The best EQUESTRIAN camping near
University , MISSISSIPPI

Hard to give a complete review. Bath facilities were COVID closed. But, level sites. Water & electric hook-ups. No swimming in the lake, but folks were fishing and boating. Fair price and we’d stay again if passing through.

My friends and I enjoy riding there. Trails are marked and well-maintained.

The road leading to the park could be improved a bit but it wasn't too bad. The park was nice and clean and the loop we stayed on was kept up pretty well. Sites were nice and level and it's hard to beat full hookups for the price!

The bathrooms were obviously older but still kept clean.

The lake had been drained at some point for repairs and it's still very low. There's not a whole lot to do in the park unless you bring horses or an ATV. Great place for a nice quiet getaway.

The neat thing is there's actually a special camping loop just for those that do have horses and ATVs, and it keeps the noise away from everyone else.

There's not a ton to do in nearby Tupelo but we did have a nice dinner at Harvey's, The zoo seemed rather expensive for its size.

Ranger review: RoM Outdoors RoM Pack at Trace State Park, Tupelo, Mississippi 

Campground Review: I took the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway from Tennessee down into Mississippi and exited near Tupelo to continue into Trace State Park for a camping event I was attending over the weekend. Once you get into Tupelo the signage directing you to the park is easy to find and follow. 

The park itself needs some work. Recent cuts from the state have left the park in need of road work and the levy repair is taking a while to complete according to locals. Where we camped the lake was dry and full of weeds. You could tell by the shoreline that it would be possible to anchor your water craft very near your campsite in several locations once it is refilled with water. 

That being said the staff at the park were very helpful and the facilities, which included a showerhouse/multipurpose room and screened porch were very well taken care of. I definitely liked the large shower stalls!

The sites are spacious, including a fire area, picnic table, electric hookup, water and sewer hook up. The spacing between sites is good too, you have some privacy and depending on your site sparse to full shade.

Disc golf, multi-use trails, fishing, currently limited water sports.

After set up our group met in the multipurpose room and then congregated to a nearby site that had more then enough room for all of us to sit around the fire. 

Tupelo, Mississippi is nearby and I visited Elvis’s birthplace , “Scarlet’s Donuts”(maple bacon donuts, and tamales) and an excellent BBQ place “Clays House of Pig”. So if you like to sneak to town while camping this is a nice area for it. There are thrift and antique stores close too.

Product Review: As a Dyrt Ranger I recently received a RoM Outdoors  RoM Pack https://romoutdoors.com/ to use , abuse and review while camping. I explored one of the three main trails in Trace SP. The trails are multi-use (ie. ATV, Horse, Dirt bike, Hikers) so pay attention to the signs and be aware of the area. We hiked 4.5 miles. The first thing you will notice about the RoMPack is that it has some weight to it (4.6 lbs)even empty. This is due to the outer water resistant material and the inner, soft, insulated material. There are two detachable bags, and a smaller inner pack to carry them in when you remove them to transform your pack into……a hooded poncho or ground cover , cool idea!

So obviously this is not an overnight type backpack or something a fast packer would use. It is however a versatile option for day hikes, visits to the park or sporting events and I used it to pack my Dachshund when he was done hiking ;)

I haven’t attempted to attach a hydration bladder and decided to just place my entire hydration pack into the main area of the RoM Pack. This works in two ways. First if I don’t need the poncho/blanket I have my hydration in easy reach. Second if I do use the poncho/blanket my hydration pack fits fine under the inner pack on my back with poncho over that. 

Definitely practice folding and unfolding the poncho/blanket . I had my usual dysfunction , just like with the hiking maps, I got it unfolded and user ready but then had issues putting it back into its original folded configuration. I eventually got it back together. There is a video on their site to make it easier. Just remember it will get faster with muscle memory over time.

Once again this is not a pack I would use for extended deep woods adventures. It’s great for your day hikes with the kids, concert in the park or hike into a picnic spot, would work for hunting too.

Pro’s: All in one (ie, carry pack, two secure bags, blanket/poncho, inner pack, Molle straps to add other accessories)

Water resistant outer shell

Soft warm inner lining

Durable material 

Well made

Con’s: Heavy

Limited packing space( the large middle pocket is gone when you unfold it)

Not for overnight/deep woods(technically not a con, not the concept of the bag)

This will be my go to bag when adventuring with my grandkids. I would/will suggest this pack to friends with specific uses in mind. There are currently three color options and several other products to explore on the ROM Outdoors site

This is one of the favorites of all the places we have stayed. It was beautiful and so clean. The hosts were friendly. We had an issue with the electric hookup and they had maintenance workers to is within 20 minutes. The facilities and trails are very well maintained and the sites are well spaces enough that you can have some quiet and privacy. ** PLEASE NOTE: The lake has been drained due to levee issues and some rebuild of the levee and dam. It will be empty for the foreseeable future so there is no water here. That info was not made clear when we made the reservation. ** We still enjoyed our short stay here.

Apparently the main lake has been drained for now. The roads to and through the campground are a bit rough, so you may have to drIve slow. The campsites are paved and leveled. Bathhouse is clean. Full hookups at our site. Overall this was a nice campground.