North Abutment Public Use Area
Coffeeville, Mississippi
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About North Abutment Public Use Area
North Abutment Public Use Area is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground and day-use area at the north end of Grenada Dam on Grenada Lake near Coffeeville, Mississippi. Within the campground grounds is a separate small 17-acre lake to swim in, a swimming hole with its own designated beach, distinct from the main reservoir, which is used primarily for boating and fishing.
The area sits at the north abutment of Grenada Dam, a large Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoir on the Yalobusha and Skuna Rivers in north-central Mississippi. The site combines a modern RV campground, a day-use pavilion overlooking the lake, and Civil War-era historical landmarks noted by the Corps in its site description.
Swimming at North Abutment Public Use Area
Swimming takes place at a designated beach on a small 17-acre lake located within the North Abutment Campground, separate from the main body of Grenada Lake. This pond-like lake is also stocked with bream, largemouth bass, and catfish for campers, suggesting calm, shallow, family-oriented conditions typical of a managed recreation-area swim pond rather than open reservoir swimming.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located off Scenic Loop 333 on the north side of Grenada Dam near Coffeeville/Grenada, Mississippi; the campground address is 4823 Scenic Loop 333, Grenada, MS 38901, and the day-use pavilion address is 2202 Scenic Loop 333, Grenada, MS 38901.
The hike in
No hike is needed; the swim beach sits within the North Abutment Campground/day-use grounds. The separate 'Lost Bluff Hiking Trail' is listed as a nearby attraction on the Recreation.gov day-use page but is a distinct trail, not the route to the swim beach.
Confirmed drive-up access consistent with prior enrichment; no trip reports describe walking from a lot to the beach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
It's a designated swim beach on a small, calm, stocked 17-acre pond inside the campground (not the open 35,000-acre reservoir), which is inherently more kid-friendly than open-lake swimming, but no source documents lifeguards, marked shallow zones, or slope/depth at the beach, so supervision is still warranted.
Restrooms
Yes
A restroom is located near the day-use pavilion at North Abutment Day Use area, per its Recreation.gov listing. The campground's Phase 2 shower house was noted as closed for repairs (recreation.gov campground listing), so campground shower access may be limited even though restrooms exist.
On the water
Recreation.gov and USACE-sourced descriptions of boat launching, boat ramp fees, and jet skiing all refer to the main 35,000-acre Grenada Lake reservoir (with its own boat ramp at the North Abutment Day Use pavilion), not to the separate small 17-acre stocked swim lake where the beach sits. No source specifies whether kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, or any craft are permitted on the swim lake itself, so watercraft rules for the actual swim spot are left unconfirmed rather than assumed.
Backstory
The Corps of Engineers' own site description notes the area is 'rich with Civil War historical landmarks.' Grenada Lake itself was built starting in 1954 at a cost of $32 million as a flood-control response to the Great Flood of 1927.
North Abutment Public Use Area: FAQ
Does North Abutment Public Use Area charge a fee?
Camping sites are reservable through Recreation.gov; a boat ramp fee applies; a North Abutment Day Use Pass (Activity Pass AP21039) exists for the day-use area, though the exact day-use fee amount was not found.
Is North Abutment Public Use Area kid friendly?
It's a designated swim beach on a small, calm, stocked 17-acre pond inside the campground (not the open 35,000-acre reservoir), which is inherently more kid-friendly than open-lake swimming, but no source documents lifeguards, marked shallow zones, or slope/depth at the beach, so supervision is still warranted.
Do I need to hike to reach North Abutment Public Use Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for North Abutment Public Use Area?
Recreation.gov listings describe campsite parking aprons (RV pads) and a boat ramp at the day-use pavilion, but neither listing specifies a dedicated swim-beach parking lot, its type, or cost; a boat ramp fee and a 'North Abutment Day Use Pass' exist for the area but the exact day-use/parking fee amount is not published.
What are the rules at North Abutment Public Use Area?
Quiet hours run 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, pets must be leashed, camping stay extensions are not granted, and picnic shelters at the day-use area are first-come-first-served.
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