Yes, you can go tubing Jackson Lake GA. It’s one of the most popular warm-weather activities on the lake, right alongside kayaking, fishing, and boating. But tubing Jackson Lake GA comes with real legal requirements in Georgia that a lot of boaters don’t know until a DNR ranger pulls alongside them, and knowing where to launch and store your boat makes the whole day easier. Here’s what you need to know before you tie a tube to the back of a boat and head out from Bear Creek Marina on Jackson Lake’s north shore.
What You Need to Go Tubing Jackson Lake GA
Tubing Jackson Lake GA is a bring-your-own-boat activity here. Bear Creek Marina does not rent inflatable tubes, tow ropes, or ski equipment (call (770) 787-9621 to confirm what’s currently available), so plan to bring your own gear or borrow from a friend with a boat already on the water. At minimum, you’ll want:
- A motorboat or pontoon boat rated to tow a person, with enough horsepower to keep the tube up and moving
- A tow rope rated for tubing, attached to a properly rated tow eye or ski pylon (not a cleat)
- An inflatable tube sized for the number of riders
- A Coast Guard-approved life jacket for every person being towed
- A second person on board to watch the tube, or a wide-angle rearview mirror (more on why this matters below)
If you don’t already own a boat, Bear Creek Marina’s kayak and canoe rentals are a good alternative way to spend a day on the water, though they aren’t a substitute for towed tubing.
Bear Creek Marina has been a launch point on Jackson Lake since 1973, when it opened as Factory Shoals Marina, so the boat ramp and storage yard you’ll use for a tubing trip have been part of the lake’s boating routine for decades. That history doesn’t change the equipment list above, but it’s part of why so many local boaters treat the marina as their default put-in for a day on the water.
Georgia’s Towing Laws for Tubing Jackson Lake GA
Before you go tubing Jackson Lake GA, it helps to know that towing a person on a tube is treated as its own category under Georgia boating law, separate from ordinary boat operation. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division spells out specific rules for anyone towing a skier, tuber, or similar device behind a boat or PWC on Georgia waters, including Jackson Lake:
- An observer or a mirror, always. A standard boat towing a tuber must have either a second person aboard whose only job is watching the person being towed, or a wide-angle rearview mirror mounted so the operator can see them at all times.
- Personal watercraft can’t use a mirror. If you’re towing a tuber behind a PWC (jet ski), Georgia law is stricter: the PWC must be rated by its manufacturer to carry three or more people, and it must have an observer on board in addition to the operator. A mirror does not satisfy this requirement on a PWC.
- No tubing after dark. Towing a skier, tuber, or similar device is illegal on any vessel, including PWCs, between sunset and sunrise on Jackson Lake and every other Georgia waterway.
- Life jackets are required for the tuber. The person being towed must wear a ski belt, ski vest, or a Type I, II, or III personal flotation device, not just have one within reach.
- Stay 100 feet clear. Towing operations must stay at least 100 feet from other boats that aren’t underway, docks, piers, bridges, swimmers, marinas, and shoreline areas near homes, restaurants, or public use areas.
- No alcohol for the operator or the tuber. Georgia’s boating-under-the-influence rules apply to both the person driving the tow boat and the person on the tube.
These rules come directly from Georgia DNR Law Enforcement’s published guidance on towing skiers on Georgia waters. If you’re also boating in general on Jackson Lake, our Georgia boating laws guide covers registration, age requirements, and boater education certification, which apply on top of the towing-specific rules above.
Where to Launch for a Day of Tubing Jackson Lake GA
Bear Creek Marina sits on the north shore of Jackson Lake, about 20 minutes south of Covington off Highway 36, roughly an hour southeast of Atlanta. The marina’s public boat ramp gives you direct access to open water, and once you’re back from tubing, Bear Creek’s dry boat storage means you don’t have to trailer your boat home the same day.
Storage is covered ($125/month) or uncovered ($75/month), reservation-based with no fixed public hours, and it accepts any watercraft type, including the pontoon boats and jet skis a lot of tubing groups use. See our full Jackson Lake boat storage guide for more on covered-versus-uncovered options and rates. For a full rundown of the marina and what’s nearby, see our guide to navigating Jackson Lake’s marina.
Best Time of Year (and Day) to Go Tubing Jackson Lake GA
Tubing Jackson Lake GA is fundamentally a warm-weather activity. You want the water warm enough to be comfortable when you inevitably fall off. Our Jackson Lake water temperature guide breaks down seasonal trends in detail, but the short version is that late spring through early fall gives you the warmest, most tubing-friendly water.
Weekday mornings tend to have calmer water and less boat traffic than weekend afternoons, which matters both for comfort and for the 100-foot clearance rule above: the more crowded the lake, the harder it is to stay clear of other boats and swimmers. If you’re new to the lake, sticking to the wider, more open parts of the main channel rather than tight coves gives your tow boat more room to maneuver and your observer a clearer line of sight. Tubing pairs naturally with a full day of warm-weather activities, so see our Jackson Lake summer activities guide for other things to do before or after you’re back on shore.
Is Bear Creek Marina a Good Home Base for a Tubing Trip?
If you’re planning a tubing trip on Jackson Lake, Bear Creek Marina covers the logistics around the activity itself. The public boat launch gets you on the water, and dry boat storage (covered or uncovered, any watercraft type, $125 or $75 a month) means your boat has a real home between trips instead of a driveway or a storage-unit lot across town. Be upfront about one thing: Bear Creek does not currently rent tubes, tow ropes, or ski gear, so this is a bring-your-own-boat-and-equipment activity here. If you don’t have a boat, kayak and canoe rentals are available as a different way to get out on the water.
The marina’s campground and RV hookups also make it easy to turn a tubing day into a weekend: set up camp, launch in the morning, and pull your boat back into storage in the evening instead of hauling it home.
Tubing Safety Tips Beyond the Legal Minimum
- Match the tube to the group. Overloading a tube rated for one rider with two people increases the chance of someone getting thrown.
- Use hand signals before you start. Agree on signals for “slow down,” “speed up,” and “stop” with the driver before you leave the dock. You can’t shout over the engine and the spray.
- Check your tow rope and tube for wear. A frayed rope or a slow leak is a bad surprise at 20 miles an hour.
- Watch for other tow lines. Jackson Lake gets busy on summer weekends, and a tow rope in the water from another boat is hard to see until you’re close.
- Kids need snug life jackets, not adult sizes. A too-large PFD can ride up over a child’s head in the water.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tubing Jackson Lake GA
Is tubing allowed on Jackson Lake, GA?
Yes. Tubing Jackson Lake GA is a common summer activity, subject to Georgia’s towing laws: an observer or wide-angle mirror on the tow boat, life jackets for the tuber, no towing between sunset and sunrise, and staying 100 feet clear of other boats, docks, and swimming areas.
Do you need a permit to go tubing Jackson Lake GA?
No special tubing permit exists. Your boat needs to be registered with Georgia DNR, and if the operator was born on or after January 1, 1998, they need a completed boater education course (shown as an anchor symbol on their driver’s license). These are the same requirements that apply to boating on Jackson Lake generally.
Can a jet ski tow a tuber on Jackson Lake?
Yes, but the rules are stricter than for a regular boat. The personal watercraft must be manufacturer-rated to carry three or more people and must have an observer on board in addition to the operator. A rearview mirror cannot substitute for an observer when a PWC is doing the towing.
Does Bear Creek Marina rent tubes or ski equipment for Jackson Lake?
Not currently. Bear Creek Marina offers a public boat launch, covered and uncovered dry boat storage, and kayak and canoe rentals, but tubing Jackson Lake GA is a bring-your-own-boat-and-equipment activity here. Call (770) 787-9621 to confirm current offerings before you plan a trip.
What’s the best time of day to go tubing Jackson Lake GA?
Weekday mornings typically have calmer water and less boat traffic than weekend afternoons, which makes it easier to keep the legally required 100 feet of clearance from other boats and to spot other tow lines in the water. Towing is illegal after sunset regardless of the day.
Ready to launch? Bear Creek Marina is located at 60 Bear Creek Marina Road, Mansfield, GA 30055, on the north shore of Jackson Lake about 20 minutes south of Covington. Call (770) 787-9621 or visit our contact page to plan your next day of tubing Jackson Lake GA, or reserve dry boat storage so your boat is ready to go all season.
