Elrod Ferry Recreation Area is a 39-acre day-use park run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Georgia shore of Hartwell Lake, the big reservoir the Corps built on the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers. The park covers a long, gently sloping wooded point that runs out into the lake a short way up the shoreline from Hartwell Dam, about 4.5 miles northeast of downtown Hartwell. Pines shade most of the point, and the Corps lists three designated swim areas around its edges, so you can usually find a stretch of shore that isn't packed.

From Hartwell, drive about 2.5 miles north on US Highway 29 and turn left onto Elrod Ferry Road. After roughly a mile, brown Corps signs lead you past lake houses to the gatehouse at 1387 Elrod Ferry Road. Paved roads and parking areas run the length of the point, so the walk from the car to the water is short. The boat ramp and courtesy dock sit near the start of the park on the western side, and the point stretches east from there toward the open lake.

The swim areas are designated beaches on the open lake, not a separate pool or pond. Aerial imagery shows the sand and clay shoreline typical of Hartwell, sloping gently near the tree line, and like any reservoir the bottom keeps dropping toward old river channels farther out, so depth can change quickly. There is no current to speak of, but wakes from passing boats roll in on busy weekends. Hartwell's surface water warms into the 80s by midsummer and stays swimmable well into September. Nothing in the Corps listing mentions lifeguards, so plan on swimming without one and keep children within arm's reach.

Elrod Ferry is not free. Recreation.gov lists a $7 day-use fee per vehicle, and Hartwell's fee stations do not take cash, so bring a card. Corps annual day-use passes are honored, and the Corps waives beach and ramp fees on a few days a year, such as National Public Lands Day and some holiday weekends. The two picnic shelters, which have water and electricity, can be reserved on Recreation.gov from May 1 to September 9, up to a year ahead, for a 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. window. Gatehouse hours and off-season access change by the season, so call the Hartwell Project Office at 888-893-0678 before a fall or winter visit.

Know the lake before you go. More than 200 people have drowned or otherwise died on Hartwell Lake over the years, and weak swimmers should wear a life jacket. Water levels swing with drought and dam releases. In drought years the Corps has warned that the lake drops far enough to bring rocks and tree stumps near the surface, and a low lake can leave a long stretch of exposed clay between the beach and the water. Swim only in the designated areas and stay well clear of the boat ramp. Amplified sound systems are banned, pets must stay on a leash six feet or shorter, and the park is day-use only, with no camping.

Beyond the beaches, Elrod Ferry has 37 picnic sites with tables and grills, two playgrounds, a sand volleyball pit and two restroom buildings. The Corps notes that it gets heavy use at the height of summer, so on holiday weekends come early or pick a weekday.