Long Island Forest, Lake Oconee | Neighborhood Guide
Long Island Forest occupies a large point on the southern shore of Lake Oconee, with lots facing east, north, and west across the water. It is one of the more scenic and sought-after subdivisions in this part of Putnam County, built along Long Island Drive, Forest Ridge Drive, and Forest Ridge Circle.
Home builds here span a full range, from the late 1980s through new construction in the 2020s. A recent sale in the subdivision topped $2 million, reflecting the demand for a point lot with water on three sides.
Where Long Island Forest Is Located on Lake Oconee
Long Island Forest sits on a point along the southern shore of Lake Oconee in Putnam County, just off Long Island Drive. It is close to Long Shoals Landing and Long Shoals Crossing, two other subdivisions in the same southern Putnam cluster. See the rest of the lake’s communities on the Lake Oconee neighborhoods page. For the full picture of this stretch of the lake, see the Lake Oconee homes in Eatonton guide.
Homes, Access & HOA in Long Island Forest
Long Island Forest carries an optional HOA, with dues in the $75 to $125 per year range — a light-touch structure for a subdivision of this caliber. Homes span a wide range of build years, from the late 1980s through new construction in the 2020s, and they vary just as much in size — from around 1,200 square feet up to nearly 5,000, with the typical house near 2,700 on about an acre.
The water is the reason to look here. Recorded dock depths run from four feet up to twelve, and a dozen listings in the subdivision advertise a max dock. Twelve feet is deep for Lake Oconee, where a great many docks sit at five or six, and it is the difference between keeping a boat in the water year round and pulling it out for the winter drawdown. Recorded shoreline frontage runs from 91 feet to more than 800 on one fenced point parcel.
Recorded sales run from the low $100,000s to $2,050,000, with the typical house landing around $545,000. That spread is wide because the subdivision holds both original 1980s cottages and modern houses on the point. Sellers who price sensibly do well here — the typical sale has closed at about 97 percent of asking, though the neighborhood is not a fast market and three months on the market is normal.
One of the subdivision’s biggest advantages is proximity to the public Long Shoals Boat Ramp, just down the road — handy for guests, extra boats, or anyone not ready to commit to a private dock right away.
Ten Thousand Years of Neighbors
This corner of the lake has a much longer history than the 1980s build dates suggest. Somewhere under the water near here sat Cane Island, an island in the Oconee River that held one of the earliest known farming villages in Georgia. Ahead of the reservoir filling, University of Georgia archaeologists excavated part of it in the late 1970s and found that people had been living along this stretch of river for something on the order of ten thousand years.
The find that mattered most was small: charred fragments of corn and squash, corn pollen, and a pair of stone hoes, all from a single household, radiocarbon-dated to roughly A.D. 245. That makes it one of the earliest pieces of evidence for farming anywhere in the state. The villagers still did most of their eating from what the river valley gave them — fish from the shoals, hickory nuts and acorns off the hillsides, wild plants out of the wetlands — but they were putting seed in the ground here almost eighteen centuries ago. The site is under the lake now. The New Georgia Encyclopedia account was written by the archaeologist who dug it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Long Island Forest
Where is Long Island Forest located on Lake Oconee?
Long Island Forest is on a large point along the southern shore of Lake Oconee in Putnam County, built along Long Island Drive, Forest Ridge Drive, and Forest Ridge Circle. See more communities on our Lake Oconee real estate FAQs page.
Does Long Island Forest have an HOA?
Long Island Forest carries an optional HOA, with dues in the $75 to $125 per year range.
What do homes cost in Long Island Forest?
Recorded sales run from the low $100,000s up to $2,050,000, with the typical house landing around $545,000. The range is wide because the subdivision holds original 1980s cottages alongside modern houses on the point, and what you pay turns largely on the lot, the dock and the water depth. Homes here span build years from the late 1980s through new construction in the 2020s.
How deep is the water at Long Island Forest docks?
Deeper than much of Lake Oconee. Recorded dock depths in the subdivision run from about four feet up to twelve, and many listings here advertise a max dock. Depth varies dock to dock, so confirm it on the specific property, particularly if you run a larger boat.
Is Long Island Forest close to a public boat ramp?
Yes. Long Island Forest is very close to the public Long Shoals Boat Ramp, a convenient option for guests and extra boats.
Which way do the lots in Long Island Forest face?
Because the subdivision occupies a large point on the lake, its lots face east, north, and west across the water.
Interested in Long Island Forest?
If a point lot with water on three sides, easy boat ramp access, and room to build up to $2 million and beyond sounds right, Margie Sorrell knows Long Island Forest and the entire Lake Oconee market inside and out. Contact Margie to talk through your options.