Outcroppings Trail (Tishomingo State Park) Hiking Guide
Mississippi has very little rock to walk on, and this loop has the best of it. Starting at the 1938 Swinging Bridge over Bear Creek, the Outcroppings Trail runs along a ridge of huge boulders that the park says exist nowhere else in the state. It's the only one of Tishomingo's seven trails that brings you back to where you began, so no second car is needed.
Permit: Tishomingo State Park charges a $2 per person entrance fee, with children 5 and under free. Rock climbing on the outcrops needs a separate permit from the park office.
The Loop
Start at the Swinging Bridge and follow red blazes painted on the trees. The park's brochure describes a route along a ridge of outcroppings with a view of the valley Bear Creek runs through, then back toward the water, where large turtles often sun themselves. Chickasaw people once lived in the caves among these rocks, it notes. The park rates all its trails easy to moderate.
How Long Is It, Really?
Sources vary more than you'd expect for so short a walk. The park says approximately 2 miles. Trailforks maps 1.7 miles with 162 feet of climbing. Komoot routes it at 2.2 miles with 86 feet, and Hiiker lists 3.2 kilometers with 47 meters. We use the Trailforks line. Komoot estimates 55 minutes of walking, so plan on more once you stop on the bridge and poke around the boulders.
Getting In
Leave the Natchez Trace Parkway at milepost 304, take the Trace access road for about half a mile, turn right on State Park Road (County Road 90) and continue to the gatehouse. Entry is $2 a person, and children 5 and under go free. Posted hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Park at the Swinging Bridge area, which also has a sand volleyball court and shaded picnic tables. The office number is 662-438-6914.
Dogs, Climbers and Canoes
Bring a six-foot leash at most for your dog. They aren't allowed in the family cabin or group camp areas. You'll probably meet climbers on the rock: climbing is legal by permit only, with your own gear and a helmet. Bear Creek's seasonal float trip finishes at the Swinging Bridge, leaving the office at 9 a.m. and taking about two and a half to three hours, so the landing can get busy around midday. Swimming in the creek isn't allowed.
After the Ice Storm
Winter Storm Fern shut Tishomingo and eight other northern state parks in late January 2026 with downed trees and power and water outages. By March 18 the agency's list of parks still closed no longer included it, and the park's page now shows normal hours with no notice. We found nothing detailing trail cleanup here, so be ready for fallen timber, and call the office if you need certainty. Leaves are off in winter, which is when the rock is easiest to see.
Hiking tips for Outcroppings Trail (Tishomingo State Park)
- Pay the $2 at the gatehouse before heading to the bridge.
- Be out by 5 p.m., the park's posted closing hour.
- Watch your footing on wet rock near the outcrops.
- Keep your dog on a six-foot leash and away from the cabin area above the creek.
- Bring your own helmet and get a permit first if you plan to climb.
Nearby trails to explore
- CCC Camp Trail (Tishomingo State Park)
- Blackland Prairie Section (Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail)
- Maggie's Glen Loop (Oak Mountain State Park)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Tishomingo is a fair drive for a short loop, so it works best shared. Set up a day trip on TrailMates, split the ride from Tupelo in the event's group chat, and add the CCC Camp Trail if the group has energy left. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.