The Mississippi Pine Belt area surrounding Petal offers diverse camping and glamping opportunities within dense pine forests. Located about 100 miles from the Gulf Coast at elevations between 200-300 feet, this region experiences hot, humid summers and mild winters. Camping near Petal, Mississippi provides access to several waterways including the Leaf River, Okatoma Creek, and multiple lakes where fishing and paddling are popular activities.
What to do
Hiking trails: At Paul B. Johnson State Park Campground, visitors can enjoy nature trails through pine forests. "There is a nature trail that we didn't get to check out. The views from our camper were beautiful at Paul B," notes Layla D.
Disc golf courses: The park offers extensive disc golf facilities for enthusiasts. "Located on a massive lake and two 18 hole disc golf courses," shares JR R., who visited during winter and noted that "park rangers made their rounds making sure everybody was okay and had plenty of firewood."
Fishing opportunities: Flint Creek Waterpark provides multiple fishing access points around its lake. "The back of the site backs up to the lake, with plenty of beach to fish or hangout," writes Johnnie S. about site 29, adding that it has "full hookups with 50amp connection."
Waterpark activities: During summer months, several area parks operate waterslides and swimming areas. One camper at Flint Creek mentioned, "The water park has a ton of slides and will keep kids young and old entertained sliding down the hill into the lake."
What campers like
Wooded campsites: Big Creek Water Park offers shaded sites within forest settings. Steve W. appreciates that the campground provides "sites are roomy. All the things you need-electricity water fire ring and concrete picnic table. Lake playground. Bath house with flush toilets."
Lake views: Many campers praise the waterfront locations available at Paul B. Johnson State Park. Larry L. shares, "We found an asphalt pad with full hookups overlooking Lake Geiger for our Sprinter Camper van. The park features the Lake set in a tall pine forest and was near capacity but did not feel crowded or loud."
Wildlife watching: The natural surroundings attract diverse wildlife. Hannah L. at Flint Creek noted, "We did encounter coyote, deer, and lots of talkative geese, so be prepared for some wildlife interaction."
Clean facilities: Hattiesburg/Okatoma River KOA maintains high standards for their amenities. Jim W. remarked, "This was a great find in the middle of Mississippi on a trip from Hot Springs Village to the beach. Looked to be new and well-kept."
What you should know
Reservation recommendations: Many parks fill quickly, especially on weekends. Nancy A. advises at Flint Creek, "The best sites are the first come first serve sites. These sites are in the Mohawk area. I would avoid the Kahaka area if you want a beach area as there isn't one."
Uneven sites: Be prepared for potentially unlevel camping pads. One camper at Flint Creek 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 noise: Some campgrounds experience occasional noise from nearby military installations. A camper at Paul B. Johnson mentioned, "Camp Shelby is nearby, so you'll hear various noises from that (not overly distracting but I wish I would have known before arriving)."
Rustic options: All You Need Institute offers more secluded glamping experiences but with fewer amenities than commercial parks. Ashley F. notes this place is "a labor of LOVE! 111 Acres to be explored with unique and comfy accommodations."
Tips for camping with families
Splash pad access: Families appreciate the water features designed for younger children. Michelle F. recommends Paul B. Johnson, saying "They have a splash pad for the kids and a disc golf course! Definitely recommend!"
Beach swimming: Multiple swimming areas cater to different age groups. At Flint Creek, Johnnie S. noted, "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."
Halloween festivities: Fall camping includes special events at some parks. Hannah L. shares, "We stayed here during Halloween and it was pretty crowded. There were several RV campgrounds that had decorations and trick-or-treating."
Last-minute options: Maynor Creek Waterpark can accommodate unexpected travel plans. Kelsey R. appreciated Hattiesburg KOA when traveling with children: "We were driving our van to the beach with our 5 kids, by 11pm we decided to stop for the night. A very kind human answered when we called, even last minute."
Tips from RVers
Site selection strategy: Choose sites based on your priorities for space versus amenities. At Paul B. Johnson, Nancy W. advises, "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... We decided to go find other back-in sites and were glad we did because it gave us more room between sites."
Water connection locations: Check utilities placement before setting up. One camper at Paul B. Johnson noted, "The connections were quite spread out with the water pretty far back from the other connections at this site (we needed two water hoses)."
Level site recommendations: Some parks have areas with better leveling. According to Nancy W., "Our site was level but not all in the park are. All the utilities worked well and we were able to get tv over our antenna and our Verizon phone and internet worked great."
