roadtripper531984

We had not planned to stay in Jonesboro but decided to break our trip into two days at the last minute. It was a holiday weekend, and we had called all of the campgrounds that showed up at the top of our searches, and everyone was booked. Two other campgrounds recommended calling Craighead, so we did, and they had a spot!

The camp host and his girlfriend were incredibly friendly and helpful. They had a site they held for us, but they said someone was leaving, so they would give us the better site (19) if they did. This site was right next to the camp host, and it was in a lovely wooded area. It was also right across from the bathhouse.

The bathhouse was spacious and clean. I went in early in the morning and it had already been cleaned and was spotless. It had several restroom stalls and two showers. One was a very large handicapped stall that I didn't see inside, but even the regular stall was large with a shelf in the shower for toiletries and a seat/shelf and hooks in the outer area to keep your other items dry.

Speaking of being accessible, there was a handicap-accessible site right next to the bath house that had paved sidewalks connecting everything on the site and leading to the bathhouse. As someone who's camped with elderly family members, this is such a great idea and a wonderful opportunity to make the great outdoors accessible to everyone.

We were only there for one night, but I would love to go back and explore! There were several walking and hiking trails that we saw - some through the woods and some out in the open. We saw a fishing dock and a boat launch, and we saw signs for the "Castle Playground." We didn't make it over to see it, but I saw online that it was a fantasy-themed, accessible playground.

The site was a large, fairly level asphalt site. There were great firepits and free firewood available. And the price couldn't be beat! $15 for one night on a holiday weekend! (I think the rates might go up during peak season.) The camp host told us they were open year-round and weekly rates off-season were just $90.

I saw online that reservations are not accepted, so this is probably why we got lucky on a holiday weekend! This could be a down-side though if you were trying to plan a trip in advance.

Also, there was a lot of activity - I think because of all of the amenities and trails, there was a little more noise than we were used to with dogs barking and kids playing, but it was all happy noise, so I wouldn't complain!

Our AT&T cell phones didn't work from our site, but our T-Mobile hotspot was sufficient to stream tv and make wi-fi calls. It probably wouldn't have been sufficient for both of us to work from the campground with consistent service.

Overall, we were thrilled to find this hidden gem and will definitely be back (perhaps on our trip back through this time!)

This is the second time we've camped at George P Cossar State Park, and it won't be the last!

There are two different sides to the park - Yocona Ridge (which is where we stayed this time) and Jones Creek (which is where we stayed last time.) It appears that Jones Creek is under rennovation, and so even if it's available, I don't yet recommend staying there. It will be amazing once they finish the cleanup and rennovations, but for now, the bugs and critters can keep it!

Yocona Ridge; however, is well maintained! Our spot (12) was near the bathhouse, and the bathhouse was clean and well-maintained. It's also near a nice playground with swings, a merry-go-round, a slide, and little rocking swings for younger kids. There are beautiful views of the water, and several spots have access to walk down to the water's edge which would be great for fishing!

The RV spots are fairly level with full hookups. Plus there are lots of other flat areas that are appropriate for setting up tents if you have extra guests or need extra storage. The whole campground is wooded which provides lots of shade and places to hang your hammock.

There was a fire ban while we were there, but the firepits looked very nice in general!

The park has a boat ramp, a miniature golf course, and a disc golf course. If you want to swim, you can take a 20-minute drive over to Hickory Ridge swimming beach (on the other side of Enid Lake.) For a $5 per car (?) day pass, you can swim or use the bbq grills for a lovely afternoon!

One of our favorite restaurants (Pope Country Cafe) is about 15 minutes away, and they are open 7 days a week and have the best biscuits anywhere we've eaten in Mississippi! There's also easy access to Batesville and Oxford without having to stay "in town."

We use AT&T phone service and have a T-Mobile hotspot. Both get fairly consistent reception in the Yocona Ridge section.