Here's Mississippi’s Top Outdoor Attraction... And You'll Definitely Want To Do It
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published June 13, 2016
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
A recent statewide survey, known as Mississippi’s Ultimate Outdoor Throwdown, determined that camping at Tishomingo State Park was the state’s “Ultimate Outdoor Attraction.” The bracket-style competition was made up of 32 outdoor attractions and included a variety of activities, such as biking the Mt. Zion Trail, visiting Ship Island and hunting at Canemount WMA. After all votes were tallied, camping at Tishomingo took first place. And with votes totaling 4,410, we’d say the park is definitely worth a look.
The park has 17 primitive campsites, all of which feature a picnic table, grill, and a fire ring.
The RV campground is made up of 62 campsites. This campground is located at the edge of Haynes Lake, which means that each campsite has direct access to the lake in addition to picnic tables and grills.
There are also cabins available for rent. The quaint cabins are located in a wooded area on the rocky bluffs above Bear Creek and were included in Reserve America’s “Top 25 Unique Cabins” list.
It also means that campers have the chance to do much more than camp. Visitors to the park can go canoeing on Bear Creek – an activity that came in second in the Ultimate Outdoor Throwdown. The park runs daily canoe trips from April – October, which are considered suitable for beginners.
The park’s location also makes it great for rock climbing. The rocky outcropping and bluffs found in Tishomingo don’t exist anywhere else in the state.
With such amazing scenery and a diverse landscape, it’s no surprise that Tishomingo’s hiking trails are rated among the top in the country. The park offers several different trails that vary in length.
The Bear Creek Outcropping Trail is by far one of the most popular. The 3.5-mile loop trail begins at the park’s famous swinging bridge and is rated as moderate on the difficulty scale, but the breathtaking scenery, which includes a waterfall, makes it well worth the extra effort.
Those camping anytime between Memorial Day and Labor Day will have access to the park’s swimming pool, which is located on a bluff overlooking Bear Creek.
