THE OUTDOORS IN MISSISSIPPI ARE FULL OF THE UNEXPECTED.

No one will mistake the Delta for the mountains, but you may be surprised to see signs marking bear crossings across our vast flatlands just the same. And you wouldn’t think crystal-clear, spring-fed waterfalls are common just a stone’s throw from the muddy Mississippi River, but Clark Creek Natural Area has dozens of them.

Tishomingo State Park, a captivating sliver of Appalachia in our forested northwestern corner, tops the short list of surprises you’ll find exploring Mississippi.

Entering Tishomingo from the Natchez Trace Parkway is like arriving back in a time when Native Americans and early European settlers used the famed path for travel and trade. Limestone and sandstone boulders of various sizes and shapes, many draped in colorful lichens and mosses, peek through the ground cover. Rocks form a hillside rim over Bear Creek, where archaeological finds have uncovered indigenous settlements dating to 9,000 years ago. 

The park’s iconic Swinging Bridge, pictured on this year’s cover, was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. This mystical bridge leads to more than three miles of wonders along the Outcroppings Trail, where you’ll find dramatic rock walls, overhangs and waterfalls leading back to Bear Creek.

Heading south, you’ll travel over the Black Prairie, which gets its name from the region’s rich soil, and venture into the rolling hills and tall canopy of the Piney Woods. As you descend to the Coastal Plain, the air will begin to feel a little salty, and you’ll start to see patches of sand along the roadsides. Then, beyond expanses of reedy marshes and the shade of centuries-old oaks, the refreshing breezes of the Gulf of Mexico await.

In Mississippi, our landscapes reward the curious. And wanderers are always welcome.

Outdoor Hidden Gems

If you want to explore off the grid in Mississippi, look beyond the obvious and get to know the state’s secret charms. 

Fort Massachusetts

NORTH

Moon Lake, a 2,300-acre oxbow lake 15 miles north of Clarksdale, has captivated generations of visitors. Playwright Tennessee Williams loved it so much he featured it in several of his works including “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Access the lake’s ample bass, crappie and catfish sport fishing by boat or the public pier, which has a covered pavilion for escaping the summer sun. Located just south of the historic riverside hamlet of Rosedale, Mississippi, Great River Road State Park gives visitors direct access to the banks of the Mississippi River. The park, which plans to reopen in spring 2023, also contains an oxbow lake with a boat ramp, hiking and more.

CENTRAL

In present-day Flora, ancient tree trunks and limbs deposited by flood waters and then buried by windblown loess soil hardened into stone through a process that began 36 million years ago. After thousands of years of erosion, these petrified logs now rest above ground at the Mississippi Petrified Forest. Sky Lake near Belzoni is home to an old-growth forest of giant bald cypress trees, some more than a thousand years old. Take the boardwalk and let the interpretive signs help you identify the flora and fauna that call this oxbow home, or bring a canoe or kayak to navigate through the trees on a 2.6-mile paddling trail.

SOUTH

Twelve miles offshore from Biloxi, Ship Island is the most visited of Mississippi’s four barrier islands. Travel by ferry or private boat to enjoy the Gulfside beach or tour Fort Massachusetts, which was used as a staging location for the Union’s campaign against New Orleans during the Civil War in 1862. Erosion of the bluffs 200 feet above the Pearl River in Marion County has exposed layers of red clay, sand and other sediments at Red Bluff. Although the site is on private property, the colorful formation is viewable from what’s left of the existing roadbed. There are two sides of Clark Creek Natural Area near Woodville—the wide main trail, which leads to several waterfalls, and the primitive trail, where you’ll have to work a little harder for those rewards. Set aside 2.5 hours to hike both and make a loop, and keep your eyes and ears open for more than 50 waterfalls—some as high as 30 feet.

Canoeing & Kayaking

When you share your name with one of the world’s great rivers, finding your way around the water is second nature.

NORTH

River guide John Ruskey leads canoeing expeditions down the Mississippi River at Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale. They book day trips, overnight and multi-night adventures so you can paddle by day and camp on sandbars and islands under the stars at night. In the Appalachian foothills, sandstone bluffs overlook rocky Bear Creek in Tishomingo State Park. Visitors can float a six-mile trip with class I rapids in a canoe, then hike through the rock outcroppings and take a walk across its signature swinging bridge.

CENTRAL

One of the state’s largest lakes, Barnett Reservoir, covers 33,000 acres in the Jackson metro with some of the best recreational freshwater in the state. “The Rez,” as it’s known locally, is a prime spot for watersports, fishing and relaxing, with plenty of backwater to explore in canoes or kayaks. Tent and RV campers can stay right on the water at Timberlake and Goshen Springs campgrounds. The Chunky River is part of the Pascagoula River watershed, the largest undammed river by volume in the lower 48 states. Canoe and kayak rentals are available to explore the river between Chunky and Enterprise, where it joins the Chickasawhay River. Dunn’s Falls Park, which has a water wheel and waterfall, makes a great stop along the way.

SOUTH

Think you can make it through the Okatoma River’s class I rapids and chutes without tipping your canoe? It’s harder than you might think—but once you’re through, you can pull over and watch other paddlers scramble over the small ledge. Along with camaraderie you’ll find several rope swings, sand beaches and even some sandstone outcroppings along the river near Seminary. Like many other coastal creeks in the Gulf region, Black Creek gets its name and color from tannins in the water, making a stark contrast with its chalk-white sandbars. Primitive hiking trails follow the creek, a designated National Wild and Scenic River, and camping is allowed along the waterway. If you’re looking for a backwoods float trip, Black Creek is for you.

Hiking & Biking

Bicycling the Natchez Trace Parkway through Mississippi, either by section or in one 309-mile trek from Natchez to the Alabama state line, grants an experience you can’t get anywhere else. Plus, there are several bicycle-only campgrounds along the way where you can rest up for the ride ahead.

NORTH

The Tanglefoot Trail, a rails-to-trails initiative, runs for 43 miles through the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area and into the heart of communities like New Albany, Pontotoc and Houston, where you can find boutiques, antique shops and eateries. Single- and double- track trails wind for 32 miles through the Noxubee Hills Trails, located five miles south of Ackerman. Bikers and hikers share the trails as they meander up ridges and switchbacks and along old gravel roads.

CENTRAL

Named for the Choctaw settlement that stood in present-day Jackson, the Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail is a paved 10 mile pathway through former Choctaw lands near Ridgeland. At the northern end, the trail leads to Reservoir Overlook, a high point with panoramic views of the Barnett Reservoir. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out the Barnett Reservoir Botanical Garden Trail just across the lake’s spillway in Brandon. At just over half a mile in length, this paved walking trail is manageable for young and old alike.

SOUTH

The Longleaf Trace connects Piney Woods communities like Bassfield and Sumrall before hitting Hattiesburg. For more than two decades, bikers and hikers have used this former railroad pathway to explore the backwoods of the region. Along the Pascagoula Historic Bike Trail, you can cruise by points of interest like the LaPointe-Krebs House, the oldest structure standing in the Mississippi Valley, as well as the Round Island lighthouse. Just a couple blocks from the beach, you’ll see the house where Jimmy Buffett spent his earliest days. 

Ecotourism & Birding

As one of the most rural states in the U.S., Mississippi is a resource-rich haven for birds of all feathers and a refuge for naturalists.

NORTH

At the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center in Holly Springs, 15 miles of hiking trails lead visitors through native forest, wetlands and grasslands. The Strawberry Plains Hummingbird Migration and Nature Celebration, Audubon’s largest outdoor festival, toasts the arrival of migrating birds every September on the weekend following Labor Day.

CENTRAL

The Flowood Nature Trail Park is a serene outdoor escape located within the city of Flowood. Here you’ll find 40 picturesque acres filled with native Mississippi trees and plants. A one-mile paved walking trail goes around the park’s lake and lush hardwood forests and features distance markers as well as markers for native plant species. 

SOUTH

Along waterways in our six southernmost counties, the Mississippi Coastal Birding Trail will lead you to 40 sites known by local birders as historically prime birding locations to discover varieties of herons, egrets, rails, gallinules and the endangered least tern. Established in 1975 on nearly 20,000 acres near Ocean Springs, the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge protects its namesake non-migratory bird and its coastal wetland and pine savannah habitats. From just a few dozen remaining birds, the crane’s population has grown to more than 130 known birds today. Spend a couple of hours in the lower Pascagoula River marshes and swamps learning about the biodiversity and legends of the wild “Singing River” with Eco-Tours of South Mississippi in Gautier. The outfitter also organizes paddling and birding trips to Deer Island and can build a custom tour for your group.

FISHING

Anglers from all over dream of having the abundant freshwater and saltwater fishing habitats available in Mississippi in their portfolio. Here’s where to drop a line on your next trip.

NORTH

If chasing trophy crappie is on your wishlist, then make sure Grenada Lake is on there, too. Several local guiding services are available to lead you to monster crappie fishing off the inlets and points in this 54-square-mile reservoir. But thankfully Grenada Lake isn’t alone. Three additional reservoirs—Arkabutla Lake, Enid Lake and Sardis Lake, the largest in the state—are all crappie hot spots and no more than 20 miles separate each one from its nearest neighbor. With so much fishing in a small area you’re almost guaranteed to have a honey hole all to yourself. Pickwick Lake, which borders Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, boasts some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the South. Use J.P. Coleman State Park near Iuka as your berth for exploring the world-class fishery.

CENTRAL

Our state lakes are brimming with bream and its popular cousins, crappie and bass, and Barnett Reservoir in the Jackson area is a popular spot to launch your boat in search of these feisty fish. Don’t be surprised if you hit our generous limits before the fun runs out. Hit the deep water at Eagle Lake near Vicksburg to score crappie and catfish, or stay near the shoreline of this oxbow to make a run after largemouth bass and bream. Ten miles south of Greenville, the slightly smaller, 3,000-acre oxbow Lake Washington gives Delta anglers a show at the same prized species of fish.

SOUTH

Along coastal Mississippi, the locals cruise oyster beds, man-made reefs and island passes for speckled trout, white trout and redfish. With 75 miles of Gulf-front coastline—not counting many more miles of serpentine bayous and open bays—there are ample opportunities to land an unforgettable catch. Point your boat offshore or enlist a deep-sea charter service to cast for larger, speedier fish that troll the deeper waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Prized catches here include red snapper, mackerel, tripletail, wahoo, lemon fish (cobia) and several varieties of sharks.

HUNTING

Hunting is often a family affair in Mississippi—it’s not surprising to see the sport bring together generations of kinfolk and friends. Here’s how to answer the call of the wild in the Magnolia State.

Deer are plentiful throughout the state’s 82 counties, but the rural Southwestern part of the state is especially known for producing monster bucks. The two most recent state records were harvested here, including a 184-inch buck in Adams County near Natchez and a 205-incher in Claiborne County near Port Gibson. 

The Mississippi Flyway, a continent-spanning bird migration route, sends thousands of mallards, teals and wood ducks straight to lakes in the Delta every fall, where hunters line up for a chance to harvest them. Turkey hunting is just as attractive, though. It’s estimated that nearly a quarter-million turkeys roost in Mississippi, filling the forests in fall and spring with yelping, clucking and gobbling. If you’re into bagging smaller game, Mississippi supports ample populations of rabbits, squirrels, quail and more, as well as more exotic harvests like alligator and wild hog. More than 50 state-maintained wildlife management areas offer opportunities that rival private hunting lands. The current record deer, for example, was harvested at Canemount WMA. 

Hunting Destinations

NORTH

Webb’s Tallahatchie Hunts sits near the confluence of the Tallahatchie, Coldwater and Yocona Rivers, providing teeming populations of waterfowl, as well as deer and quail. Delta Duck Hunts meets clients at the fabled Blue and White Restaurant in Tunica before taking hunters into the countryside for an opportunity to bag ducks and geese in the middle of the Mississippi Flyway.

CENTRAL

Esperanza Outdoors is headquartered at  Linden Plantation in Glen Allen, on the shores of Lake Washington. Enjoy wing hunting, pursuing hogs through river bottoms and the gourmet meals offered in the main house. Black Creek Outfitters near Lexington offers 1,200 acres of private land, with pine stands, hardwood bottoms and waterfront sites for a varied experience. Thirty minutes northwest of Vicksburg, Tara Wildlife’s 9,000 acres of managed lakes and forest offer abundant hunting, along with birding, wildlife watching and nature trails.

SOUTH

Situated on a former dairy farm, Magnolia Outdoors in Magnolia offers deer, turkey, coyote and bobcat hunting. Park your RV or rent out the lodge—it sleeps up to 18. Longleaf Plantation in Purvis offers hunting, skeet shooting and fishing, along with elegant dining, spa services and lavish lodges and cabins to relax and recharge in.

CAMPING

Spending a night in the great outdoors can be as primitive or as modern as your tastes.

Tent and RV camping sites are plentiful, and now even more indulgent glamping experiences are available at our state parks (read about them in the Unique Lodging feature here).

NORTH

In the Appalachian foothills near Iuka, campers at J.P. Coleman State Park can wake to the sun cresting over the hills to the east over Pickwick Lake from one of 69 RV sites and nine primitive tent sites. Lake Lowndes State Park in Columbus is a relaxing spot for a weekend getaway or if you’re looking for a remote stay near athletic events and entertainment at Mississippi State University. This park accommodates both RV and tent camping.

CENTRAL

Timberlake Campground in Brandon sits right on the shore of the Barnett Reservoir and offers an oasis with expansive water views and endless recreational activities— all minutes from town. 

SOUTH

Biloxi’s Majestic Oaks RV Resort is shaded by century-old live oaks and stacked with amenities that make this more than a typical RV park—like complimentary casino shuttle service, a relaxing clubhouse and social events for guests, including Saturday cookouts. Little Black Creek Campground and Park in Lumberton is centered on a 640-acre lake, where guests can join weekly fishing tournaments, swim and rent kayaks, canoes and jon boats. Guests can also play the park’s 18-hole disc golf course.

See More Features