Puskus Lake

The Puskus Lake Recreation Area is a lovely place to enjoy the natural beauty of the Holly Springs National Forest. Those looking for an alternative to crowded, concrete recreation areas will delight in Puskus Lake's natural beauty and quiet setting. Its remote setting convenient to Oxford provides a perfect atmosphere for camping, fishing, hiking and relaxing.

The Puskus Interpretive Hiking Trail is a mile and a half loop that takes visitors through hardwood bottoms, over bubbling brooks, to a scenic lake overlook and back again. Interpretive signs provide educational tidbits on the local flora and fauna. While Puskus Lake offers no hookups or showers, you won’t find a more tranquil site to get away from it all. Bring your boat for a relaxing fishing experience, or fish from one of our piers. Sunbathers love Puskus and there’s a grassy area to play Frisbee or hacky sack.

The Puskus Lake Recreation Area is located minutes from Oxford, Mississippi.

Fishing

Fishing opportunities include largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish. A fishing pier provides easy access, or choose to fish from shore or from a boat. Regulations and limits are posted. A resident or out of state fishing license is required

Puskus Lake features a concrete boat ramp, which may be fairly steep for small vehicles. No water skiing or swimming is allowed. Puskus is a no-wake lake.

Puskus Lake hiking trail is informative and educational, with interpretive signs along the way. It has a natural tread with white blazed trees marking the route. It begins near the boat landing and traverses one a half miles of beautiful mature pine and hardwood forest. Be on the look out for deer, squirrels, quail, woodcocks and more. The trail is also excellent for bird watching. Bottomland species of wildflowers carpet the forest with color in the spring and summer. Motorbikes, horses and bicycles are prohibited.

The recreation area features 19 primitive campsites around the lake. Camp units have tables, grills, tent pads and parking areas. There are no electric hookups. Pit toilets and potable water faucets are available.

Visitors could not find a more tranquil and relaxing spot for a picnic. Puskus Lake has 13 picnic units with tables and grills. Potable water is available and trash receptacles are located throughout the recreation area.

From Oxford, take MS Highway 7 North to MS Highway 30 East. Go for about nine miles, then turn left at the sign onto Forest Service Road 2089, travel three miles to the entrance of the recreation area.