Camping near Hattiesburg, MS

[Bettye]

Last week, we spent 4 days at Paul B. Johnson State Park just south of Hattiesburg, MS. It is a beautiful campground on a lake with plenty to do. The weather wasn't the best, but we still had fun fishing, biking, sitting by the campfire at night and playing with the grands on one of the two nice playgrounds. Registration was a breeze and the staff and campers were very nice. There are many sites available on the lake and several piers from which to fish. There's no pool, but there is a splash pad and a swimming area roped off at the lake. I would highly recommend this park.

[Protagonist]

Appreciate the info. I am always looking for parks within a one-tank drive of New Orleans, and Hattiesburg fits the bill.

I just stayed at Bogue Chitto State Park near Franklinton, LA, and can highly recommend it. No pools, but when the Bogue Chitto River isn't flooding, you've got canoeing (canoes/kayaks for rent), beaches (one of which is listed in the offical brochure as an "RV Beach") hiking and equestrian trails (bring your own horse). I was there for three nights, and could easily have stayed twice as long without getting bored, even with the bottomland areas flooded courtesy of the Bogue Chitto River being out of its banks.

[Lily&Me]

We stayed a month or so ago at the Clear Springs campground in Homochitto NF. Amite County, I believe.

Beautiful spot, lovely campsites.

http://www.fs.fed.us/outernet/r8/mis...earSprings.pdf


Maggie

[AWCHIEF]

I grew up camping and fishing at the Paul B. Johnson State Park.
Just a bit further south from Hattisburg is the Flint Creek Water Park located one mile north of Wiggins. With a beutiful 600 acre lake and wooded campsites it is my favorite in south Mississippi. It is part of the Pat Harrison Waterway District.
Flint Creek - Pat Harrison Waterway District
"Flint Creek Water Park, located on Highway 29 in Wiggins, Mississippi, and an easy 35 miles north of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, offers water fun for the whole family. The park is comprised of 1900 total acres and features a 600-acre lake with 13 miles of shoreline stocked with bass, bream, crappie and catfish offering excellent fishing 24-hours a day. The lake is also a favorite for boating, water skiing and swimming. Aluminum boat rentals are available. Flint Creek's Water Town with kiddy waterslides and four adult giant waterslides, is open most of the year."

We are fortunate in south Mississippi to have so many fine camping opportunities within an hour or two drive.

[fltlevel510]

Thanks for you tip on the Paul Johnson State Park Campground. We will be spending Easter weekend in Hattisburg on our way to Natchez and then up the trace. I had considered this campground but it got awful reviews on the rvparksreview web site. Perhaps I should reconsider, any other tips?

[AWCHIEF]

Tip: If you get tired of your own cooking and want some good BBQ check out "The Shed" in downtown Hattiesburg.
To me the only negative to RV camping at the P.B. Johnson park is the pads seem awful close together in some areas. I don't seem to remember them that close when I was younger. Over the years they have come in and added additional camping spots in between existing ones. Trying to pack in as many as possible I suppose. It is still a beautiful park and lake and well worth the trip.

[Hodum]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

We stayed a month or so ago at the Clear Springs campground in Homochitto NF. Amite County, I believe.

Beautiful spot, lovely campsites.

http://www.fs.fed.us/outernet/r8/mis...earSprings.pdf


Maggie

My wife and I stayed at the Clear Springs Campground for three nights in mid January. We loved it and plan to use this campground as often as we pass through that area.

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by Hodum

My wife and I stayed at the Clear Springs Campground for three nights in mid January. We loved it and plan to use this campground as often as we pass through that area.

We probably just missed you!

Southern Mississippi is as pretty an area as we have found anywhere in the country.


Maggie

[AWCHIEF]

I have been a resident of south Mississippi on and off for most of my life and never even knew the Clear Springs Campground existed. Been doing some research on the area today. It looks to be about a 3 hour plus or minus drive from my house and it is now on my list of places to go this year. Thank you for the heads up on this gem of nature.

[Bettye]

I'd love to see pictures from Clear Springs. I'll post some tonight of Paul B. Johnson. We've also camped at Flint Creek. It was ok, but we liked PBJ better. Prairie Creek Corps of Engineers Park just west of Montgomery, AL is also one of our favorites. Michael, we live in west Mobile very near the AL/MS state line. Do you know of any nice parks around Hurley or along the MS coast?

[Lily&Me]

We're going to have to have a little rally next time we are down there---which will, in fact, be the third weekend of October for a family reunion. Maybe we can all get together before or after that.

We use this site all the time, to find those beautiful national forest campgrounds that are also discounted for those with the Golden Age passport. More than you would think have electric sites and showers. We like. That's how we found Clear Springs.

ALL US AND CANADA CAMPGROUNDS: STATE PARKS NATIONAL PARKS FORESTS MORE california oregon washington new york pennsylvania more


Maggie

[AWCHIEF]

Buccaneer State Park, Waveland, Ms was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. They have done masterful job of rebuilding the park. They have a new section of sites that are right along the Gulf. Also there is the National Sea Shore Park that runs along the coast from Florida to Mississippi. They have several campgrounds. The closest to me is in Davis Bayou, Ocean Springs, I believe that is also the park headquarters. I have never camped there but plan on it this summer.

[AWCHIEF]

Maggie, great site, thank you

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Buccaneer State Park, Waveland, Ms was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. They have done masterful job of rebuilding the park. They have a new section of sites that are right along the Gulf. Also there is the National Sea Shore Park that runs along the coast from Florida to Mississippi. They have several campgrounds. The closest to me is in Davis Bayou, Ocean Springs, I believe that is also the park headquarters. I have never camped there but plan on it this summer.

We have been to Gulf Island National Seashore several times, both campgrounds. Spent a week at Davis Bayou just chillin' in February---cooking, crocheting, reading, drinking just a bit.

Davis Bayou has several loops, nice sites, cement or asphalt pads and no reservations taken. It was about 2/3 full the whole time we were there. Showers are clean and decent and there's an open field where you can exercise your pups if you have them. $8 a night, I think.

The other Gulf Island NS campground, in Alabama or Florida panhandle?, is also very nice, with ocean views rather than marsh.

We were going to spend a night or two at Buccaneer but it was just a bit depressing. I realize there probably were trees in the shoreside campground before the storm (everything down there is "before" or "after" the storm), but there are none now. Just a lot full of hookups on pavement. It is across from the Gulf, but there is no shore to speak of. You would have a beautiful view of the water. We wanted sand you could walk on, went on to Grand Isle, I believe. No showers at the shoreside campground, either.

Plenty of places to explore down there, and jumbo shrimp CHEAP.


Maggie

[AWCHIEF]

I am planning on heading down to Grand Isle sometime this summer for sure. When I was a kid my Dad and I used to go fishing down there all the time. Take our boat down from here and camp on the beach for 2 or 3 days. I have fond memories of those days. I hear the official state park down there is a very nice place to spend some time.

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I am planning on heading down to Grand Isle sometime this summer for sure. When I was a kid my Dad and I used to go fishing down there all the time. Take our boat down from here and camp on the beach for 2 or 3 days. I have fond memories of those days. I hear the official state park down there is a very nice place to spend some time.

Grand Isle SP is very nice.

Camping on the beach is tents only, however, no vehicles allowed.

They have new shower houses, laundry, clean and neat campground.


Maggie

[Bettye]

We'll have to check out Grand Isle. The only time I've ever heard of Grand Isle is during hurricane season when the national weather service issues hurrican warnings for our area!

[Protagonist]

The official Grand Isle State Park website is: Grand Isle State Park - Louisiana Office of State Parks. The website includes a downloadable PDF map of the park.

If you're worried about tropical storms, as long as you do your trip before Independence Day or after Columbus Day, you should be fine.