Andrea B.
Scout
ScoutOak Grove (MS) — Sardis Lake
Lots of sites. Bath houses aged but have great hot water.
Tent Camping near Pope, MS
1 campground with availability this weekend
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Tent campers visiting Pope, Mississippi have several primitive camping options within a 30-mile radius, primarily centered around Sardis Lake and Holly Springs National Forest. Beach Point and Elmers Hill offer tent-specific sites along Sardis Lake, with Beach Point providing lakeside tent pads that require campers to park in a designated lot and carry gear to their sites. Hays Crossing and Graham Lake provide additional tent camping locations with more rustic amenities and fewer crowds.
Most tent sites in the Pope area feature basic amenities including picnic tables, fire rings or grills, and trash receptacles, though facilities vary significantly between locations. Bathrooms at these campgrounds typically consist of vault toilets or basic flush facilities without showers, and campers should bring their own toilet paper as supplies are inconsistent. Water access is limited at many sites, with Beach Point and Elmers Hill offering drinking water spigots while more remote locations like Graham Lake may require bringing your own water supply. A visitor commented, "The campground is located in a beautiful spot on a peninsula with great views of Grenada lake at both sunrise and sunset."
Walk-in tent locations around Pope provide a more secluded experience than typical developed campgrounds. Puskus Lake in Holly Springs National Forest offers primitive backcountry tent camping with sites positioned near the water. A camper noted that "it's a very well remote spot off of HWY 30 in the Holly Springs National Forest" with sites that are "well maintained." Eagle Point Primitive Campground near Grenada Lake features level gravel tent pads, picnic tables, and grills at each site, with a group fire pit area for communal gatherings. These backcountry tent camping areas typically see less traffic than larger campgrounds, though weekend occupancy can increase substantially during peak seasons. Most primitive tent sites in the region charge modest fees between $3.50-$8 per night, with some locations offering free camping during off-season periods.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Pope (11)
1. 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
2. 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."
3. Hays Crossing
4. Eagle Point Primitive Campground
"The campground is located in a beautiful spot on a peninsula with great views of Grenada lake at both sunrise and sunset."
"There are eight campsites, each with a level gravel pad tent area, picnic table and grill. There is group fire pit area, with a picnic table."
8 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $10 / night
5. 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."
6. 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."
7. Skuna/Turkey Creek Primitive Campground
8. South Abutment B
9. Old Fort Campground
10. Cox Lake
Drive Time
- 58 min from Memphis, TN
- 1 hr 48 min from Jonesboro, AR
- 1 hr 52 min from Jackson, MS
- 2 hrs from Jackson, TN
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Pope, MS
10 Photos of 11 Pope Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Pope, MS
256 Reviews of 11 Pope Campgrounds
William B.ScoutNorth Abutment
It is a nice spot. The lake is low but there is a little water spot on the left that has great views. View is from site 76.
Jeremy B.
GuideSouth Abutment Recreation Area
We stayed here for two nights. Got here after dark in a torrential downpour and it was my first time backing in our new camper. Gotta admit, took about an hour and we got completely soaked, but got it backed in. There’s definitely a lesson in there. The rest of the time has been beautiful and peaceful. The bathrooms and showers are clean with plenty of hot water on tap. Plenty of space between most campsites so privacy was never a concern. Most of the close by walking trails are closed, so we visited a nearby one called Ark Trail just a few miles away, which was awesome! At the time of our stay, the access road for the Arkabutla Lake Dam was closed, so it has a detour that takes you another couple miles around.
- Jeremy B.Guide
Pats 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.
Tim R.ScoutWallace Creek
Great Location
This was our first RV trip and it was everything we hoped for. The site was spacious and mostly level. Met a great guy who helped me level our trailer and gave me a few pointers too! Thank you Jason!😀. The deer we saw across the street were icing on the cake!
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.
Erin L.GuideHollywood Casino RV Park - Tunica
Only RV Park around Tunica Resorts
Booked a complete reservation(paid in full) online 2 weeks in advance and called a few days prior to inquire on check-in procedures and ask about early check in since we were coming from a few hours away. Was told that the RV Park has"any time" check in and when you check in proceed to the hotel registration desk to receive your site number. Upon arrival-- DO NOT FOLLOW THE SIGNS THAT DIRECT YOU TO THE RV PARK! Instead proceed down the far, far left arrow(not under the archway) around the back and that will take you to the hotel entrance where you can park easily to go inside and check in I reserved a pull through. We did not get a pull through. Every pull through was occupied but one and the water did not work on that site. We were given a back in site. I asked at check in if it was the same price since I booked a pull through and was told it was the same price. I also asked if we would fit and was informed that every site is the same length. They are not! We were given site#43. We did not even attempt it, we would not have fit. Our camper is 35 ft. And truck is 25 ft. I called the number and was transferred to the supervisor and explained the situation. By chance we were driving around and saw site#10 and inquired while she was on the phone with me. We fit in site#10. 1st and foremost, I am in no way bashing work camps. They serve a purpose and hubby has utilized them over the years with his previous employment. However, this is a work camp with a few travelers. Totally misrepresented online. It is not your typical casino RV park. It is run down along with the casino and several of the casinos in the Tunica area have been closed or are being torn down. It was quiet-ish. Being a work camp, diesels fired up between 3am-6am. People returned to their campers between 5pm-8pm. The bathhouse resembled a barracks after quitting time. Quiet time was 10pm and it was quiet until it was time to go to work. Everyone around did keep to themselves. Our"neighbors" were friendly and courteous. The RV park served its purpose to decompress and look at our route over the Mississippi River. We camped at Hollywood Casino Hotel& RV Park in a Travel Trailer.
- Lee W.Scout
Dub Patton Campground
10 out of 10
Awesome Clean camp grounds with easy bathroom and water and electric hook ups definitely a 10 out of 10
- SSusan R.Guide
Wallace Creek
Awesome CG, spacious sites
This CG will be on our list of future places to stay when traveling through MS. As a matter of fact, I’ll plan to deviate north to camp here again- it is that good! Sites are very spacious, park is very well maintained, and we had a peaceful stay. We pulled in around 7 pm on a Sunday and had many sites to choose from. We looked at sites and chose one, then booked it online when we set up. Cell signal was fine, and our Starlink made an easy connection at site 19- plenty of open skies. The sites are paved and very long- and the picnic table, fire pit, grill, and table were in excellent condition.
Guide to Pope
Tent camping near Pope, Mississippi offers seasonal opportunities from spring through fall with mild to hot temperatures depending on the time of year. Summer campers should prepare for high humidity and temperatures reaching into the 90s, while spring and fall bring more comfortable conditions with occasional rainfall. Primitive tent sites around Sardis Lake tend to see higher occupancy on weekends and during fishing tournaments when locals utilize the boat launches.
What to do
Fishing at Kellys Crossing: Access Arkabutla Lake for fishing without competing with crowds at this primitive site. "This is an off the beaten path area for standard recreation. It's technically a boat ramp that accesses Arkabutla Lake with picnic and camping areas nearby," notes Heath T., who adds that the area is particularly quiet during winter months when "there are hardly any other persons around besides the fishermen out on the water."
Kayaking at Puskus Lake: Paddle the calm waters at this small lake in Holly Springs National Forest. The lake features "nice docks over the water to hang out on" according to Kim N., while another visitor mentioned it's a "fun little quick trip to paddle around in kayak, fish & enjoy great meal over grill."
Hiking local trails: Explore the limited but accessible trails around Puskus Lake. "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," shares one camper. The trails provide good opportunities for day hikes without venturing far from camp.
What campers like
Privacy at smaller sites: Graham Lake offers seclusion with its limited number of campsites. "This is a very small campground with about 5 spots," explains Steve G., making it ideal for campers seeking quieter surroundings. The campground's small footprint means less noise and fewer neighbors.
Water views: Many tent sites provide scenic lake views, particularly at Eagle Point. A visitor notes, "The campground is located in a beautiful spot on a peninsula with great views of Grenada lake at both sunrise and sunset." Another camper adds that Eagle Point has "breathtaking" views and is "about 10 mins to town."
Low cost camping: Beach Point offers affordable lakeside camping with seasonal price fluctuations. "We went in the off season so it was free!" reports McKinley L., while regular rates typically run $8 per night. Graham Lake is described by one reviewer as "a free campground," providing no-cost camping options for budget-conscious campers.
What you should know
Limited facilities: Expect basic or non-functioning amenities at most primitive sites. At Beach Point, Elizabeth S. reports, "The bathrooms were…campsite bathrooms. Not the best, not the worst. No locked stall doors. No soap. But the toilets flushed so there's that." Similarly at Puskus, "Only one of the three outhouses where open and that was the one by the boat launch."
Accessibility challenges: Eagle Point Primitive Campground requires caution when navigating after dark. One RVer warns, "Do not try to come at night. It is pitch black and steep drop offs." The campground layout may present challenges for larger vehicles, with the same reviewer noting, "I fit pretty good in my 24' motorhome but would be leery of something too much bigger."
Seasonal pests: Bug activity increases during warmer months. At Beach Point, one camper warned, "The flies!! They were so so bad! And bighty!! My poor dogs were covered in flies, as were we." Another visitor at Puskus advises to "Be mindful of snakes and your usual pests."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Hugh White State Park - Outlet Channel offers family-friendly facilities. "Playgrounds available for the kids," notes CJ W., making it suitable for families with younger children who need recreational options beyond swimming and hiking.
Water safety: Exercise caution with children near water, especially at Hugh White State Park. "This water flow is after the dam, so has a very strong current. Definitely not for swimming, but an okay view," warns a camper. Similarly, Puskus Lake has restrictions where "you cannot swim in the lake."
Site selection: Choose tent sites based on proximity to facilities when camping with children. At Beach Point, locations vary considerably: "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." Campers with kids should select sites closer to bathrooms and water sources.
Tips from RVers
Size limitations: Elmers Hill accommodates only smaller RVs and trailers. "No hookups of any kind for campers," mentions Steve G., who clarifies it has "about 8 tent sites" but isn't suitable for larger rigs. Similarly, at Graham Lake, "Large rigs are a no go I would think, as access can be tight."
Parking restrictions: Some campgrounds require separate parking from tent sites. At Beach Point, "Cars stay in the parking lot, and you walk up to your site," explains Caitlyn E. Another camper adds, "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."
Boondocking considerations: Prepare for self-contained camping at primitive sites. "No hookups. Nothing. But, it is a free campground so what can you say," notes one camper about Graham Lake. Another reviewer advises, "If you're in a small to medium travel trailer or a tent, this could work out. Bathrooms are there but bring your own paper."
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Pope, MS?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Pope, MS?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pope, MS is Beach Point - Sardis Lake with a 3.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
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tent camping near
Pope, MS?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Pope, MS?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Pope, MS, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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