USACE walks back some Lake Lanier park closures to 11 before Memorial Day

May 22nd, 2025

A boat passes along Lake Lanier, April 23, 2013, in Buford, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

This story was updated on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 5:40 p.m.

Before planning your trip to Lake Lanier in Georgia this Memorial Day weekend, check to see if your favorite site may be closed.

Citing “staffing shortfalls,” the Mobile district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is now closing or limiting operations at 11 parks and respective boatramps around Lake Lanier, according to a Thursday press release. USACE also clarified that campgrounds are open and will not close.

This comes after USACE originally planned the closures of more than 30 sites in the southeast, including 20 around Lake Lanier, on Wednesday, drawing backlash from several Georgia politicians.

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock credited the reopening of some parks to the pressure he and other Georgians put on USACE and the Trump administration.

“After public outcry from myself and countless Georgians, we prevented more than half of the announced park closures from going into effect. This is welcome news for Georgia families looking forward to enjoying summer days by the lake. But because of this administration’s reckless cuts, parks are still slated to be indefinitely closed. We must continue to speak out: Enough is enough with these reckless cuts, Georgia families deserve better,” said Warnock.

The corps will continue implementing the closures until it can address staffing shortages.

In the Wednesday statement, the USACE said staff will continue with public health operations, such as dam operations and emergency response preparations.

“This decision comes after careful consideration of the safety and security of all visitors. The well-being of our community is our top priority, and the current staffing levels do not allow us to maintain the necessary safety measures within our parks,” a USACE statement reads. “This includes essential services such as park supervision, maintenance, and safety monitoring that ensure a secure and enjoyable environment for all visitors.”

The corps is asking visitors to double-check restrictions or warnings in place for USACE recreation areas.

The Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau confirmed some park closures on Thursday, but said other parks on the lake are open and ready for the Memorial Day weekend crowds. They released a resource page listing which parks and boat ramps will be open.

Georgia lawmakers weigh in on closures

The closures quickly became a contentious political issue, as Democratic and Republican lawmakers chimed in.

Republican U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, who represents a part of north Georgia that includes Lake Lanier, issued a post on X expressing his disappointment at the closures, adding that Democrats had blocked a bill with an amendment he proposed to prevent site closures around Lanier.

He later claimed that he and State Sen. Greg Dolezal intervened and that only 11 of the sites would be closed.

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia called on the Trump administration to reopen the sites around Lake Lanier.

“The White House must take immediate action to reopen these beautiful parks at Lake Lanier for Georgia families. This is a direct and predictable result of the Administration’s reckless and chaotic mismanagement,” he said.

Warnock also chided Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE team for the federal cuts leading to the park closures.

“Enough is enough with these reckless cuts,” he wrote on X. “Georgia families deserve better.”

The following sites at Lake Lanier are impacted: