Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, De Soto National Forest, MS has a lot to offer. De Soto National Forest is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your De Soto National Forest camping trip.
"There were also fire rings at each camping site.
We stayed here during Halloween and it was pretty crowded."
"The spots are big, although there are a few waterside ones that are more of a deck style and limit lateral space. With a few different loops, there is a variety of spaces throughout the park."
$22 - $100 / night
"Large oaks and other vegetation provide ample shade for the cooler fall months."
"We paid $22 for a site with power and water here. There is a dump station but it's right in the middle of the campground near the bathhouse, kind of an awkward location."
$15 - $30 / night
"They only downfall is the restrooms. Luckily we have sewer and do not have to use them however if you do need to use them be aware of the bugs."
$25 / night
"First off, the park has some serious amenities! Their bathhouses are new and very nice, they have a pool and laundromat, frisbee golf course, nature trail, a small beach, and a small water park!"
"Enjoyed spending 3 nights in this large, family oriented state park campground. Camped in a camper van, but most sites appear to be big rig friendly."
"The main entrance to the park has a much “fancier” building than the back entrance and leads you to drive over a spillway (which is TOTALLY safe, so no worries)."
"Spots are spread out for the most part and have picnic tables, grills and some have fire rings."
$69 - $79 / night
"Amazing staff, clean, big showers, heated pool year round, plenty of washers and driers for 24/7 laundry days, gated community, plenty of space, has its own dog park,"
"Nice places to walk a dog and even a place to let them run. Really nice laundry facilities. Bath room/showers we some of the best I have seen! Pool was pretty with plenty of chairs."
"Tight driving in but doable. Lots of permanent residents with older model RVs. If the wind was right you could smell some “extracurricular” activities."
"This is a nice little park. Not fancy, but friendly and quiet. The office people were really nice and very accomodating. Has a small pool, showers/restrooms, and laundry."
"Right off I-10, this park is convenient to thru travelers looking for a quick overnight. Not horribly expensive. Full hook ups, clean level site. Easy in and out. Bathrooms dated but super clean."
RangerWe just spent the weekend at Little Black Creek Campground in Lumberton, MS, and it absolutely deserves a 5-star review. I live less than 2 hours away and honestly can’t believe I hadn’t discovered this place sooner — it’s a massive, beautifully wooded, and incredibly well-maintained hidden gem.
We stayed at a full hookup RV site and were blown away by how spacious, level, and private it was. Most sites had wooden decks, and many had lake views or direct access, including ours, which had stairs leading right down to the water and a picnic table on a platform. We didn’t see a single “bad” site in the whole park.
The lake is gorgeous, and swimming is allowed! They have kayaks, canoes, jon boats for rent, and even a bait shop onsite. There’s also fishing, hiking trails, disc golf (two full courses!), a general store, multiple bathhouses, and cute tiny cabin rentals for non-RV guests. They even have propane filling, golf cart rentals, and a dump station. It’s a great mix of peaceful nature and plenty to do.
The campground is huge and wooded, with tons of shade and a very peaceful, quiet, and family-friendly atmosphere. There are two beaches — one near the main camp side and another closer to long-term spots and day visitors. We brought our e-bikes and loved riding around the scenic roads and loops.
The bathhouses were older but very clean and air-conditioned, and we felt completely safe the entire time. There’s a gated entrance at night with code access, which is a nice extra touch. The store staff were super friendly and helpful, even giving us some history on the campground. The greeter at the front gate wasn’t the warmest, but that didn’t impact our stay at all.
There’s no Wi-Fi, but T-Mobile worked just enough for us to use a hotspot to stream TV at night. Cell service is limited but manageable.
It’s also very easy to find, just a few minutes off the main road with a gas station and small town nearby, and only about 30 minutes from Hattiesburg.
We will 100% be back and have already told several friends about it. If you’re looking for a peaceful, activity-filled campground that’s off the radar but worth every mile, Little Black Creek is it. Truly one of the best surprises we’ve had camping!
RangerWe have heard great things about Paul B. Johnson for years, even before we began our own camping adventures. It was definitely a campground we were excited to check out, so we booked a long weekend getaway with the promise of beautiful spring weather. Unfortunately, our trip here was cut short due to a family emergency, but we were able to scope things out for future adventures.
It was a bit of a trek from our home on a work night, so we arrived after dark at site 67. This campground does not lock up at night, so this was not a major issue. We entered the campground through what we later learned was a back entrance off of Geiger Lake Road, so we didn’t check in until the next morning at the visitor center. The sites were not well marked with numbers, so we had to drive around a time or two to locate our site (with me occasionally getting out of the truck to read the site numbers painted in yellow on the road). The main entrance to the park has a much “fancier” building than the back entrance and leads you to drive over a spillway (which is TOTALLY safe, so no worries). The roads in the campground are narrow, two-lane roads but are not conducive to two RVs passing one another. We had to get off of the road for others to pass.
Our site was lakeside on a hill leading down to a pier that jutted into the lake. It also had a grill and wooden picnic table that was movable. Having full hook up was nice! However, the connections were quite spread out with the water pretty far back from the other connections at this site (we needed two water hoses). There was no dedicated fire ring but there was evidence of camp fires, so we just cleared a space and set up our chairs. However, some sites had a metal fire ring and concrete picnic tables. Lower numbered sites are older with newer sites being those in the 100s. The newer sites are more level and have concrete pads instead of asphalt pavement. However, the views aren’t nearly as nice. Site 16 is next to a pier that leads to an island (super cool but everyone can access that, so you’d lose privacy). Many sites have decks, but that really sacrifices “yard space” if that’s an important factor for you. Some sites we were interested in for our next visit included 71 and 84, but we really loved site 67 and would give it another go for a future visit.
Camp Shelby is nearby, so you’ll hear various noises from that (not overly distracting but I wish I would have known before arriving). There is a splash pad, lake swimming, and several picnic areas near the visitor center that would be awesome for kids and families when the weather is warmer. There are so many species of birds if you enjoy bird watching like we do. We enjoyed watching geese and ducks on Geiger Lake in the morning. There’s also a nature trail that we didn’t get to check out. The views from our camper were beautiful at Paul B, and we would love to visit this campground again soon!
LegendThis is a review for BUCCANEER STATE PARK Waveland Mississippi where we stay during January 2023
Be sure to travel US 90 to Lake Shore Drive to avoid RR track bottom out.
Lake Shore Drive deadheads into South Beach Drive.
PROS
Site 109 level
Site 109 shady
Treasure Cove toilet/shower facility was heated and clean with ample TP
Site pedestal grill
Park roadways easily navigable
Trash dumpster at campground loop entrance, which was walkable
T-MOBILE 2-3 bars
CONS
Never saw park ranger drive thru campground in 3 days
Never found a camp host nor were there any marked in campground map
LOTS of noise! Railroad Avenue runs right behind Treasure Cove campground which is heavily traveled Railroad track behind park has 2-3 trains passing by each night
No privacy from neighboring campsites
Non moveable concrete & wooden picnic table on concrete slab
Leash rules ignored by pet owners
No overnight security gate closure
Park laundromat had machines out of service
No park WiFi
LegendDespite the appearance of an unglorified RV parking lot with basically zero privacy and not much space in between the individual RV’s, this spot is a decent stopover if you need to pull your mobile living room over for a short spell. Lakeview RV Resort has more than 100 individual parking lanes for residents and I found the community to be inviting and friendly there’s even some social gatherings poolside (very nice feature) each night around sundown.
Of course, the gem of this place is the 16 acre lake, which I was able to get my kayak into for a few quick handful of laps early in the morning. If you’re driving an RV or hauling a camper behind your SUV, then this concrete camping parking lot just off of Highway 15 (due north of Interstate 10) near Saucier may just be the perfect spot for you. But if you’re a diehard tent camper like I am, you’ll be out of luck.
With ample slanted and elongated parking lanes for your parking pleasure, all of the sites come equipped with the typical 30 / 50 amp electrical hook-ups, waste disposal and water connections, picnic tables, garbage receptacles and even a community BBQ. Additionally, they’ve got a small boat launch, cement / asphalt pads, internet, laundr-O-mat, pavilion for large group events and propane for sale. The restrooms were pretty decent (but could use a serious power spraying). You’ll discover that both RV’s as well as even a handful of cabins / cottages comingle here, but basically, this is a site designed for and around RV’s.
Insider’s Tip? Near this RV parking lot, you do have access to all of the nightlife and entertainment you would expect to find in nearby Biloxi, and of course, there’s the world-famous Gulf Shores beachheads that are just a short drive to. I’m a diehard foodie, so after a few days of cooking campside, I like to head into town for a nice local meal. There’s 2 great places I could recommend, right off RT. 10, due south of Lakeview RV Resort– either Puff Belly’s Brewery, Pizza& Grill(great live review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b55Vs2hnJk4&t=7s) or Fried Green Tomato, which lives up to its reputation as the Best Fried Green Tomatoes in the South(https://www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/souths-best-fried-green-tomatoes/).
Overall, for the price, convenience and location, Lakeview RV Resort isn’t a bad spot for a night to take a break.
Happy Camping!
LegendIt was great to visit this hidden gem again and I was pleasantly surprised at what great shape it was in following Hurricane Irma and other tropical storms last year. We visited in late November/early December so the bugs weren't too bad at all. We did experience an incredible line of thunderstorms but managed to get some exploring in before the weather moved in.
There are only a few sites here and they are quite small, perfect for small RVs, tents or sleeping in your car. Large oaks and other vegetation provide ample shade for the cooler fall months. Our two four legged fellas enjoyed the flat open grass/dirt area around the campsite and were able to be on their leads without wandering too far in to the thick brush on the edge of the site.
There's a small picnic table that can be moved quite easily as well as well maintained fire rings at each site. There is fresh water available and electric hookups at each site. The bathrooms are clean, as are the showers. The ranger at the entrance station was friendly and chatty. From the campground you can walk along the road (back toward the Visitor's Center) a ways and the duck into the woods or jump on the boardwalk. Keep your eyes peeled, there are some impressive alligators hanging around.
GuideMy husband and I stayed at Buccaneer at one of their beachfront spots. This was our first time at Buccaneer and we will definitely be back!
First off, the park has some serious amenities! Their bathhouses are new and very nice, they have a pool and laundromat, frisbee golf course, nature trail, a small beach, and a small water park! The pool and water park weren’t open yet, but they looked really nice.
They have a few different sections of the park. The beach front camping sites are on grass with electric and water. There weren’t any grills, fire rings, or picnic tables; but it was really nice.
We looked through the other camp grounds and they have good tree coverage, picnic tables, grills, and full hookups. Some of the spots had really nice fire rings that were recessed into the ground. We will definitely be back to try one of those spots!
I will say that the bugs were crazy bad at the beach in the morning and at dusk. Evidently they are worse this year, so just come prepared!
Overall this was a nice, newer park and we loved our stay. The area had plenty to do and the views were next level.
LegendWe paid $22 for a site with power and water here. There is a dump station but it's right in the middle of the campground near the bathhouse, kind of an awkward location.
This was a quick overnight for us, and we didn't spend much time outside because it was pretty muggy and buggy when we stayed here at the end of February. Also, sites are paved, but ours anyway had a pretty steep dropoff to the picnic table and fire pit so the site was just an awkward feeling spot.
Sites are kind of run down but for the price we were happy.
Free hot showers. No laundry machines.
Overall a good place if you need to dump/fill/shower, but not a place I'd come to as a destination.
LegendSeriously one of the more relaxing parks we've been to in a while. Plenty of space between sites, lots of trees and water views! We were in site 4, which was quite level and easy to back in to. Also had full hookups!!! No loud golf carts this week either! Our site was around 35 dollars a night with taxes. Family and pet friendly.
RangerWe really enjoyed our stay at Davis Bayou. The campground seems to be a bit dated, but we kinda enjoyed the nostalgic element this added to the vibe.
The sites vary in size, we noticed most big rigs had to park their tow vehicles or toads in the auxiliary parking. If this is a problem you may want to look at other options, as the park staff is very diligent about keeping folks off the grass.
The park staff did regular patrols though out the park. They were very friendly.
We enjoyed riding our bikes around the park and to the historic arts district in Ocean Springs. There are several restaurants and bars with live music which was fun. There are also alot of art studios to check out.
We also took our canoe all though out Davis Bayou and to the beach, which was a ton of fun. The tides are in play here, so make sure you study up as conditions can and do change rapidly.
The visitors center is definitely worth checking out and while your there make sure to check out the fishing pier.
Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, power and water.
The cost is $22 a night per site.
The bathhouses were cleaned regular and had great water pressure. The water has a bit of a smell to it.
Verizon cell service worked okay.
Bring bug spray.
Cabin camping near De Soto National Forest, Mississippi, offers a unique blend of nature and comfort, making it an ideal getaway for outdoor enthusiasts and families alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near De Soto National Forest is Flint Creek Waterpark with a 4-star rating from 16 reviews.
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