Chewalla Lake — Attraction in Holly Springs

The only national forest camping experience I have ever had with flush toilet and showers!! The price is low, such as you expect from our national forests, but unlike the normal very small campground, it has lots of sites, a boat ramp, and really pleasant day use area. There are indications all around of special touches, that people in the past loved the place. It is perfect for family reunion camping...with mostly tents. The forest is mature and the bird life plentiful and diverse (scarlet tanager, summer tanager, pergula, warblers, orioles, whipperorwill, and more!). So why is it empty??? It was closed during covid for three years and the plan, I hear, was to permanently remove the recreational area. It reopened last year with some minimal inputs. The day use area had a tree fall on the bathroom which has yet to be repaired. There were issues from the closed season of it becoming a hangout for teenagers and others. The law enforcement officers are doing a good job making themselves seen there and having a host is huge. Good job! I would love to see the forest service invest in this valuable resource and promote it! How about upgrade and increase the electric sites? I think that is where the income is generated. The beach area needs upgrading as well. We are finishing up six weeks of camping across the nation and loved this place the two nights we stayed. Such a...

Go there is nothing you would expect No harsh rules just good times fishing and beautiful lake and scenery. No tent camping yet. But rv and campers. No bathrooms are available but a porta potty. There's a small playground with a teeter- tot and a few of those animals you sit on and rock Good polite people and clean grounds. Not a large place. You would expect this park to be at the edge of Holly springs ms. Has critters supposively like bears, boars(I can vouch)cougars etc. Was here for a week. That's long enough to see other wildlife. But they aren'tr living in people areas they more scared of us and live far away from our voices and noises.. I left pet food on the ground and is my fault the boar showed up. Heard some upset stomach noise I though my partner had gotten sick from the food we ate. She thought the same it was loud and I asked if she was ok . She thought it was me passing severe gas and I got up to look there it was and it left after the food was gone. Not scared of my great Dane barking at it or me. It wanted to eat and that was what it did. I mean to the van until it was gone. Lol I heard it a few more times but just feel back to sleep .I would love to stay there in an RV a month or so anyone have any ideas? Cheap rental RV or...

Quiet and peaceful. We have been coming here for over 20 years. Watched it thrive for years until Covid hit. I think it was a series of events, all relatively close together that led to most of its current state. First storm damage to the bath house and swimming area restrooms left them unusable, Covid didn’t help popularity, vandals burned down the overlook, and the camp host who had been there for years left. After all that, it seems the place went downhill fast. Terrible local rumors were starting to emerge. Thank god for Chuck. He is the new camp host and has been working tirelessly to reconstruct what he can. He was able to re-open the camping area because it was “closed due to ongoing vandalism”, secure the funding for rebuilding of the bath house, ran off the delinquent’s mostly at his own risk, and re-establishing a police presence for campers piece of mind. Our last trip recently was as magical as our first 20 years ago and we can thank Chuck for all his work making that possible.

The whippoorwill’s calling in the early morning are a treat to wake up to. There are a pair of bald eagles that call this lake home too! There are cedar trees, wild flowers, and dogwoods blooming all over the park. Truly...