Your Guide to Outdoor Activities in Mississippi
Known for its cotton cultivation, Mississippi has grown into a state with much to offer the outdoorsman in recent years. Mississippi is a southern US state with a small portion of its border resting along the Gulf of Mexico. The state is entirely composed of lowlands, the highest point being Woodall Mountain (807 ft above sea level), which is located in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains. The lowest point is sea level at the Gulf coast. The Mississippi landscape is filled with forests, waterways, and wildlife, providing an abundance of opportunities for ample outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, camping, hiking, horseback riding, and more. If you’re planning a getaway into The Magnolia State, then check out some of these outdoor activities in the area.
Agritourism
Mississippi is a state that is great for agritourism, which involves any agriculturally-based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch. Because of the state’s rich history in agriculture, Mississippi has an abundance of agritourism adventures to offer outdoorsmen looking to learn a little history and get outside!
There are many opportunities to participate in agritourism in the state, but here are a few highlights:
Navigate a corn maze
Stay in a sharecropper's shack
Go shrimping on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Pick your own fruits and vegetables from orchards and working farms
Agriculture and its great heritage have not only flourished over the years in Mississippi but have also produced a growing Agritourism industry exhibiting some of the most enticing and diverse attractions in the South. Where once cotton was king, now industries such as catfish farms, buffalo ranches and organic gardens are springing up. Here, one can experience life on the farm and indulge in the “grass roots” culture that made this country great.
Watersports and Fishing
Mississippi is home to 119 public lakes, 123,000 miles of streams, and 255,000 freshwater acres. In addition to its namesake, major rivers in Mississippi include the Big Black River, the Pearl River, the Yazoo River, the Pascagoula River, and the Tombigbee River. Major lakes include Ross Barnett Reservoir, Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake, and Grenada Lake, the largest of these lakes being Sardis Lake.
Check out a few of these destinations if you’re looking to get out on the water during your stay in the state:
Mississippi River: Venture out on the river though the use of Quapaw Canoe Company.
Black Creek: This is Mississippi’s only designated National Wild and Scenic waterway.
Pascagoula River: Explore the largest unimpeded river system in the country and find out why it is called the Singing River.
At Enid Reservoir, national championship fishing tournaments are held, and the world record white crappie was caught here, weighing in at 5lb 3 oz. Hire a licensed charter guide who knows the locations of local reefs and wrecks, where the fish are, and what they’re biting. Catches can include amberjack, cobia, red snapper and more. Inshore fishing trips along the coastal areas and marshes typically mean catches of speckled trout, redfish and flounder.
Hiking and Camping
Mississippi has 1.2 million acres of forest land providing a diversity of terrain, numerous lakes, rivers, and streams. Some trails are easy and fun for families with small children; other paths make great half-day hikes. As one of Mississippi’s longest and most challenging trails, Black Creek Trail continues for 40 miles along the Black Creek River. Approximately 10 miles of the trail is located in the Black Creek Wilderness.
Mississippi is also home to hundreds of campgrounds, from sites with only primitive camping, to those locations offering a few comforts of home. And if you prefer the comfort of RV travel, Mississippi has plenty of locations for you, too, many complete with full hookups and extras such as Wi-Fi access.
