Vincent S.
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RangerPaynatha Trail Head Camp
Free. Water. Bathroom. Open space. Hunting. Picnic tables. easiest gravel ever not bumpy. Pretty level
Tent Camping near Pontotoc, MS
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Tent camping near Pontotoc, Mississippi includes several primitive campsites within Holly Springs National Forest, offering seclusion and natural surroundings. Puskus Lake features tent campsites along the small lake's edge with basic facilities, while the less-developed Cox Lake offers a more rustic tent camping experience. Both locations provide access to the national forest's trails and natural areas approximately 15 miles from Pontotoc.
Tent sites at Puskus Lake include picnic tables, metal fire rings, and lantern poles, with vault toilets available in the day-use area. Most camping spots sit 50-100 feet from the water with minimal development. The $7 fee ($3.50 with interagency pass) includes access to concrete boat launches and fishing docks. Water spigots are inconsistent, and reviewers recommend bringing toilet paper. Walk-in tent areas at Beach Point on Sardis Lake require campers to park in a designated lot and carry gear to their sites, offering a car-free camping experience.
The backcountry tent camping atmosphere varies seasonally across these locations. A recent review noted, "Campsite was great. Beautiful lake and not crowded. Night time was quiet. Really enjoyed the views and relaxing environment." Summer visitors report moderate bug activity, particularly flies at waterfront sites. Most tent locations see limited visitors during weekdays, with heavier usage on weekends. Cox Lake provides more primitive conditions with reported litter issues but offers good fishing access. Elmers Hill near Sardis Lake presents additional walk-in tent sites with drinking water and toilets when open. Tent campers should note that some areas show signs of disrepair, with the Forest Service considering decommissioning certain campgrounds due to low usage.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Pontotoc (10)
1. Puskus Lake
"One bathroom away from the sites in the "day use" area. Mostly fisherman. The lake has motor oil/ fuel running on the surface. The docks nice, wide with bench seating."
"I spoke to a ranger this morning who said the road is full of widow makers. People are moving his barricades and going in anyway."
2. Chickasawhay
3. Tupelo Bicycle Only Camp - Natchez Trace Parkway
4. Witch Dance Bicycle Only Camp — Natchez Trace Parkway
5. Graham Lake
"No hookups. Nothing. But, it is a free campground so what can you say. It’s rather nice there. This is a very small campground with about 5 spots."
6. Cox Lake
7. Beach Point - Sardis Lake
"We reserved campsites 13 and 14, at the far end, behind the restrooms. You have to park in the parking lot and carry your stuff to the site."
"Cars stay in the parking lot, and you walk up to your site. Pretty basic. Running water, flushable toilets, no showers. Quiet area. Early march, it was raining and I was the only one there"
Check Availabilityfrom $8 / night
8. Elmers Hill
"Nice little spot with about 8 tent sites. No hookups of any kind for campers. Bathrooms are currently closed, but we’re nice when we stayed there, but old. Drinking water is available."
9. Hays Crossing
10. Skuna/Turkey Creek Primitive Campground
Drive Time
- 1 hr 28 min from Memphis, TN
- 1 hr 52 min from Florence, AL
- 2 hrs 3 min from Jackson, TN
- 2 hrs 32 min from Tuscaloosa, AL
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Pontotoc, MS
5 Photos of 10 Pontotoc Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Pontotoc, MS
257 Reviews of 10 Pontotoc Campgrounds
Jeremy B.
GuidePats Bluff
We stayed here for two nights at site #1. Overall a quiet and peaceful experience. Got serenaded by the crows and bluejays. Saw a couple armadillos…well, we heard them first. They sound like a herd of bison running through the leaves! Got to see a cool tree frog outside the restroom. The showers were not the best, but private. The only access to the lake is by the boat ramp which doesn’t allow you anywhere to walk down to the lake from this side if you just want to take a stroll. The price is now $24 a night. There was a burn ban, so no fire for us.
MickandKarla W.
LegendWhitten Park Campground
Still One of Our Favs
GPS took us right to Whitten Park Campground (CG). The check-in gate opens early most days and was already open when we arrived at 2:15 PM. Check-in was friendly and quick, even though the official check-in time was 4:00 PM. We had pull-through site 9 with water and electric(50/30/20 AMP). Sites 8 and 9 had been combined to create a very long pull-through with two sets of utilities. We were able to position our rig on the pad to compensate for the slight slope, using one leveling block under each wheel on the door side. With temperatures reaching 100 degrees, we were glad the 50 AMP service supported all three of our air conditioners. As with most COE CGs, water pressure was very good, so we used our pressure regulator. Our site had a nice step-down patio with a large picnic table, stand-up BBQ grill, and fire pit. We stayed in the same site a couple of years ago, but the picnic table and other amenities from the former site 8 had since been removed. We also enjoyed a partial water view through the trees. We had 3 bars on Verizon and 2 bars on T-Mobile, with the T-Mobile signal strong enough to run our T-Mobile Home Internet and stream. With the amount of large trees in this CG, satellite could be iffy depending on the site. There was no CG WiFi. We stayed in Loop 1, which had trails leading to the boating and fishing docks, along with connecting trails to the other CG loops. Loops 1 and 3 are the most popular and tend to attract more campers. If you prefer fewer crowds and a quieter camping experience, consider Loop 2, which generally has fewer occupied sites, especially during the week. Whitten Park remains one of our favorite campgrounds.
Liesel G.GuideJohn W. Kyle State Park Campground
Quite Scenery beside the lake
We stayed at camp spot 216 with our 36 ft class A RV. It had full hook up and our stay for 1 night was scenic and quiet. There is only ONE functioning bathroom in this lowered end camp ground at the time of our stay and is only has cold water showers. The facility was clean though. The camp hosts at the gate house were, helpful, polite and friendly. We paid $38 for the night at this Premium location with waterfront. No swimming allowed in the lake, but you can fish. Would stay here again for a pit stop, but since we cant bathe in the bathhouse I wouldn't recommend a long stay unless you had your own camper with shower ans toilet facility to use.
Amanda F.LegendDavis Lake Campground
Nice campground
Great campground with a friendly and knowledgeable campground host.
Erin L.GuideTombigbee State Park Campground
FHU- Not big rig friendly
Small park, 20 sites of various sizes, 18 full hook ups(even sewer). Tent& group camping available. Cabins also available. A/C Bathhouse centralized with a vending machine for canned soda, men's side, women's side, and coin laundry(2 washer/2 dryer)$2.50 per use for light wash load- price increases with load size and function.$2.50 per dryer in commercial dryer. Sides each consisted of 3 flush toilets and 2 shower stalls. Lots of playground equipment for kids, along with a small baseball diamond, volleyball nets, BBQ grills, picnic tables and pavilions. Lots of trails around, but seems that they link to the disc golf course. Trolling motor or kayak lake only, NO SWIMMING. You can rent kayaks from the office. Fishing available with permit available at office& limits. Not far from Tupelo, MS, 15 minute drive to explore and shop. Our site#6 was just big enough for our camper(35 ft). We parked our truck(25ft) sideways-ish in front of the camper. We tried to stay out of the road for passing vehicles. There were parking spaces just up from our site, but our truck would have stuck out into traffic. Glad that we didn't because a storm came through and the wind caused a tree to come down over the road in front of our camper where those parking spots were. When I made the reservation via the phone number, I spoke with a representative who was in Maryland, so she had no idea, but said that on her screen the pad size should be long enough and it was not. There is no one at the gatehouse, you have to check in at the office across from the campground or envelopes are provided with a fee list for the honor system. It was quiet at night. There was only 1 other RV hooked up there the whole 7 days that we were. There were people that came through the week for 1 night only, but most people coming into the campground loop were stopping to use the shower facilities, the laundry facilities, or just driving through. We camped at Tombigbee State Park in a Travel Trailer.
- MMaggie C.Legend
Whitten Park Campground
Nice and quiet
Stayed here for 4 nights in sites 27 and 28. Right across from the bathrooms which were more than adequate. Was able to put our paddle board in from site 27 - just had to walk thru a little brush to access the river. Very quiet campground. No other campers in our loop at all. Sites are shady and perfectly level.
- Amanda F.Legend
Wall Doxey State Park Campground
Decent
Not sure if it’s somewhere I would stay right now due to one section being closed.
- Amanda F.Legend
Puskus Lake
Closed
This area is closed. I spoke to a ranger this morning who said the road is full of widow makers. People are moving his barricades and going in anyway.
Guide to Pontotoc
Tent campsites near Pontotoc, Mississippi can be found within Holly Springs National Forest, which encompasses over 156,000 acres of mixed pine and hardwood forest. Most primitive camping options sit at elevations between 300-500 feet above sea level, providing moderately hilly terrain for hiking. Campers should prepare for seasonal temperature fluctuations typical of north Mississippi, with summer highs regularly exceeding 90°F and winter overnight lows occasionally dropping below freezing.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Puskus Lake provides multiple fishing docks with bench seating for anglers. "Fun little quick trip to paddle around in kayak, fish & enjoy great meal over grill," notes one visitor. Some parts of the lake have concrete boat launches for small watercraft.
Hiking options: Short trail systems around Puskus Lake total approximately 5 miles through forested areas. "There are 2 trails you can walk on around the campsite but they only equal about 5 miles and are not maintained very well in some areas although they are flat and easy to explore," explains a camper. Trails generally receive limited maintenance but remain accessible for casual hiking.
Wildlife viewing: The national forest surroundings support diverse wildlife observation opportunities. Visitors should scan the shorelines at dawn and dusk for increased animal activity. The relative isolation of most camping areas creates natural wildlife corridors around campsites.
What campers like
Solitude and quietness: Cox Lake attracts campers seeking minimal crowds. "Great little fishing lake," mentions one visitor. Many sites receive limited use, especially during weekdays, providing opportunities for peaceful camping experiences away from noise.
Affordability: The camping areas near Pontotoc offer budget-friendly options. At Puskus Lake, "It is a Fee area. It's 1$ for day use and 7$ for camp use. Bring cash," advises a camper. National Forest passes provide additional discounts at designated sites.
Lake access: Beach Point at Sardis Lake features tent sites with direct water views. "The view and proximity to the water is truly what makes this spot. All sites are tent sites so you have to be parked in the parking lot but we were the only ones there in early January so was easy to park as close as possible to a spot," reports one winter visitor.
What you should know
Facility limitations: Most campgrounds have minimal amenities and inconsistent maintenance. "Campsite was great. Beautiful lake and not crowded. Night time was quiet. Really enjoyed the views and relaxing environment. This is a great location to disconnect, but do not expect the amenities other sites offer (bathrooms, electricity, water, etc.)," explains a Puskus Lake camper.
Cash requirements: Elmers Hill and other area campgrounds operate on self-registration systems requiring exact cash payment. Visitors should bring small bills for payment boxes at entrances. Cell service can be unreliable for electronic payment options.
Seasonal closures: Several campgrounds operate on inconsistent schedules. "This place is a gem if you're a tent camper. We have camped here once, but most of the time it is closed. I am not sure why," notes a visitor about Elmers Hill. Calling ahead or checking online resources for current operational status is recommended.
Tips for camping with families
Site selection considerations: Choose sites with adequate space between neighbors. At Puskus Lake, "The campground itself is quite small but the camping spaces have a good amount of room to them so you do not feel like you are on top of each other," reports a visitor. Sites farther from boat launches typically provide more buffer space.
Walk-in requirements: Hays Crossing and some other locations require equipment to be carried from parking areas. "The websites states you can bring a small camper here, but in wouldn't try it," advises a visitor. Families should pack accordingly with easily portable gear.
Bug protection: Insect activity varies seasonally but can be significant. "The flies!! They were so so bad! And bighty!! My poor dogs were covered in flies, as were we," warns a Beach Point camper. Families should bring adequate insect repellent, particularly during warmer months.
Tips from RVers
Limited RV accommodations: Graham Lake at Sardis Lake provides basic no-hookup options for smaller RVs only. "No hookups. Nothing. But, it is a free campground so what can you say. It's rather nice there. This is a very small campground with about 5 spots. Large rigs are a no go I would think, as access can be tight," cautions a visitor.
Road condition awareness: Access roads to primitive camping areas often present challenges. "The roads in are horrible," notes a Hays Crossing reviewer. RVers should research current road conditions and consider high-clearance vehicles for reaching more remote campgrounds.
Alternative options: Most tent camping sites near Pontotoc cannot accommodate larger recreational vehicles. RVers requiring hookups should consider developed campgrounds farther from Pontotoc. Self-contained units with onboard systems will have more flexibility at primitive sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent
campsite near Pontotoc, MS?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Pontotoc, MS?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pontotoc, MS is Puskus Lake with a 4.2-star rating from 13 reviews.
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Pontotoc, MS?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Pontotoc, MS?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Pontotoc, MS, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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