Sitting on the Chickasawhay branch of the Pascagoula River Basin, Okatibbee Lake features beautiful waters and resplendent forest vegetation that provide excellent opportunities for camping and refreshing getaways. This Army Corps of Engineers park is located seven miles northwest of Meridian, Mississippi and is easily accessible by RVs, trailers, and other motorized vehicles.
Activities you can enjoy at Okatibbee Lake include fishing for bass, crappie, catfish etc.; boating and paddling on the lake; hunting for game species in the park’s wildlife management area, and swimming. Opportunities to view wildlife and birds are also available in the park. The day-use areas in the park also provide picnicking and nature observation opportunities. Recreational opportunities are also available in the nearby Bienville National Forest, Roosevelt State Park, as well as other areas in Mississippi.
A campground is available year-round for tent, group, and RV camping in Okatibbee Lake. This COE campground features campsites equipped with electric and water hookups, as well as showers and sanitary facilities. Other amenities in the park include pay phone, boat ramps, and swimming areas.
Just seven miles northwest of Meridian, Mississippi, along State Highway 19, is Okatibbee Lake, a simple drive-in park that is easy to locate and access by RVs, trailers, and other motorized vehicles. Getting around in the park is also easy as the campground and day use areas are connected by local roads. There are no driving restrictions within this Army COE park. In addition, various RV options are available to campers who wish to visit the park.
Parking areas are provided for RVs, trailers, and cars at Okatibbee Lake for vacationers and visitors. All the campgrounds and day use areas within the park also have parking spaces for rigs. Moreover, overnight parking is available.
There are no direct public transportation services to Okatibbee Lake.
Twiltley Campground in Okatibbee Lake is a 64-campsite campground that offers RV, tent, and group camping opportunities. Three campsites are available for groups, while the remaining sites are standard RV and tent campsites. All 64 campsites are equipped with water hookups, while only 51 RV campsites have electric hookup options. RV length limit at the campground is 130 feet.
Amenities and facilities at this COE Campground include showers, boat ramps, pay phone, swimming areas, and sanitary facilities.
Campsites are available by reservation.
Public hunting is popular among visitors and campers at Okatibbee Lake during winter and fall. With more than nine sq. miles of land available for wildlife management purposes, campers can hunt for squirrels, deer, geese, rabbit, and doves in this Army COE park. The Army COE in conjunction with Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks continually make effort to promote the game and non-game wildlife in the park.
A permit is required to hunt in the area, and this can be obtained at the Okatibbee Wildlife Management Office.
Swimming is a welcome activity for campers and visitors who love to take in a dip in the clear waters of Okatibbee Lake. Designated swimming areas are available at the day use areas for use by outdoor enthusiasts at the park. Other recreation facilities available for use include ball fields, volleyball areas, and horseshoe pits. There are no changing rooms available, and no lifeguards on duty. As a result, all swimmers are advised to exercise caution while swimming in the lake.
The day use areas in Okatibbee Lake offer wonderful picnicking opportunities for RV campers and visitors who fancy sharing a meal with family and/or friends at the park. The picnic sites within the park are equipped with amenities such as tables, picnic shelters, restrooms, and playground equipment. In addition, at East Bank Dam Site Public-Use Area, for instance, there is an overlook platform where campers enjoying picnics get to enjoy breathtaking views of the lake and the dam.
There are various wildlife habitats within the Okatibbee Wildlife Management Area at Okatibbee Lake that support the diverse fauna in the park. These habitats range from forests with mature bottomland hardwoods that feature mature pines and hardwood timber, to open, marshland habitats. Beavers, endangered and threatened wildlife species are common in the area. In addition, American alligators, bald eagles and juvenile eagles are also regularly seen in the park. Bird lovers within the park visit this WMA to watch birds do their thing.
With more than six miles of water surface available in this Army Corps of Engineers park, RV campers and visitors have plenty of opportunities to enjoy boating and water sports. The lake itself is a 17-acre multi-purpose project managed by the Army COE. As you set out to explore the lake, you are required to abide by the local, state and federal boating laws, and follow the navigation markers around the lake. A list of precautions is available in the park to keep boaters and paddlers safe.
Okatibbee Lake is well-known as one of the best Army Corps of Engineers lakes for fishing. The old creek channels, stump beds, and extensive beaver flowages in the park provide spots where anglers find striped bass and largemouth bass. In addition, there are large populations of bream, crappie, and catfish in the lake. The fishing platform at the tailrace below the dam is a good place to find some of these fish.
To enhance the fishing experience in the park, over 20 fish attractors and bream beds are in place on the lake for use. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks stocks the lake annually with both forage and game fish.
