Recreation

If you’re seeking the setting for your next adventure, you’re seeking Stone County. Bordering the beautiful De Soto National Forest and several major waterways, Stone County, MS is home to some of the state’s best hiking trails, campgrounds, and scenic forest areas to explore. If you love getting off the beaten path, exploring the great outdoors, and taking in all the beauty of Mother Nature, a trip to Stone County is the perfect getaway for you.
Tuxachanie Trail
De Soto National Forest’s Tuxachanie Trail boasts 12 miles of gorgeous South Mississippi wildlife and scenery, including pine savannahs, swamps, and a variety of native flora including carnivorous pitcher plants. Visitors enter the trail to a beautiful, long row of live oaks planted in 1935. The first five miles of trail after on the west side follow an abandoned railroad line built in the early 1900s by Irish immigrants. The trail is fairly flat, making it easy walking for adults and children alike, and includes several sections of elevated wooden footbridges.
Buttercup Flats
The wet savannas of the De Soto support a wide variety of rare and endangered plant and animal species, including gopher frogs, a variety of tortoises, and perhaps most impressive – the fascinating pitcher plant. Buttercup Flats is home to one of the largest concentrations of pitcher plants in the world, making it a must-see for nature enthusiasts of all ages.
Old Wire Road Trail
Casual walkers and cyclists will enjoy Old Wire Road Trail, a 7 Mile long pathway that follows the historic Old Wire Road, the 1846 telegraph line that connected the Gulf Coast to New York. This trail is paved and fairly consistently flat, making it the perfect destination for children and beginners.
Flint Creek Reservoir & Waterpark
Flint Creek Water Park, located on Highway 29 in Wiggins, Mississippi, is considered one of the top water parks in the state. While the park does feature its Splash of Fun Water Park, what one might typically associate with the term “water park,” Flint Creek offers everything from camping and hiking to boating and fishing. The park is composed of 1900 total acres and features a 650-acre lake. Just 35 miles north of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and accessible via Highway 49, Flint Creek Water Park is an excellent destination for casual outdoor activities in South Mississippi.
A day at the park
Stone County is home to several beautiful parks and playgrounds which are open to the public 24/7 and convenient to many of our community’s neighborhoods and housing areas. Blaylock Park, which includes tennis courts, a walking path and playground, is a local favorite. For exercise lovers, there is the McHenry Walking and Exercise Park and Kaboom! Playground where children and adults alike can have a blast getting fit or monkeying around in the park’s playground and splash park.