Paul B. Johnson State Park
- Status
- Status not postedDaily 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- $2 per personAnnual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions
- Camping
- 150 campsitesAlso cabins
- Official site
- mdwfp.com(601) 582-7721
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
In Forrest County, about 12 miles south of Hattiesburg, Paul B. Johnson State Park covers about 511 acres.
Visitors come for golf, disc golf, winter sports, boating, and fishing. Water access includes a boat ramp. Overnight options include 150 campsites across 3 camping areas, with RV sites with full hookups, tent sites, primitive or hike-in sites, and group camping. Roofed lodging includes cabins.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
| Visitor center | Daily | 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. | — |
| Daily | sunrise – sunset | — |
Official wording
8 AM to 5 PM, Seven Days a Week
A boat launch, dock, and paved trailer parking area is located near the visitor center. Lake rules are located on a sign at the boat launch. A fee is required for use of the boat launch. Daily or annual permits are available for purchase at the gatehouse. Skiing, pleasure boating, and personal watercraft hours are 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fishing is not permitted within the skiing area during skiing hours. A sand beach and swimming area is located behind the Visitor Center. Lake swimming is also available in the picnic area at designated location. Lake swimming hours are from sunrise to sunset.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Chicago).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Entrance Fee | $2 · person |
Official wording
Entrance Fee: $2.00 per person, 5 years of age and under - free
Mississippi park passes
- Annual Entrance Pass (in & out of state) — $50.00 per person. General entrance Details
From the Mississippi state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- MDWFP state park reservation system
- Phone
- 1-800-GO PARKS (1-800-467-2757)
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed, with restrictions
Not allowed in or on: lodging facilities or on the grounds of lodging facilities; any mississippi government buildings.
Pets are not allowed in lodging facilities or on the grounds of lodging facilities. Smoking and Pets are not allowed in any Mississippi government buildings.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developed Camping | 125 | Full hookupShowers | — |
| Group Camp | — | — | |
| Primitive Camping | 25 | — |
Camping details from the park
There are several options when it comes to staying overnight. The park offers 125 RV campsites, 25 primitive tent campsites, 12 cabins, two duplexes, and a group camp facility. These facilities are located in wooded areas with views of Geiger Lake.
Developed Camping
Developed Campground
A scenic hill shaded by stately pines provides the setting for 125 RV campsites with many of the campsites providing lakefront camping. All of the campsites feature water, sewer, and electrical hook-ups. Picnic tables and grills are located throughout the developed camping area. Campground roads and RV pads are paved. The RV campground features a private beach and lake swimming area.
Three bathhouses with hot showers and restrooms are located in the campground. A RV sewage dump station is located off the main park drive near the campgrounds.
Campsites can be reserved by contacting the park office at (601) 582-7721 or by our online reservation system.
Group Camp
Group Camp Facility
Located across Geiger Lake from the main park area, Paul B. Johnson's group camp offers housing for groups of 40 to 146 campers. Housing is provided by an air conditioned dormitory that sleeps 104 and three huts that sleep 14 each. All sleeping quarters are bunk style. Campers must bring bed linen, pillow, towels, soap, and other personal items.
Smoking and Pets are not allowed in any Mississippi government buildings.
The dormitory features two separate sleeping areas accommodating 52 each. A meeting room at the dormitory features a fireplace, tables, chairs, refrigerator, cabinets, and sink.
The dining hall comfortably seats 150.
Reservations
Group camp facilities are available by reservations only.
Reservations can be made by contacting the park at (601) 582-7721.
Group Camp Minimum Requirements
- 45 guests, two nights stay during peak season (May 15 - September 15)
- 25 guests, one night stay during the off season (September 16 - May 14)
Contact Park for rates and reservations - (601)-582-7721
Additional facilities include a large pavilion near the dormitory, a small pavilion near the lake, a lake front chapel, a swimming area with pier, and a ball field.
Upon leaving, all areas must be clean and will be inspected by a Park Manager. If you have any questions concerning the group camp, please call (601) 582-7721 - any day of the week between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Weddings
The Dining Hall and Blue Bird Chapel can be utilized for weddings. Contact the park office for more information.
Laundry Facilities
Laundry Facilities
Laundry facilities are coin operated and provided only for overnight campers. Laundry facilities are located at two of the bathhouses in the developed campground.
Primitive Camping
Primitive Tent Camping
25 sites in a secluded, pastoral setting are set aside for primitive tent camping. The area provides privacy in a wooded area behind the northern developed campground. There are no amenities. These are available on first-come, first-serve basis.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Vacation Cabins: 12 units
Vacation Cabins
Lakeview cabin at Paul B. Johnson State Park
Cabins
Paul B. Johnson features 12 cabins and 2 duplexes, all offering direct access to Geiger Lake. Cabins sleep four and feature one or two bedrooms, kitchen, den, and a bathroom with shower. Cabins offer central air conditioning and heat and are furnished with a TV, stove, refrigerator, microwave, coffee pot, and basic cooking and eating utensils. Bed and bath linens are provided. Smoking is not allowed in any Mississippi government buildings.
An outdoor patio area features a picnic table and grill. Reservations are recommended. Reservations can be made by calling the park office at (601) 582-7721 or by our online reservation system.
Smoking is not permitted in any Mississippi Government building.
Pets are not allowed in lodging facilities or on the grounds of lodging facilities.
Things to do
PicnickingGolfDisc golfCampingBoatingFishingWinter sportsHiking
Swimming
Geiger Lake Beach and Swimming
A sand beach and swimming area is located behind the Visitor Center. Lake swimming is also available in the picnic area at designated location. Lake swimming hours are from sunrise to sunset.
Splash Pad
The splash pad is a 5,000 square foot water playground offering zero depth water fun on the shore of Geiger Lake. The splash pad features 37 fanciful water sprays and jets. Children can enjoy sliding down a frog's tongue or getting splashed by overhead buckets of water. Children can venture through a gauntlet of colored standing spray loops or be encircled by a curtain of water at the mushroom.
- All diapers worn in splash pad area must be swim diapers.
- Chewing gum, water balloons, and smoking are not permitted in splash pad area.
An admission fee is required to access the splash pad. The splash pad is open (weather permitting) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. according to the following schedule:
Boating and paddling
Boating
A boat launch, dock, and paved trailer parking area is located near the visitor center. Lake rules are located on a sign at the boat launch. A fee is required for use of the boat launch. Daily or annual permits are available for purchase at the gatehouse. Skiing, pleasure boating, and personal watercraft hours are 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fishing is not permitted within the skiing area during skiing hours.
Fishing
At the center of Paul B. Johnson State Park is Geiger Lake, a 225 acre fresh water lake offering fishing and water sports.
Fishing
The lake is well stocked with Large Mouth Bass, Bluegill, Bream, Shell Cracker (Red Ear), Crappie, and Channel Catfish. Geiger Lake is checked yearly by biologist for restocking needs. Fertilization and other enhancements to the lake are also performed yearly as deemed necessary by department biologists.
Licenses may be purchased at the park office for a fee.
- Fishing license Information
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
- Playground
- Park or camp store
- Laundry
- Group facilities
Water
- Splash pad
- Boat ramp
Camping
- Tent camping
- RV camping
- Electric hookups
- Water hookups
- Sewer hookups
- Primitive or backcountry camping
- Group camping
Lodging
- Cabins
Recreation
- Golf course
- Disc golf
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Getting there
- Address
- 319 Geiger Lake Road
Hattiesburg, MS 39401 - Nearest town
- Hattiesburg — about 12 mi south (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 31.1413, -89.2407
- Phone
- (601) 582-7721
- paulbjohnson@wfp.ms.gov
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Directions From MS Hwy 49 South • Turn off of Hwy 49 onto Geiger Lake Road • Drive 0.4 miles • Welcome to Paul B. Johnson State Park.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Mississippi State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- MDWFP State Parks Park Finder page; coordinates from arcgis.mdwfp.com Website/Parks_New MapServer layer 3 (PARKS_CENTERPOINTS)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
- Photo: PaulBJohnsonSP.JPG — Public domain (released by the author), Joe Furr
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology