Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 6
Central Mississippi
DESOTO NATIONAL FOREST
DeSoto National Forest offers the best hiking and canoeing opportunities in the national
forests of Mississippi. The state's only two designated wilderness areas are in this national
forest, and Mississippi's premier national wild and scenic river is also here. Generally located
along US 49, the main unit of the forest provides a number of good birding spots.
Leaf Wilderness
One of the smallest units of the national wilderness system, at 940 acres the Leaf Wilderness
offers little chance for true solitude and wild adventure. However, it is a very accessible little
area that preserves a beautiful bottomland hardwood swamp and some surrounding ridgelines.
The ridges consist primarily of loblolly and shortleaf pine, some quite large, and the rest of
the area is in the floodplain of the Leaf River and has a forest of various oaks, sweetgum, and
cypress. During spring, warblers and other songbirds sing and nest, but the density of the forest
often means that these birds are heard rather than seen. Prothonotary warbler, pine warbler,
northern parula warbler, hooded warbler, yellow-throated warbler, Swainson's warbler, red-
eyed vireo, yellow-throated vireo, and Louisiana waterthrush may be found here. Insects can
be bad in warm weather.
