Mile 19.0 RBD — Fort Jackson Beach

John Ruskey

26 Apr 2026 � 1 min read

Best camping along this stretch of river in low/med water, up to 10NO.

The levee falls back and the batture becomes wider around Jackson Point, allowing for the return of natural shorelines and good camping for one mile from 19.5 to 18.5 RBD. It is so rare to find natural shorelines on the Lower Miss -- those without rip-rap, revetment, or other un-natural means of man-made protection. As result they are always special places. A long narrow sandy/muddy beach emerges in low water below a grassy ridge here, and offers the best camping in the area. Ideal campsites can be found in low water 0-8 NO. You might find dry spots up to 10NO, but everything will be underwater around 12NO. The campsites along the river here are bisected by several inlets, which make for interesting sites, and are are always busy with wildlife, especially birds, but also amphibians, insects, and crustaceans. Behind the sandy ridge paddlers will find a wetlands between the river and the levee, fed by a narrow inlet which responds to the tide changes with water sometimes flowing in, sometimes out. This dynamic place is a birder’s paradise, and creates a buffer for paddlers to find a little peace from the levee and the busy “man-scape” beyond. While Fort Jackson Beach offers a diverse selection of picnicking and camping choices, always make a measurement of river level and camp height to make sure you won’t have any midnight surprises when the tide comes up and a freighter passes by. Also, be very careful of fire ants in this and all land locations in this area. Note: Known pig habitat. Lastly, ATV access possible via south end of beach where it comes close to levee.

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