Tishomingo State Park: Rock and roll.

If you’ve done much traveling in the Mississippi Hills, you’ve grown accustomed to just that—hills, gentle and rolling for the most part. So be prepared for the rugged and rocky beauty that awaits you on the more than 1500 acres of Tishomingo State Park. Mountain laurels, rock-strewn streams, sandstone ledges, sky-high overhangs, all give this lower Appalachian area some real drama, even as it gives visitors like you excellent recreation choices that include rock climbing, some terrific hiking on 13 miles of trail in Bear Creek Canyon, and an 8-mile canoe route that’s both scenic and interesting (Class I riffles) yet perfect for the entire family. And for a little more excitement, you won’t want to miss the Swinging Bridge.

More than 7,000 years ago, native peoples were drawn to the sandstone and clay of the area to make tools, and even in the 20th century, quarrying in the area continued to be important, as when the Park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Today, those stone buildings built by the CCC are beautiful complements to the timeless atmosphere of the park.

If after swimming, hiking, climbing and camping at the Park, you’re ready for more, remember that in Tishomingo County you’re smack in the middle of what has been crowned “the outdoor recreation capital of the mid-South.” That means two large lakes—Bay Springs and Pickwick Lakes—seven marinas (including one of the largest freshwater marinas in the nation), 40 miles of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, two state parks, more than 30,000 acres of pristine and protected hunting areas in and around the county and 10 parks created by the Corps of Engineers.

So pack your bag, load your car and get some good walking shoes. This is the time, and this is surely the place, to watch your cares vanish amid a paradise of natural beauty and historic preservation.