Shepard State Dog Park

Shepard State Park in Gautier, Mississippi, near the Gulf of Mexico, is not a huge park, by state park standards, but it has a lot of amenities. It has campgrounds, both for primitive camping and for RVs. It has a disc golf course, miles of paved and dirt biking paths, a prominent archery range, a large picnic area, and an off-leash dog park. The dog park at Shepard State Park called the "Bark Park" is a little less than an acre. 

It has a tall fence and benches. There are fountains for people and a small hose for dogs, so you should be sure to bring a water bowl for your friend. The park doesn't offer poop bags, but they do have three pooper scoopers in order to help you clean up after your dog. Dogs are welcome throughout Shepard Park, but the Bark Park is the only off-leash area. 

The dog park is set close to the camping facilities, so it's a bit of a walk from the parking lot. But it's a nice walk. The path is paved and well-shaded, which is important in this region through much of the year. You'll be able to see beautiful flowers and live oaks, as well as cypress trees. The dog park is about a quarter of a mile down the path,  but the path continues past the park to wind nearly two miles along the shores of the Pascagoula River.

The river looks beautiful but has Cottonmouth snakes and other water predators, so it is better to just enjoy the view of the river, rather than swim. Your leashed dog is welcome along the path, and anywhere else in the park. There are three campgrounds at Shepard State Park. 

The campgrounds allow dogs but have breed restrictions. They do not allow dogs that are from what they consider aggressive dog breeds, which they define as Chow Chows, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers. The admission fee for the park is $4. However, campground fees are separate and vary by the type of camping you will be doing and the time of year.