3 issues before Mississippi voters in Nov.: What to know

Katie Eubanks | Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Sarah Warnock/Clarion Ledger

I pulled one side of the hammock taut and sat. Swung my legs around gingerly and sank in.

Oh, this was delightful.

Sarah Warnock/Clarion Ledger

I’d just hiked about seven miles through woods, over bridges and around rocky outcroppings at Tishomingo State Park. It was 70 degrees and I was about to experience the best nap ever.

Roommate Kaitie Wagner and I — along with Kaitie’s labrador mix, Sadie Grace, and Clarion Ledger photographer Sarah Warnock — had driven up to Tishomingo on Good Friday. We’d rented a “primitive” campsite (just up the hill from the indoor restrooms and showers) for two nights.

Camping is tough, even without peeing in the woods, but whether you can fall asleep with a root in your back or you require a climate-controlled cabin, Tishomingo offers plenty for you and yours. Here’s a breakdown of park activities and places to lay your head.

In the woods

Sarah Warnock/Clarion Ledger

This was my favorite part, exploring just some of the park’s 13 miles of hiking trails. Tishomingo is located in the northeastern corner of Mississippi and is actually part of the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It’s hilly. I'm talking real hills! Big rocks — that you can actually climb!

Speaking of, if you crave more than a stroll, you can get a permit and either rock climb, rappel or “boulder” to your heart’s content. Yes, “bouldering” is a verb, and it’s what you do when you climb without a harness — but only to a certain height. Helmets are required for all "vertical" activities.

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There’s also plenty of water to traipse through, and at one point we found a waterfall just tall enough to create a “shower” (though it was too cold to tempt anyone but Sarah).

If you fancy the idea of tossing things, Tishomingo is also outfitted with three disc golf courses. And there’s even a “compass course” for folks who’d like to sharpen their navigational abilities.

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A look around Tishomingo State Park

On the water

The RV campsites, plus some of the primitive sites, are on Haynes Lake, which is stocked with catfish, bream and bass. If you don’t have a fishing license, you can get one at the park office “for a nominal fee.”

We saw folks fishing on the lake and kayaking on Bear Creek, which runs through the park. Maybe next time we’ll bring a kayak instead of a hyperactive dog who would not do well in a narrow, easily flip-able water vessel.

Also, from mid-April to mid-October, the park operates a daily 6.25-mile canoe trip down the creek. This does cost money, and you need a reservation.

Where you'll sleep

Katie Eubanks/Clarion Ledger

RV and tent campsites surround the lake, while cabins sit near the park’s famous Swinging Bridge, built (as much of the park was) by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. There's also one modern-style "cottage" available. These are all rentals, and reservations are encouraged.

Also near the family cabins are a playground (one of several) and volleyball court, plus an open field where your kids can chase each other around. The swimming pool is closed until Memorial Day, pending lifeguard applications. There are picnic tables and grills.

For those not staying overnight, three pavilions and a lodge are available to rent.

So whatever your comfort level, you can make yourself at home. Oh, and I did have some cell service at our campsite.

More cabins: Romantic weekend getaways

Near the park

Within a short drive, you can find:

Woodall Mountain, the highest point in Mississippi at 807 feet

J. P. Coleman State Park (water sports)

Mineral Springs Park, a small park in Iuka with streams said to have healing abilities

Hunting at Divide Section and John Bell Williams wildlife management areas

And, of course, the Natchez Trace Parkway, replete with historical sites to stop and see

Highlights from our trip

Sarah Warnock/Clarion Ledger

The 10-person tent: Kaitie used the trip as an excuse to order a humongous new tent off the internet. We enjoyed setting it up and about had a nervous breakdown trying to get all the air out of it as we rolled it up to leave.

The food: Kaitie is the resident grillmaster and culinary camping expert at our house, and she didn't disappoint. Burgers 'n beans, eggs 'n bacon (the latter scorched by a mild grease fire on her cookstove), grilled cheese sandwiches, biscuits ... and orange cakes. Watch Sarah's video to learn how to make those.

The hike: We trekked about a mile and a half to the Swinging Bridge, saw the sign for the Outcroppings Trail, and I (while wolfing down a granola bar) convinced Kaitie and Sarah we didn’t need lunch yet. The outcroppings were suitably large and rocky, and I fell in love.

The naps: There's nothing quite like a hammock nap after a big hike. I'm not sure Sadie napped, though, until the final hour of our trip home, when she fell asleep in the backseat — her face resting in the crevice between the seat and the door. Happily exhausted.

What it cost us and more info

Primitive campsite reservation for two nights: $32

Food and water for three people, one dog: Approximately $75 (Katie eats a lot)

Gas: Approximately $40 to get there and back