Best Glamping near Belden, MS

Tishomingo State park is one of the beautiful places Mississippi has to offer. So many hiking trails, cliffs and sites to see. Also you can visit Mississippi’s highest point only a few short miles away in the neighboring town of Iuka.

Mississippi needs to put some funding behind the park, could be a real gem. Overall we had a great stay and I would recommend the campground.

Another great camp

Had great camping trip at Tish again. The levee is fixed and Haynes Lake is full so bring your rod and reel. A hidden gem in Northeast Mississippi.

My stay won't likely be like yours. First, I drove in while Mississippi was under a blanket of snow. All the roads in Holly Springs and the rest of the state were treacherous with packed snow and ice following a week of unseasonably frigid weather across the southern midwest.

That said, the 2 rangers working at Wall Doxey went out of their way to set me up with a parking place in the practically empty campground, putting me in the youth camp, finding me an extension cord to hook up to power and allowing me access to the group camp for a bathroom and shower.

This was necessary because many areas were either in the middle of renovation, inaccessible or out of service due to frozen pipes. To say these ladies went out of their way to get me situated is an understatement. They were heroines!

The camp has loads of retro charm. A big mid-century lodge, picnic area, swimming lake, frisbee golf and a 2 mile hiking trail around the lake. I enjoyed a walk thru the snow and the comfort of having a safe and caring place to stay during my trip through Mississippi.

I suspect it will be the same for you even if your visit is under far different circumstances.

Camped & Hiked Tishomingo State Park last weekend. Beautiful fall colors and the hike was gorgeous! This place seems so out of place for Mississippi! With that being said…The campground was a disappointment. There was a handful of decent sites, but overall, it is in disrepair. The bathroom towards the back of the loop was already closed for the season. The middle bathroom only had one toilet working in the women’s and men’s restroom (we don’t have a bathroom in our Aliner popup and there were also lots of tent campers). I literally had to wait in line a couple of times to use the bathroom. Many sites were washing out under the pads and had steep drop offs on the sides (especially the single digit site #’s). The tables and fire pits (some sites didn’t even have a real pit, just a spot on the ground where there was signs of a fire) were really far away and some sites appeared to be in a soggy bottom area. We got semi lucky and had a decent spot. (Site 33). The sites that back up to the woods instead of the pond are flatter for those who find that more important. Maybe we are just spoiled to nicer state parks where they take more pride in the upkeep? Just the little details that don’t cost extra money, but instead just needs someone to do it (blowing leaves off the major roads and parking areas - we couldn't see the road to turn into the campground!!!, cleaning graffiti, clearing massive mounds of debris, etc…) I don’t know if they are suffering from budget cuts, if someone is robbing the place blind or if the staff just works there because it’s a job but doesn’t really care about the park itself. It’s sad because this should be a premier destination spot in Mississippi! I don’t want to deter anyone from going here because the landscape is really nice. I just got worked up because I don’t understand how other parks are able to maintain, but this one seems to really be struggling with how to keep this place nice.

I had never really heard about this wonderful place until it was suggested to me on a comment asking about finding the elusive Hellbender salamander. Tucked in the northeast corner of Mississippi are the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain Range. You all know how much I love mountains. So we had to go check it out. And I'm so glad we did.

The landscape is like no other you'll find in MS. The various rock formations, trails and creeks that make up the park provide numerous opportunities for exploring all aspects of this well kept secret. The park is also steeped in a rich history of the Native Americans who once walked the lands and the Civilian Conservation Corps who constructed the park. If you're into geology, the rock formations are pretty fascinating.

Whether you're a small kid or a kid trapped in an adult's body like myself, you'll find something to do here. The pictures in the link will give you an idea of what to look forward to along with a few nearby spots. My only minimal complaint was that the standard campsites were a little too close together, in my opinion. Otherwise, I was uber impressed.

Things to do:

Tent camp - Standard & Primitive

RV or Car/Truck camping

Hammock camping

Group camping & Family Cabins

Fishing, Hiking, Kayaking, Canoeing, Rock Climbing (with permit), Bike Riding, Herping, Birding, Disc Golf or just plain Relaxing

Amenities:

Power connections at all camping slots with the exception of the primitive sites

Bathroom and Shower facilities

Pavillions

Picnic tables & grills

Park office

(You can view my photos via FB on Crazy Camping Chick.)

Pretty wooded area. This is a fairly developed area along this scenic drive, with swimming, rail-to-trail biking and hiking trail, wildlife viewing, etc. The campsite is simple, open with trees, and many sites are right along the water (the rest are a tiny walk away).

Yay: simple but clean with extras like showers, piers, etc. Lots more to do nearby in the National Forest.

Nay: No complaints. The hiking trail is very short though.

Surprise: Great wildlife! Came here for bird watching. Will return to bike the Tanglefoot Trail.

Davis Lake Recreation Area is situated just 4 miles from the Natchez Trace Parkway. The campground is adjacent to the Eastern shore of the 200 acre Davis Lake. 14 sites are right on the lake front offering spectacular sun rises and evening sun sets, The lake is known to anglers, and wildlife and birds are a given…we had a Great Blue Heron"friend" during our entire stay. The sites were level, paved, and all had nice spacing, picnic tables, fire pits and well cared for electric service (50 amp) and water. Bathhouses were clean and laundry was available. Dump Station. Plenty of historic places to visit in the area and groceries are available in Houlka just 4 miles away. We visited in late September with only 6 sites in use…felt like we had the place to ourselves…and being located in the Tombigbee National Forest there was no light pollution making the night sky a spectacular sight to see.

Nice host, clean facilities and beautiful little lake. Do have showers!!

This is the first campground we have stopped at this week that had more than one other camper. I’d guess they were 70% full.

Most of the folks we met were local, here for a weekend away and outdoors. Lots of families with kids. Everyone was super friendly and welcoming.

The camp host came by just to say hi and see if we had questions.

We had decent phone service, but slow at times.

Some spots had good shade, some didn’t. Many backed up to the water and none were a far walk from water access either bank or dock.

Only 4 miles from the Natchez Trace. Not sure what amenities are available in nearby Houston, but Pontotoc had plenty of provisions. Not super close, but doable.

The lake itself - muddy brown water and not too much to look at it. But in fairness, it still is winter.

Looked like primarily a fishing lake, but I don’t hold a MS fishing license, so I didn’t try any.

This is very near my home. It's a decent enough area for a day or two but not enough for an extended stay for me personally. Facilities are really only maintained during peak season and even then I've been greeted by dirty showers and restrooms more than once. The swimming area steps are quite slippery as well and muscle shells are ever present so i would recommend aquatic footwear if you plan on using this area.