Shepard State Park: Everything You Need to Know

Looking for an affordable camping trip to coastal Mississippi?  Or maybe you live in Mississippi and want to see if Shepard State Park is worth a visit?  Whatever you’re thinking, let’s dive into everything you need to know about Shepard State Park in Gautier, Mississippi.  

For those looking for an affordable campground (with full hook-up!) Shepard State Park has a great campground with 38 sites.  This campground is spacious and has clean bathrooms/showers at a central location in the campground.  

For locals and visitors alike, there are plenty of things to do in Shepard State Park!  From an archery range, a frisbee golf course, a dozen hiking trails, and an incredible Marshwalk boardwalk where you can see turtles and alligators, you won’t be bored here.  

Whatever your reason for looking into Shepard, we’ll be covering all the details here.  Let’s start with some important links to get you going.

Important Links

–Shepard State Park website

–Shepard State Park Camping – Make Reservations Here

–Campground Map

–Things To Do in Ocean Springs, MS

–Things To Do in Biloxi, MS

–Camping Journal – Never Forget Your Camping Trips Details Again!

–Davis Bayou Campground – Nearby Camping

Location

Shepard State Park is located in Gautier, Mississippi. This hidden gem of a state park has easy access to the coastal towns of Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, and Biloxi where you can walk along the beach or enjoy some food and shopping.

Shepard State Park is about an hour from Gulfport, MS, 2 hours from New Orleans, LA, and about an hour from Mobile, AL. If you’re planning a Gulf Coast road trip, you’ll definitely want to add this state park to your list!

Daily Fees

Shepard State Park is a gated park that has a few fees you should know about. There is a $5 daily fee for all vehicles (up to 6 people) that will need to be paid to access the park.  

If you are planning to visit 9 times or more per year, there is an annual pass option that is $42 for the year.   The daily fee is waived if you are camping here.  

Marshwalk

Once you have paid for your daily pass, you’ll want to head straight to the Marshwalk!  This boardwalk trail starts behind the playground on Mohawk Road and leads you out across the saltwater marsh within the park.  

This boardwalk is a great opportunity to see crabs, fish, snakes, turtles and even alligators.  We were lucky enough that we saw all of those, but not everyday.  You can then loop back via the Delta Trail, or you can walk back the way you came.  

Disc Golf Course

If you are looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon, there is a great disc golf course in Shepard State Park.  With 18 holes to play, and plenty of ground to cover, you’ll be sure to get your steps in!

Oh, and good news!  If you are just going to play disc golf, the entrance fee is only $3 per person.  Again, this fee is waived if you are camping here.  

Archery Course

Shepard State Park has a great archery course, with 28 lanes of various distances for you to practice your shots.  Each target is made of a hard foam material and was in good condition when we were there. 

There is a fee of $5.50 to shoot here, and there are a few requirements.  You must be 18 with a valid drivers license and there is a liability waiver to be filled out in the office.  

The office does suggests calling 228-497-2244 ahead of time for reservations. 

Hiking Trails

The Mississippi coast isn’t exactly known for their hiking. But Shepard State Park does have several flat trails that you can choose from.  There are 13 trails that range from 0.3 miles long to 2 miles long.

Trails

• Alpha – 1.1miles
• Charlie – 1 mile
• Delta – 0.3 miles
• Echo – 0.4 miles
• Golf – 0.5 miles
• Juliet – 0.3 miles
• Kilo – 0.3 miles
• Oscar – 2 miles
• Papa – 0.6 miles
• Romeo – 0.5 miles
• Tango – 0.4 miles
• Whiskey – 0.7 miles
• Zulu – 1.5 miles

Again, these trails are quite flat and easy to navigate.  There is no online version of the trail map, so you will have to stop in the office and grab one if you want a paper copy.  

Pavilion Rental

If you want to host a party/picnic at Shepard State Park, there is a pavilion that is available to rent.  The pavilion costs $35 per day as well as $3 per car to enter the park.  

To reserve the pavilion, you’ll have to call 228-497-2244 ahead of time.  For all of your pavilion rental questions, I would also call the number above to ask.  

Field Rental

The final thing that you can rent out here is the large grass field located in the middle of the park.  This would be a perfect place for a team, troop, or group to hold an event or a practice.  

The field costs $6 per hour to rent out, or if you need lights on the field, the fee is $12 per hour.  You can call  228-497-2244 for all of the details about the field rental.  There is also a rental form to fill out that can be found here.  

Now, what about the campground?  Camping is an affordable way to stay near the Mississippi coast without breaking the budget!

Campground 

Shepard State Park has 38 campsites that are tucked back against the salt marshes within the park.  The park itself requires a gate code to enter, which will be sent to you in your confirmation email.  There is also a code for the bathroom.  

Each site has 30 & 50 amp hook-up, as well as water and sewer.  There is a bathhouse in between sites 18 and 28 with 2 showers and a few bathroom stalls per gender.  

The old area of the campground (sites 12 – 38) is laid out in a figure 8 pattern and is very well shaded.  Where the newer section of the park has little-to-no shade and is less spacious.  

Sites #4, #5, #12, #13, and #33 are pull-through sites, while the rest are back-in sites.  The sites do vary in size, so be sure to read the descriptions to ensure that your rig will fit.  

Details

• 38 Full Hook-Up Sites
• Bathhouse
• Office/Small General Store
• Gated Entry
• 13 Hiking Trails
• Disc Golf Course
• Archery Course
• Boat Launch
• Dump Station
• Playground
• Bark Park
• Rentable Pavillion
• Large Field (Rentable)

More Camping Info 

Before you camp here you should know that 

• check in time is 4pm  

• check out is at 2pm

The office/general store is open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.  They have maps and all the information you could need about the park here.  

The staff were all extremely friendly and helpful no matter when (or why) we popped in.  They also have a few items for sale such as T-shirts, bug spray, a few local hand-made items, and even some snacks and drinks.       

Monthly Option

There is also an option to camp here on a monthly basis.  For just $660 per month, you can stay long-term at Shepard State Park.  There is a deposit that is due up front for this option. But with easy access to all of Coastal Mississippi, you’re definitely getting a good deal if you want to stay for awhile.  

Camping Prices

At the time of our visit, each site cost $38 per night, or there is the monthly option.  There is a Senior/Military Discount as well, which was $33 per night.  

While this isn’t the cheapest campground in the area, the sites are full hook-up!  The entrance is gated and there are plenty of activities to keep you and your family entertained while you are camping here.  

Our Experience

My husband and I camped at Shepard State Park for 2 weeks in February 2025.  We camped in our 25 foot travel trailer on site 2.  While we had very little shade on this site, we were able to get better cell service (my husband was able to work here).  

The bathhouse was always clean and the sites were level and had been recently upgraded.  We were able to enjoy a few of the hiking trails, as well as walk the Marshwalk most days looking for alligators.  

We would definitely stay at this campground again and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing location with full hook-up.  There’s so much to do here and the staff were all wonderful, you will definitely enjoy your stay!

Conclusion

Whether you are looking to take an affordable camping trip, enjoy a day of disk golf, or look for wildlife on the Marshwalk, you will love Shepard State Park!  This little state park has plenty to do and see including an archery range, disk golf course, 13 hiking trails, and a great campground.  

For just $5 per car, you can check out this unique little hidden gem in Gautier, Mississippi.  Or for $38 per night you can have a nice level campsite with full hook-up.

As always, feel free to reach out to averagewildexperience@gmail.com if you have any questions!