Deciding what to pack for Jackson Lake comes down to one local fact: there is no camp store, bait shop, or tackle counter at Bear Creek Marina, and the restaurant and bar are temporarily closed while tornado damage is repaired. Whatever you want on the water or at your campsite, you bring with you or you buy it in Covington or Monticello on the way in.
The short version for a day trip: sun protection, more drinking water than you think you need, food and a cooler, a trash bag, a towel, dry shoes, a phone in something waterproof, and a life jacket for everyone going on the water. Staying overnight in an RV adds your own bathroom supplies, since the campground has hookups but no public restrooms or showers. Fishing adds a Georgia license. That is the whole checklist in a paragraph, and the rest of this guide breaks it down by how you are actually spending the day.
What to Pack for Jackson Lake: The Core List
These items matter no matter who you are or how long you are staying. Jackson Lake sits in central Georgia, roughly an hour southeast of Atlanta and about twenty minutes south of Covington, which means summer sun and afternoon humidity are the default conditions from May through September.
- Sunscreen and a hat. Open water reflects light back at you, so you burn faster on a boat than on a lawn.
- Drinking water. Bring more than you plan to drink. There is nowhere on site to restock.
- Food and a cooler. With the restaurant temporarily closed, plan every meal you intend to eat. Call (770) 787-9621 for the latest on reopening.
- Insect repellent. Shoreline pines and still coves mean mosquitoes at dusk.
- A trash bag. Pack out what you bring in, especially from the boat.
- Towel and a change of clothes. Someone always gets wetter than they planned.
- Shoes you can soak. Ramps and docks are wet, and flip-flops come off in the water.
- A waterproof phone case or dry bag. Cheap insurance for the one thing you cannot replace at the lake.
Bring a card or cash as well. Launching and reservations are handled through the marina at (770) 787-9621, so it helps to arrive able to pay for whatever you decide to add once you are there.
What Is and Is Not Available on Site
Most lake guides skip this part, and it is the single most useful thing to know before you load the car. Bear Creek Marina gives you a concrete public boat ramp, dry boat storage under cover and in the open, waterfront campsites with full hookups, kayak and canoe rentals, coin laundry, and a venue for private events. It is a working launch point and campground on the northern shore of the lake.
What it is not is a resort complex. There is no general store, no camp store, and no bait or tackle shop on the property, and there is no swimming pool or beach at the marina itself. None of that is a knock on the place. It is just the difference between arriving prepared and making a forty minute round trip for ice.
So the planning rule is simple. Anything consumable, food, drinks, ice, bait, sunscreen, batteries, comes with you. Covington, about twenty minutes north, is the nearest full grocery run, and Monticello is the other nearby town worth a stop. Build that into your drive rather than discovering it at the ramp.
What to Pack for Jackson Lake If You Are Fishing
Jackson Lake covers 4,750 acres with 135 miles of shoreline, formed where the South, Yellow, and Alcovy Rivers meet behind Lloyd Shoals Dam. It holds largemouth and striped bass, crappie, and catfish, and the coves and creek arms give you plenty of structure to work.
Start with the license. Georgia residents aged 16 through 64 need a current fishing license, which you can buy from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources before you leave home. Our guide to the Jackson Lake fishing license rules in Georgia covers the details and the exemptions.
Beyond that, what to pack for Jackson Lake as an angler is mostly about self-sufficiency. Bring your own bait and terminal tackle, because there is nowhere at the marina to buy either. Pack a landing net, pliers, a rag, and a small first-aid kit for hooks. A cooler with ice does double duty for drinks and for anything you keep. If you are fishing from a kayak, a paddle leash and a rod leash are worth more than they cost.
What to Pack for Jackson Lake If You Are Bringing Your Own Boat
The marina’s boat launch is a concrete ramp with parking for trucks and trailers, and the launch page carries the current day-use fee and ramp times. Check it before you drive down rather than assuming.
Required safety equipment is not optional and not something you can borrow at the ramp. Georgia requires U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets aboard, and the specifics depend on your vessel and who is on it. Our guide to Georgia boating laws on Jackson Lake walks through the current rules, and the DNR is the official source.
Practical additions to what to pack for Jackson Lake with a trailer in tow: your registration, a spare trailer bulb and fuse, a tie-down strap you trust, a bilge plug (checked before you back down the ramp, not after), dock lines, a paddle, and a small anchor. Sunglasses with polarized lenses make a real difference reading the water in the middle of the day.
If you find yourself towing to the lake most weekends, it is worth knowing the marina keeps boats on site. Dry boat storage runs $125 a month covered and $75 a month uncovered, boats stay out of the water, and any watercraft type is welcome, pontoons and jet skis included. Storage runs on reservations rather than fixed office hours, so call (770) 787-9621.
What to Pack for Jackson Lake If You Are Renting a Kayak or Canoe
This is the shortest list on the page, because the rental covers the gear that matters. Bear Creek rents single kayaks at $25 for a half day and $40 for a full day, plus one canoe at $45 for a full day, and every rental includes a paddle and a life jacket. You do not need to buy or haul either.
What you should still bring: water, sun protection, a dry bag for keys and a phone, shoes that can get wet, and a hat that will not blow off. Reserve ahead through the kayak rental reservation page, especially on summer weekends. Note that the marina rents kayaks and the one canoe only. Motorboats, pontoons, and jet skis are not part of the rental fleet, so if you want one of those on the water you are bringing your own.
What to Pack for Jackson Lake With Kids
Bear Creek Marina is a launch point rather than a swimming destination, and there is no beach or pool at the marina. The lake’s designated public swimming beach is at Lloyd Shoals Park, a Georgia Power day-use area at the southern end of the lake, which also has a playground, picnic pavilion, restrooms, and a barrier-free fishing pier. It opens seasonally and charges for parking. There are no lifeguards anywhere on Jackson Lake, so supervision is entirely on the adults in your group.
For families, add properly fitted life jackets for each child, water shoes, a change of clothes per kid, snacks that survive heat, and something shaded to sit under. Our guide on swimming in Jackson Lake covers where swimming actually happens and what to know first.
What to Pack for Jackson Lake If You Are Staying in an RV
The campground offers waterfront campsites with 30-amp and 50-amp electric, water, and sewer hookups, for short stays and long ones. Note two things that change your packing list.
First, there are no public restrooms and no showers on the property. Guests use the facilities in their own rig, so bring your own toilet paper, sewer hose, water hose, and a pressure regulator. Second, there is no tent camping at the marina, so this is an RV and camper setup only. If you were planning to pitch a tent, High Falls and Indian Springs state parks are the nearby options.
Beyond the hookups themselves: leveling blocks, wheel chocks, a surge protector, both a 30-amp and 50-amp adapter if you carry them, outdoor chairs, and a mat for the door. There is coin laundry on site, which is genuinely useful on a long stay, so bring quarters and detergent. For a full overnight gear list, our Bear Creek camping checklist goes deeper on sleeping, cooking, and campsite comfort items than this page does.
What Changes With the Season?
Summer is the busy stretch, and the packing adjustments are heat-driven: extra water, more ice than you think, shade, and a plan to be off the water when afternoon storms build. Spring and fall are the most comfortable months on Jackson Lake, but evenings cool off faster than visitors expect, so throw in a fleece or a jacket even when the afternoon is warm.
Winter changes the calculus. The lake stays open and quiet, but water temperatures drop enough that a fall overboard is a genuine hazard rather than a joke, so layers, a dry change of clothes, and a worn life jacket move from sensible to essential. If your boat is stored for the season, our guide to winterizing a boat on Jackson Lake covers the prep.
What Can You Leave at Home?
A few things genuinely are not worth the space. You do not need a paddle or a life jacket if you are renting a kayak or canoe, since both come with the rental. You do not need to bring your own dock lines if you are only launching and loading the same day. And you do not need to pack for a tent, because tent camping is not offered at the marina.
You also do not need a printed map to find the lake, though it is worth reading up on the water itself before you go. Our complete guide to Jackson Lake covers the lake’s history, its access points, and what there is to do once you arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions About What to Pack for Jackson Lake
Is there a store at Bear Creek Marina?
No. There is no camp store, general store, or bait and tackle shop at Bear Creek Marina. The restaurant and bar are also temporarily closed following tornado damage. Buy food, drinks, ice, and bait before you arrive, in Covington or Monticello.
Do I need to bring a life jacket to rent a kayak?
No. Every kayak and canoe rental at Bear Creek Marina includes a paddle and a life jacket. If you are bringing your own boat, you are responsible for carrying U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets aboard.
Are there restrooms or showers at the campground?
No. Bear Creek Marina’s campground provides water, sewer, and electric hookups at waterfront sites, and guests use the bathroom facilities in their own RV or camper. There are no public restrooms or showers on the property.
Do I need a fishing license at Jackson Lake?
Georgia residents aged 16 through 64 need a current Georgia fishing license to fish fresh water in the state. Buy it from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources before you arrive, since there is nowhere at the marina to purchase one.
Can I bring my dog to Bear Creek Marina?
The campground booking terms ask you to declare pets when you reserve, so mention yours at the time of booking and confirm the current rules for your site by calling (770) 787-9621. Either way, pack water, a bowl, and waste bags, because none of those are available on site.
Where do people swim at Jackson Lake?
Lloyd Shoals Park, a Georgia Power day-use area at the southern end of the lake, has the lake’s designated public swimming beach along with a playground, picnic pavilion, and restrooms. It opens seasonally and charges for parking. Bear Creek Marina itself is a boat launch and campground, not a swimming beach, and there are no lifeguards anywhere on the lake.
Planning a Trip to Jackson Lake
Bear Creek Marina sits at 60 Bear Creek Marina Road, Mansfield, GA 30055, on the northern shore of Jackson Lake in Jasper County, about an hour southeast of Atlanta. The marina handles boat launching, dry boat storage, waterfront RV and camper sites, and kayak and canoe rentals. Call (770) 787-9621 with questions about reservations or current conditions, or email contact@bearcreekmarina.com.
One last thing worth doing before you close this tab: if you want to hear when the restaurant and bar reopen, there is a signup form on our contact page where you can leave an email address and choose what you want to be told about. Nothing on this guide is gated behind it, and you are welcome to pack from this page and never sign up at all.
