areas are within 50 miles of metropolitan areas, offering diverse outdoor activities for all ages close to home.

For the most current information on Hartwell Lake recreation facilities, visit the website at http://www.sas.usace.army.mil/lakes/hartwell/ or call the Hartwell Project Office toll free at 888-893-0678.


Contact
Rashida Banks, Public Affairs Specialist
912-652-5756
912-677-6039 (cell)
Rashida.U.Banks@usace.army.mil

Release no. 21-005