Dallas, Texas
Nestled in the heart of the South, Mississippi is a unique blend of natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant culture. Its most prominent physical feature, the Mississippi River, is its calling card, enticing travelers to explore its banks, take a scenic kayak trip, or try their hand at fishing and water sports. But the meandering waterway is just one piece of a picturesque landscape: From the vast Delta region, known for its lush wetlands and abundant wildlife, to the ancient red clay hills and the fertile black prairie, Mississippi offers an array of scenery to explore.
The Gulf Coast is its own outdoor playground, where barrier islands off Mississippi’s coast on Gulf Islands National Seashore offer a window into a wilder, less developed time. Here, visitors can explore spotless beaches and see abandoned fortifications like Ship Island’s Fort Massachusetts.
The modern world also melts away along the Natchez Trace Scenic National Trail. More than eight thousand years ago, herds of buffalo roamed this ancient path. Today you’re more likely to see cyclists and hikers taking advantage of its 444 miles, the majority of which unfurl through the Magnolia State. Along the route, the beauty of Mississippi reveals itself in cypress swamps, waterfalls, Appalachian foothills, and camping areas. Visitors can explore more recent history at Vicksburg National Military Park, a Civil War site President Abraham Lincoln called the key to victory.
Experienced rock climbers can reach new heights at Tishomingo State Park, home to the sixty-foot outcrop known as Jean’s Overhang. Find another geological spectacle in Mississippi’s Little Grand Canyon, a red clay ravine near Morgantown sculpted by eons of erosion. For a dose of green, Crosby Arboretum in Picayune showcases more than seven hundred acres of native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses. The farther you venture into the state, the more beauty you’ll uncover. Find your favorite Mississippi natural wonder above.
MISSISSIPPI
ITINERARY FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
The Crosby Arboretum
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Natchez Trace
Scenic National Trail
Tishomingo State Park
Vicksburg National
Military Park
Eastern Mississippi’s scenic beauty is on display at this park in the Appalachian foothills. Visitors can brave a two-hundred-foot-long swinging bridge, see a historic pioneer cabin, paddle six miles of Bear Creek, or rent a rustic cabin or cottage.
Learn More
Tishomingo
State Park
Mississippi has a fascinating military history, and this national park site—the nation’s eighth oldest—commemorates the Vicksburg campaign of the Civil War. History buffs will find an expansive outdoor museum featuring more than a thousand historic monuments and markers, including the impressive Illinois State Memorial, modeled after the Roman Pantheon.
Learn More
Vicksburg National
Military Park
This National Scenic Byway reaches back ten thousand years to a time when it was primarily a buffalo path and a place of settlement for Indigenous tribes, including the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Natchez people. European settlers repurposed the trail for trading, and the likes of Aaron Burr, George Washington, Daniel Boone, and Meriwether Lewis all followed its course.
Learn More
Natchez Trace
Scenic National Trail
Protecting and preserving the Pearl River Drainage Basin is what the Crosby Arboretum is all about. Learn about the region’s distinct natural areas—including bog, savanna, red bluff, and woodlands—or take in the property’s Pinecote Pavilion, a picturesque setting for photos alongside a pond teeming with turtles and other aquatic life.
Learn More
Crosby Arboretum
Emerald waters and historic landscapes attract visitors to this national park site, where they will discover undeveloped barrier islands reachable by the Ship Island Excursions ferry. Trek into the past at the Civil War–era Fort Massachusetts, then take in the view of the Gulf of Mexico.
Learn More
Gulf Islands
National Seashore
Plan your outdoor
adventure in Mississippi at
VisitMississippi.org/Outdoors
MISSISSIPPI
ITINERARY FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
Eastern Mississippi’s scenic beauty is on display at this park in the Appalachian foothills. Visitors can brave a two-hundred-foot-long swinging bridge, see a historic pioneer cabin, paddle six miles of Bear Creek, or rent a rustic cabin or cottage.
Learn More
Tishomingo
State Park
Mississippi has a fascinating military history, and this national park site—the nation’s eighth oldest—commemorates the Vicksburg campaign of the Civil War. History buffs will find an expansive outdoor museum featuring more than a thousand historic monuments and markers, including the impressive Illinois State Memorial, modeled after the Roman Pantheon.
Learn More
Vicksburg National
Military Park
This National Scenic Byway reaches back ten thousand years to a time when it was primarily a buffalo path and a place of settlement for Indigenous tribes, including the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Natchez people. European settlers repurposed the trail for trading, and the likes of Aaron Burr, George Washington, Daniel Boone, and Meriwether Lewis all followed its course.
Learn More
Natchez Trace
Scenic National Trail
Protecting and preserving the Pearl River Drainage Basin is what the Crosby Arboretum is all about. Learn about the region’s distinct natural areas—including bog, savanna, red bluff, and woodlands—or take in the property’s Pinecote Pavilion, a picturesque setting for photos alongside a pond teeming with turtles and other aquatic life.
Learn More
Crosby Arboretum
Emerald waters and historic landscapes attract visitors to this national park site, where they will discover undeveloped barrier islands reachable by the Ship Island Excursions ferry. Trek into the past at the Civil War–era Fort Massachusetts, then take in the view of the Gulf of Mexico.
Learn More
Gulf Islands
National Seashore
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VISIT MISSISSIPPI