Mississippi is known as the 'Magnolia State' and is home to several amazing National Park Sites. Including battlefields, seashores, monuments and more!
Whether you’re traveling to this gorgeous state for a vacation or a business trip, there are plenty of great places to see. Here are nine of our favorites!
The last battle of the Civil War took place in Tupelo, Mississippi. Thousands of soldiers fought on both sides here.
On July 15, 1864, Federal troops defended Tupelo against Confederate forces who attacked from all sides. Despite heavy losses, General Smith’s troops were able to rebuff the attacks.
A one-acre memorial site on Main Street in downtown Tupelo commemorates the battle. Two monuments and interpretive signage are found here.
Shiloh National Military Park is one of the most important historical sites in the United States. It was established by Congress in 1894 to commemorate the Battle of Shiloh, which occurred on April 6-7, 1862.
The Battle of Shiloh was the first major battle in the Western Theater of the Civil War. Its significance is reflected by the fact that it resulted in more casualties than any other American conflict in history.
In addition to the pristine 5,000 acre Shiloh Battlefield, the park includes a separate unit in Corinth, Mississippi, and the Shiloh Indian Mounds National Historic Landmark. This archeological site comprises the finest surviving Mississippi Mound Builder village in the Tennessee Valley.
Established in 1899, Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. Victory here and at Port Hudson, farther south in Louisiana, gave the Union control of the Mississippi River.
The park also commemorates the greater Vicksburg Campaign, which led up to the battle. Reconstructed forts and trenches evoke memories of the 47-day siege that ended in the surrender of the city.
The park is home to 1,325 historic monuments and markers, 20 miles of reconstructed trenches and earthworks, a 16-mile tour road, antebellum home, 144 emplaced cannon, restored Union gunboat-USS Cairo and the Vicksburg National Cemetery. With so many attractions, a visit can be overwhelming.
De Soto National Forest is an expansive national park located in southeastern Mississippi. This 518,587-acre forest encompasses two wilderness areas and is home to a variety of natural attractions, including Black Creek, the only nationally designated scenic river in the state.
The forest features a gently rolling landscape of dry, sandy longleaf pine/scrub oak ridges and often flooded tupelo/bald cypress swamps. It also includes upland hardwood forests and Buttercup Flats, a huge pitcher plant savanna.
The forest also offers a wide range of outdoor activities, such as camping, canoeing, hiking, and hunting. It is home to two wilderness areas, Leaf and Black Creek, and boasts 170 miles of hiking trails.
Seen from the air, Delta National Forest is a large, contiguous block of bottomland hardwood forest and seasonally flooded timber and small sloughs draining into the Big and Little Sunflower Rivers in the Yazoo Basin of the Mississippi River.
The 60,000-acre Delta National Forest, situated just east of Highway 61 north of Vicksburg, is managed principally for wildlife. Dozens of miles of multi-use trails cut through the forests, offering opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, ATVing and more.
There are 57 semi-developed designated dispersed campsites scattered throughout the forest. Each site has a cleared and level area where campers can park their vehicle, pitch a tent and set up a picnic table and fire ring.
