Camping enthusists may choose between Twiltley Branch Campground, operated by the Corps of Engineers and Okatibbie Water Park, operated by the Pat Harrison Waterway District. Both have electricity, water and sanitary facilities. Camping fees are charged to offset the costs of operation and maintenance. Golden Age and Golden Age Passports are accepted at Twiltley Branch Campground. For more information contact 601-626-8068.
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Sardis Dam is located in North Mississippi, 50 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, to the east of Interstate 55. This lake may be reached by using the Como (Exit 258), Sardis (Exit 252), Batesville (Exit 246) or Oxford (Exit 243-A) exit off Interstate 55. Sardis dam is 9 miles southeast of the town of Sardis on Scenic Loop 315.
Mailing Address:
Sardis Lake Field Office
P.O. Box 186
Sardis, MS 38666-0186
Description of Project: The Sardis Lake project includes 98,357 total acres of land and water. The dam is 15,300 feet ling with an average height of 97 feet. There are 83,000 acres of land at the project which are open to the public for hunting.
Camping Areas (Sardis Lake)
Class A-Clear Creek, 32 camp sites, $10 per night April 1 - September 30, Free in the off season.
Class C - Oak Grove campground on Lower Lake, 82 campsites, $4 per night, free in the off season.
C-Beach Point, 14 campsites, $4 per night April 1--September 30, free in the off season.
Class C-Hurricane Landing, 18 campsites, $4 per night April 1--September 30, free in the off season.
Class C-Pats Bluff, 27 campsites, $4 per night April 1--September 30, free in the off season.
Class D-Sleepy Bend campground on the Lower Lake, 50 campsites, $3 per night April 1--September 30, free in the off season.
Day Use Fee Areas--10 Boat Launching Ramps, 5 Swimming Beaches. Day user fees- $2 per day to use boat launching ramp and $1 per day per person to use a swimming beach, maximum $3 per vehicle per day.
Annual Pass for Day User Fees--$25
Special Use Facilities--9 picnic shelters are available to reserve for $30 per day.
Golden Age Passports--$10
State Park located at the project and facilities:
John W. Kyle State Park
Sardis Lake
Sardis, MS 39666
(601)487-1345
Facilities at the state park: 201 Class A campsites, cabins for rent, a lodge, a restaurant, swimming pool, amphitheater, indoor sports gymnasium, boat ramp, rental boats, picnic sites and group picnic shelters. A golf course is under construction.
List of concession operated facilities at the project:
Restaurants, cabins to rent, campgrounds, boat rental and bait shops.
Hunting and fishing license information for the State of Mississippi may be obtained by calling (601)362-9212.
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Project Name: Grenada Lake
Location of Project: Grenada Dam is located 113 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi and 99 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, to the east of Interstate 55 at the Grenada exit (Exit 206). Grenada Dam is on Scenic Loop 333.
Mailing Address:
Grenada Lake Field Office
Post Office Box 903
Grenada, MS 38902-0903
Phone Number: (601)226-5911
Description of Project: The Grenada Lake project includes 90,379 total acres of land and water. The dam is 13,900 feet long with an average height of 80 feet. There are 66,000 acres of land at the project which are open to the public for hunting.
Description of Facilities: 25 recreation areas with 254 picnic sites, 300 campsites 17 boat ramps and 7 swimming beaches.
List of Corps fee sites and fees for 1997:
Camping areas at Grenada Lake:
Class A--North Graysport, 51 campsites, $10 per night April 1--September 30, $7 per night October 1--March 31
Class C--North Abutment, 21 campsites, $4 per night April 1--September 30, free in the off season
Class C--Grenada Landing A (Old Fort) area, 21 campsites, $4 per night April 1--September 30, free in the off season
Day Use Fee Areas--8 Boat Launching Ramps, 4 Swimming Beaches.
Day user fees--$2 per day to use a boat launching ramp and $1 per day per person to use a swimming beach, maximum $3 per vehicle per day.
Annual Pass for Day User Fees--$25.
Special Use Facilities--8 Picnic shelters and 2 amphitheaters are available to reserve for $30 per day.
5 multi-purpose courts-$10 per day, barbecue grill for group use-$15 per day.
Golden Age Passports-$10.
State Park located at the project and facilities:
Hugh White State Park
Grenada Lake
Grenada, MS 38901
(601)226-4934
Facilities at the state park: 188 Class A campsites, cabins for rent, a lodge, a group dormitory, a restaurant, swimming pool, amphitheater, boat ramps, dry boat storage, rental boats, picnic sites and group picnic shelters.
Hunting and fishing license information for the State Of Mississippi may be obtained by calling (601) 362-9212.
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Camping on the Tenn-Tom Waterway
Camping on the River Section
Five campground are spread along the river section. Each of these class A campgrounds boast convenient access to boat ramps, water and electrical hookups, shower and laundry facilities, sanitary dump stations, fish cleaning stations, handicap accessible sites and facilities, playgrounds multi-use courts, and 24 hour attendants. Each site provides concrete pads, grills, fire rings, picnic tables, and lantern posts. Group reservations are available at all campgrounds and individual reservations are available at most. All five of these campgrounds remain open year round.
For more information call (601)327-2142.
COCHRANE CAMPGROUND
This 60 site campground is located 10 miles south of Aliceville, Alabama on Highway 17, or river mile 294.4W.
PICKENSVILLE CAMPGROUND
The largest campground on the waterway with 176 sites, Pickensville Campground is located 2 ½ miles west of Pickensville, Alabama on Highway 86, or river mile 309.3W.
DeWAYNE HAYES CAMPGROUND
This 110 site campground is located 4 miles north of Columbus, Mississippi off of Highway 373, or at river mile 340E. A swimming beach is available in the nearby day use area.
TOWN CREEK CAMPGROUND
This 110 site campground is located off of Highway 50 between Columbus, Mississippi and West Point, Mississippi, or river mile 341.5W. Additional facilities include a nature trail, hiking trails, and a swimming area.
BLUE BLUFF CAMPGROUND
This 92 site campground is located next to Aberdeen, Mississippi off of Highway 45, or by river mile 359.0W.
CAMPING ON THE CANAL SECTION
Camping on the canal section means Fulton Campground located next to the Jamie L. Whitten Historic Center near Fulton, Mississippi or by river mile 393E. This 60 site campground offers restrooms, laundry and shower facilities, sanitation dump station, fish cleaning station, playground, multi-use courts, picnic shelters, swimming area, nature trails and boat ramp. Each site contains fire grill, picnic table, lantern post, water and electrical hookups.
For more information call (601)454-3481.
CAMPING ON THE DIVIDE SECTION
Camping on the Divide Cut means Piney Grove Campground near Dennis, Mississippi or river mile 417.3W. This 139 site campground offers a boat ramp, playgrounds, multi-use courts, picnic shelter, restrooms, showers, laundry facility, beach, amphitheater, fish cleaning station and sanitation dump station. Each site contains fire grills, picnic tables, water and electrical hookups.
For more information call (601)454-3481.
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Arkabutla Dam is located in north Mississippi, 30 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, west of
Interstate 55. The project can be reached using the Hernando
(Exit 280) or Coldwater (Exit 271) exit off I-55. Arkabutla Dam
is on Scenic Loop 304.
Mailing Address:
Arkabutla Lake Field Office
3905 Arkabutla Dam Road
Coldwater, MS 38618-9737
Phone Number: (601) 562-6261
Description of Project: The Arkabutla Lake project includes
57,250 total acres of land and water. The dam is 11,500 feet
long with an average height of 67 feet. There are 37,700 acres
of land at the project which are open to the public for hunting.
Description of Facilities: 13 recreation areas with 419 picnic sites, 333 camp sites, 9 boat ramps, and 3 swimming beaches.
List of Corps fee sites and fees for 1997:
Camping areas
Class A - Dub Patton area, 66 campsites, $12 to $18 per night year round, depending on the site selected
Class A - Hernando Point, 83 campsites, $12 to $18 per night year round, depending on the site selected
Class A- South Abutment, 85 campsites, $10 per night, May 1- September 30, closed in the off season
Class C - Outlet Channel, 65 campsites, $6 per night, May 1 through September 30, free of charge in the off season
Class D - Kelley's Crossing, 65 campsites, $4 per night, May 1 through September 30, free of charge in the off season
Class D - Pleasant Hill, 10 campsites, $4 per night, May 1 through September 30, free of charge in the off season
Class D - Dub Patton Class D area, 15 campsites, $4 per night, May 1 through September 30, free of charge in the off
season
Day Use Fee Areas - 7 Boat Launching Ramps, 3 Swimming Beaches.
Day user fees - $2 per day to use a boat launching ramp and $1 per day per person to use a swimming beach, maximum $3 per
vehicle per day.
Annual Pass for Day User Fees - $25
Special Use Facilities - 7 picnic shelters are available to reserve for $30 per day. Group camping facilities may be
reserved for $50 per night (minimum).
Golden Age Passports - $10
Hunting and fishing license information for the State of Mississippi may be obtained by calling (601) 362-9212.
Arkabutla Lake is the nearest U. S. Army Corps of Engineers project to the Memphis metropolitan
area. With an annual visitation exceeding 2 million people, Arkabutla Lake accommodates a wide
variety of recreational interests throughout the entire year.
Known throughout the region for its extra large crappie, it is not uncommon for a stringer of crappie to include several slabs in excess of 3 pounds each. Other gamefish species include catfish, white bass, bream, and black bass.
The land and water at Arkabutla Lake also provide homes for numerous species of interesting animals other than fish. Nesting boxes for squirrel, bluebirds, birds of prey, and woodducks are placed and maintained throughout the project and have proven very
successful in boosting wildlife populations.
With the much appreciated assistance of volunteers from local schools and scouting organizations, the success
of many wildlife management techniques is greatly improved. Local farmers have volunteered the use of their equipment
and skills to plant dozens of acres of wildlife food plots, thus increasing the health and abundance of game species such as
wild turkey, quail, rabbit, and whitetail deer.
Recreation facilities and activities at Arkabutia Lake are equally abundant. Three Class A campgrounds (234 campsites) complete with electricity, water, hot showers, flush comfort stations and sewage dump stations are available to accommodate the most modern
RV's.
For the more rugged individual who enjoys a closer relationship with the outdoors, there are four primitive
camping areas for which there are no camping fees.
Three developed sand beaches are free to the public and offer safety aids such as depth markers, rescue
devices, and safety buoys to separate the swimmers from boating activities. Speaking of boating, during
the summer months there are over 11,000 acres of water in which boating enthusiasts can ski, sail, wind
surf, jet ski, or fish. Eight boat ramps at eight different locations make access simple.
For your safety, wind warning lights have been installed within sight of all boat ramps to help alert
boaters to dangerous boating conditions.
Other amenities offered at Arkabutla which bear mentioning are the picnic facilities and shelters, nature
trails, hiking trails, playgrounds, archery range, volley-ball court, scenic overlook, and last, but not least,
acres and acres of public land and water which provide the perfect backdrop for outdoor fun.
The fall months are ushered in each year with an annual arts and crafts festival held below the dam near
the Dub Patton recreational area. Along with the arts and crafts are live music, dancing, and good food. All
proceeds are contributed to local charities.
As part of the "Take Pride in America" drive, local scouting organizations participate in "Public Lands
Day" each year. Several miles of roadside and lakeshore are cleaned in an effort to make public lands
more attractive and instill a sense of pride in our youth. The cleanup activities are followed by the
Woodsy Owl Olympics in which scout troops compete against one another for event patches.
The winter months can offer avid visitors a reasonable amount of solitude while camping, fishing or just
enjoying a walk on a brisk winter's morning. Remote locations far from the city lights can be a star gazers paradise.
A majority of the land surrounding Arkabutla Lake is open to all forms of hunting. However, no hunting is allowed in or near recreation areas or flood control structures. All Federal, state, and local laws apply.
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Some of the materials obtained for this site are courtesy of The United States Corps of Engineers
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