Warning
GeneralArkabutla Lake will be experiencing substantially lower water levels for an extended period of time. Long-term repairs to Arkbabutla Dam must be completed before water levels can return to normal. This affects boating access and water-based activities on the lake. Many boat ramps are currently closed with Hwy. 51 Landing being the only open ramp. Most day use and campground facilities remain open for public use. For more information, please contact the Arkabutla Lake Field Office at 662-562-6261 or 662-292-1992. For a full list of all affected areas and facilities as well as to get information on what's going on at Arkabutla Lake, please visit our project page at https://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Programs-and-Project-Management/Project-Management/Projects/Arkabutla-Project-Page/
Featured amenities
Showers
About South Abutment Campground
Number of accommodations: 71
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Boating
Kayaking
Swimming
Water Skiing
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Showers
Water and Hygiene
- Showers
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Rates, Sites & Availability
71 Sites Available
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Site Details
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71 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (692)
What Guests Are Saying
South Abutment Campground offers a peaceful and well-kept environment, ideal for relaxation and enjoying nature. Many reviewers appreciated the cleanliness of the sites and facilities, spacious camping areas, and the quiet atmosphere, making it a great escape from daily life. However, some concerns were noted regarding outdated bathrooms, lack of water activities due to low lake levels, and occasional maintenance issues, including power outages and service challenges. Overall, it is viewed as a lovely campground with potential for improvement.
What Guests Are Saying
South Abutment Campground offers a peaceful and well-kept environment, ideal for relaxation and enjoying nature. Many reviewers appreciated the cleanliness of the sites and facilities, spacious camping areas, and the quiet atmosphere, making it a great escape from daily life. However, some concerns were noted regarding outdated bathrooms, lack of water activities due to low lake levels, and occasional maintenance issues, including power outages and service challenges. Overall, it is viewed as a lovely campground with potential for improvement.
Review Summary
Edward W
VerifiedOctober 26, 2025 • Stayed at: 31, Loop: SOUTH ABUTMENT
It was good until we lost power at around 7:00 - 8 on sat night. Then could not drain out at site Sunday morning. Still had no power.
Christopher S
VerifiedOctober 5, 2025 • Stayed at: 22, Loop: SOUTH ABUTMENT
We've been camping on this side of the "what use to be lake" for several years. Love the location. It's a hidden gym.
Christopher S
VerifiedOctober 5, 2025 • Stayed at: 22, Loop: SOUTH ABUTMENT
We've been camping on this side of the "what use to be lake" for several years. Love the location. It's a hidden gym.
Tom S
VerifiedSeptember 29, 2025 • Stayed at: 04, Loop: SOUTH ABUTMENT
Nice campground
Tom S
VerifiedSeptember 29, 2025 • Stayed at: 04, Loop: SOUTH ABUTMENT
Nice campground
Harold C
VerifiedSeptember 18, 2025 • Stayed at: 23, Loop: SOUTH ABUTMENT
a
Harold C
VerifiedSeptember 18, 2025 • Stayed at: 23, Loop: SOUTH ABUTMENT
a
George Ballenger
September 11, 2025
$30 for an off season Wednesday night is the first red flag.
Second is the shower.
I guess if you like fake camping and more like a low grade trailer park this works for you? This really disappoints on, whatever you call this. It’s not camping and it’s not worth $30.
$25 a month for planet fitness and just camp at rest stops. That beats this location.
Jenna
September 1, 2025
Pros:
- Rangers are attentive, do a great job of patrolling and staying present. They are polite and easy to find and make you feel safe.
- The campsites are spaced really well so you don’t feel sardined.
- We were there Labor Day weekend and it was still quiet and peaceful and private; except for the construction they decided to do at 7 in the morning on one of their busiest (probably only busy) weekends of the year. But no partying or annoying drunks.
Cons
- Campsites aren’t managed; there was a wasp nest on our electrical box and our entire site, especially the picnic table, was buried in pine needles and cones. Yes, trees shed, but this was like, years worth. Typically state parks will prep the campsites minimally for visitors, but they don’t do that here. Prepare to rake up seasons worth of crap just to put your tent down.
- it’s not the parks fault, but it would be nice to have some sort of access to the lake despite it being so low
- Bathrooms are obviously getting cleaned, but maybe a small budget to fix the plumbing from encasing the entire room in a deep water puddle would be nice. Showers that you can lock would be nice. Seems like a massive waste of water. There is some sort of bacterial goo growing on the faucets. If I come back I would bring a portable toilet so I don’t have to go in there. They’re still better than the Sardis campground.
- This place is clearly going stale and losing business; so why on Gods green earth would you choose 7AM on Labor Day weekend to do loud construction? Like, come on. There are maybe six days out of the year yall are busy, and you manage to do loud beeping construction on one of those days early in the morning while people are sleeping? Are you trying to make people not want to come back?
All together, better than I expected; ranger was great; but yet again the state of Mississippi disappoints me in their state park facilities. A little love on the bathrooms, and campsites would make this place a goldmine; but NOT at 7am on a busy weekend! If you have an RV, most of my complaints don’t apply to you.
Karl C
VerifiedAugust 2, 2025 • Stayed at: 54, Loop: SOUTH ABUTMENT
Play ground and facilities bathrooms and showers are ready for upgrades..
Location South Abutment Campground
Address:
3905 Arkabutla Dam Road
Coldwater, MS, 38618-6548
United States
From I-55, take the Hernando, Mississippi exit and follow Scenic Route 304 to the main dam. Follow signs into the recreation area; the campground is just south of the dam.
Latitude & Longitude: 34.7467 / -90.1325
Elevation: 81 feet
Policies & Rules
Cancellation policy
- Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
- Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
- Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
- Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
- Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
- Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
- Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.
Safety & rules
- Visitors should familiarize themselves with the park's general rules.
- A Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (PFD) is required on Arkabutla Lake for certain activities, with specific rules based on vessel length.
Fires & fuel
- Buy firewood locally and burn it on-site to protect forests.
Warnings & Advisories
Warning
GeneralArkabutla Lake will be experiencing substantially lower water levels for an extended period of time. Long-term repairs to Arkbabutla Dam must be completed before water levels can return to normal. This affects boating access and water-based activities on the lake. Many boat ramps are currently closed with Hwy. 51 Landing being the only open ramp. Most day use and campground facilities remain open for public use. For more information, please contact the Arkabutla Lake Field Office at 662-562-6261 or 662-292-1992. For a full list of all affected areas and facilities as well as to get information on what's going on at Arkabutla Lake, please visit our project page at https://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Programs-and-Project-Management/Project-Management/Projects/Arkabutla-Project-Page/
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Last updated: June 3, 2026
