Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Donivan Slough: Mile 283.3
A short nature trail takes you through bottomland hardwoods along a slough and the adja-
cent flood plain. There are bald cypress trees along with water oak, tulip poplar, sycamore,
black willow, and swamp chestnut oak. Winter brings a number of yellow-bellied sapsuck-
ers to this wood, and spring brings in several swamp warblers and other songbirds such as
hooded warbler, Kentucky warbler, and indigo bunting.
Pharr Mounds: Mile 286.7
This 90-acre open area contains an impressive complex of eight Indian mounds of varying
sizes. The mounds are evocative and the extensive, open, grass field gives an excellent
chance to spot grassland birds along the northern portion of the Trace. This is a good spot
for hawks, meadowlark, red-winged blackbird, and swallows, and for horned lark and east-
ern phoebe in winter. In spring, the wind blowing the wildflowers and grasses into waves is
a beautiful sight.
Tenn-Tom Waterway: Mile 293.2
Park on the northern side of the bridge and walk to the edge of the Tennessee-Tombigbee
Waterway. From here, an excellent view of the Bay Springs Lake lock and dam is immedi-
ately upstream. The grassy areas around the parking area have many pretty wildflowers and
offer the best closeup views of the aerial acrobatics of cliff swallows and barn swallows I
have ever seen. During spring and early summer, dozens of swallows will fly within feet of
you, which makes tracking them with your binoculars very easy and exciting.
Tishomingo State Park: Mile 302.8
With the Trace going right through this park, it is ideally situated for a visit. Tishomingo
has 13 miles of trails through its expansive hardwood forest, and that trail system makes for
excellent woodland birding possibilities. The park also has a large lake, a lodge, cabins, a
campground, playing fields, and picnicking areas. A special feature of this park is that twice
daily from April through mid-October, the park offers eight-mile float trips down Bear Creek,
which runs through the preserve. The trips are pleasant during the warm weather here and
give one the chance to watch for birds without having to work up a sweat walking down a
trail.
