Where the Wild Things Are

Image courtesy of Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB.

Traveling along the coast of Mississippi may bring you some wild times at the myriad casinos, but there are also plenty of wild adventures to be had away from the bright lights and bells and whistles of those gleaming behemoths of gaming. Southern Mississippi's green spaces are begging to be explored, and the outdoors are just as welcoming as anything else in the Hospitality State.

Wolf River, a 66-mile waterway that empties into the Bay of St. Louis on the Coast, is a perennial favorite among paddlers, who come here to navigate not only the river, but the smaller waterways that lead to little lagoons and lakes that you can play in for hours. Wolf River is relatively wide and calm for the most part, which makes it ideal for paddlers of all skill levels, and there are plenty of sandy banks to stop and have a picnic or even camp for the night.

To get the full experience of this river, check out Wolf River Canoe and Kayak in Long Beach, offering both short, two-hour trips and longer 10-mile trips that can easily last all day. Many of the paddlers on the Wolf River become so enthralled with the area that they sign up to help protect the fragile ecosystem.

Mississippi's Coastal Region is replete with green spaces on land, too. If you're really looking to get back to nature, head out to the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge in Jackson County, a 19,000-acre wild space created in 1975 to protect the sandhill crane and its unique wet pine and savanna habitat.

The refuge has numerous hiking trails that traverse the diverse ecosystems and habitats like savannas, swamps, and marshes that compose this area, making spotting the abundant wildlife much easier. You can spot not only the cranes, but also many other mammals, fish, and reptiles, as well as the carnivorous plants that thrive in these habitats.

Shepard State Park Birding and Wildlife Viewing Area is another great place to spot native plant and animal life on more than 400 acres that encompass several diverse and unique habitats, such as swamps, marshes, and savannas. This state park also provides opportunities for outdoor recreation like boating and disc golf, as well as camp sites so you can enjoy a peaceful night or three under the stars.

Come to coastal Mississippi for the chance of hitting it big on the table games and slots, but stay for the sheer beauty and magnificence of the natural splendor that surrounds the casinos.