Paul B. Johnson State Park Campground offers conventional tent and RV sites with level pads and utilities positioned throughout the forested terrain. The campground contains both newer sites in the 100s range with concrete pads and older, lakeside sites with asphalt pavement. Sites vary significantly in levelness and spacing, with lakeside spots providing better views but often requiring additional water hoses due to widely spaced connections.
What to do
Disc golf on established courses: Paul B. Johnson State Park Campground features two 18-hole disc golf courses set among tall pines. "Located on a massive lake and two 18 hole disc golf courses. We managed to make our way down the weekend of an ice storm and the park rangers made their rounds making sure everybody was okay and had plenty of firewood," notes one visitor.
Paddling on smaller waterways: The restricted size of Lake Geiger limits motorboat traffic, creating better conditions for paddling. "The lake is nice in the summer for fishing and swimming, but if you're looking for a large boating area this ain't it," explains a camper about lake conditions.
Kayak trips near Hattiesburg: Hattiesburg / Okatoma River KOA provides access to guided river experiences. A camper shares, "Start your day by checking in and doing one of the two kayaking trips this place has to offer and end your day by the fire right next to the river. Super beautiful place to stay!"
Wildlife watching in pine forests: The tall pine forests surrounding most campgrounds create habitat for diverse bird species. One camper at Paul B. Johnson noted, "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."
What campers like
Weekday camping for tranquility: Sites tend to clear out during weekdays at most Beaumont area campgrounds. "The weekend we were there in November was jammed packed but it seems to clear out during the week when kids go back to school," reports one visitor about the experience at Paul B. Johnson.
Lakefront sites with fishing access: Flint Creek Waterpark offers numerous sites with direct water access. "The back of the site backs up to the lake, with plenty of beach to fish or hangout. This site would be perfect during the summer if you wanted to swim," explains a camper who stayed at site 29.
Well-maintained facilities: Many campers praise the cleanliness of newer facilities. A visitor to Hattiesburg / Okatoma River KOA commented, "This was the nicest campground we stayed at on our 4 week trip. Our level site was on a lovely pond, with a friendly duck. This is the first architecturally designed KOA facility I've seen in two years of camping in our RV."
Yurt camping near Beaumont, Mississippi: All You Need Institute provides alternative accommodations on a 111-acre property. "This place is a labor of LOVE! 111 Acres to be explored with unique and comfy accommodations. I love all the sweet touches," shares a reviewer about the yurt and micro-cabin options near Beaumont.
What you should know
Site levelness varies significantly: Many campsites throughout the region require leveling equipment. At Flint Creek Waterpark, one camper noted, "The only issue I had with the spots were they were all uneven, but somehow I was able to level my 37' travel trailer on the first try without any leveling aids."
Military installation proximity: Big Creek Water Park provides a quiet alternative to campgrounds near military facilities. One camper at Paul B. Johnson reported, "Camp Shelby is nearby, so you'll hear various noises from that (not overly distracting but I wish I would have known before arriving)."
Site numbers can be difficult to locate: At some campgrounds, site identification requires extra attention. One camper explains, "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)."
Seasonal crowds impact experience: Waterpark amenities draw larger summer crowds. A visitor noted about Flint Creek, "We stayed during the second weekend of Dec. weather was brisk with a small amount of rain on Saturday. Had a beautiful view of the water where you could fish. This spot was so quiet and peaceful."
Tips for camping with families
Splash pad alternatives to lake swimming: Water play areas provide controlled environments for younger children. "Paul B Johnson State Park in Mississippi is a great place to get away and enjoy the outdoors! They have a splash pad for the kids and a disc golf course!" reports a family camper.
Biking on paved park roads: Many parks maintain paved routes suitable for children's bikes. "There is a lot to do within the park– swimming, fishing(no license required), basketball, a playground for children, a dog park, a dog wash station," notes a visitor to Hattiesburg / Okatoma River KOA.
Weekday visits reduce competition for facilities: Family amenities become less crowded mid-week. A visitor observed, "There were lots of people aimlessly driving around in golf carts, kids running through our site, and plenty of loud music. A weekday stay would be more out thing as some of the weekend campers were pretty obnoxious."
Halloween camping events: SUGAR SANDS CAMPGROUND and other area parks host seasonal activities. One camper at Flint Creek shared, "We stayed here during Halloween and it was pretty crowded. We prefer more secluded camping sites, and this campground provides plenty of space despite being so packed. There were several RV campgrounds that had decorations and trick-or-treating."
Tips from RVers
Connection spacing challenges: Water and electrical connections may require extra equipment. A camper at Paul B. Johnson noted, "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)."
Pull-through vs. back-in site selection: Site choices significantly impact privacy and views. One RVer explained, "We were camping with some friends and we both have 45' RVs so we picked two side by side pull-thrus. However, all those pull-thru sites were super close together and right on top of the people on each side of us. We decided to go find other back-in sites and were glad we did."
Low-mounted water connections: Some parks have unusual utility placements. At Flint Creek, one camper reported, "The only thing I had negative review of was how low the water spigot was in the ground. But overall I would stay in this exact spot again."
Road width considerations for larger RVs: Interior roads may not accommodate passing vehicles. A camper observed about Paul B. Johnson, "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."
