Bienville National Forest in Mississippi offers Forest Service recreation at Marathon Lake. For a walking or hiking visit, start with Marathon Lake, Shongelo Lake. Each recreation site has its own facilities and access rules; use the official maps and current site instructions to plan your visit.

Camping & reservations

The booking button opens official site-specific camping instructions for Marathon Lake. Check current reservations, first-come arrangements and any permit requirements there.

Truck-camping & permitted overnight use

Confirm with the district whether your chosen designated campsite accepts a truck camper or RV. Check pad length, turning space, approach surface and seasonal access; a trailhead or day-use lot is not an overnight campsite.

No forest-wide permission to camp is implied. Check the district’s current dispersed-camping rules, designated areas, fire restrictions, stay limits and seasonal closures before choosing an undeveloped site.

Activities, hiking & trails

Marathon Lake ↗
Marathon Lake is a 50-acre lake located in Smith County. It was named after Marathon Lumber Company which closed in 1929. The lake has been stocked with catfish, bass and crappie and is open to bream fishing. You will enjoy the beauty and seclusion of the quiet campground at Marathon Lake, located approximately 15 miles southeast of Forest, MS and 25 miles northeast of Raleigh, MS. Marathon Recreation Area is equipped with 34 campsites with water and electric hook-ups, a boat ramp, swimming area, two bath houses with warm showers, picnic shelters, picnic tables and a hiking trail. A dump station is available. The area has a volunteer campground host on site most of the time.

Shongelo Lake ↗
This small recreation area is located 5 miles north of Raleigh, MS and 21 miles south of Forest, MS. Shongelo Lake is a 5-acre lake offering bank fishing. A swimming area, seven picnic sites, picnic shelter and hiking trail make this site appealing for family day use enjoyment.

Maps & road access

• Official visitor maps, trail maps and Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) ↗
• Forest Service’s Interactive Visitor Map ↗
• motor vehicle use maps ↗

Consult the current Motor Vehicle Use Map for permitted motor routes, vehicle classes and seasonal designations. A route on an MVUM is not a guarantee that it is maintained or passable. Check current road closures and conditions with the district; carry an offline map.

Use the official directions for the exact named campground or trailhead; forest boundaries and administrative offices are not campsite entrances. Official directions / site access ↗

Before you travel

Check the forest’s current alerts, seasonal services, fire orders and campground rules. Download the relevant official maps before entering areas with limited reception.

Source review: 2026-11-01. Conditions, fees, permits and availability can change. USDA Forest Service official information ↗

Photograph sources & licensing

Banner: Mississippi Highway 13 through Bienville National Forest
MS13 North - Bienville National Forest
Credit: formulanone. Original source ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Second large photograph: Trail in Bienville National Forest
Trail Bienville National Forest
Credit: Bart Everson. Original source ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Photographs are real images of the named unit; no AI-generated photographs are used. Federal photo credit register.