This is a beautiful park and it has really changed and been enhanced over the past few years. There…read moreis current construction in the old tennis courts and a new entry road is being improved on the back side to gain entry from Droke Rd. There is an addition of 25 acres to be cleared and used for the park expansion with a $5.3 million budget (parking lot, and more ball fields, dressing rooms and bathrooms). It was said that it is justified by the amount of tourism dollars it'll bring in...ha! I know if I go to other states or towns I go just so I can play on their ball fields in the searing heat. God forbid they build a climbing wall or add some water features to cool off in or an outdoor theater for movies or entertaining the family as a WHOLE instead of catering to kid sports. To Each Their Own. Several decades ago, when I was a kid, there was an aluminum jet body and a couple varying height slides where the main pavilion is. Many, many, many kids have skinned themselves climbing into it and my goodness at the seared skin from sitting in that seat after it had baked in the sun. There were car shows held in and on the park grounds every year, but now the car club seems to divide its time between Arby's and Dairy Queen parking lots. This is not the greatest all around park for everyone, but it is beautiful in the Summertime with the green trees. Speaking of trees, there may not be very many left in a few years, seems to be missing one or two a year from rot or damage of some sort. There is one twisty rooted tree that I enjoy photographing. This park covers around 40 acres and there are oodles of ball fields (at least 6), 10 tennis courts now (if they replace the old courts with more tennis then it will seem somewhat of a waste for me. I have not seen a single tennis player ANY time of the day that I have been on the premises. There is a 1-mile asphalt walking/jogging trail that winds through the trees. This park is located next to train tracks and it isn't pleasant or relaxing when it rolls through, you turn up the music or just grit your teeth and wait it out. There is a soccer field, batting cages (not the high end pay-to-bat style with a machine spitting balls at you, but a toss it in the air and hit it style), 3 picnic pavilions, bathroom facilities in each end of the park. This park is NOT pet friendly. NO DOGS, NO SKATEBOARDS... I don't have a dog, but I thought the old tennis court site would've made an ideal dog park.

From the owner: Parks and Recreation Department: Recreation, Sports, Special Eventsread more

Nestled along the back roads of Tishomingo County, this park feels like a second home. With hiking…read moretrails for every level of experience, there's truly something for everyone. The campground offers over 60 sites, plus six cozy cabins. Three of these are rustic stone cabins with two rooms each, while the other three are smaller, single-room cabins. Cabin Six has been beautifully updated with new floors, furniture, appliances, and a modern bathroom. For larger groups, the park also has three group camp cabins--each with 20 bunk beds and spacious bathrooms that include showers, toilets, and sinks. The park is full of history and adventure. Visitors can explore the Pioneer Cabin and its nearby waterfall, or cross the famous swinging bridge--a suspension bridge that stretches 25 feet over Bear Creek. On the other side, you'll find two trails perfect for bouldering, rock climbing, or simply wandering through the forest. Wildlife is abundant, with deer, squirrels, raccoons, and plenty of other critters calling the park home. There are three scenic pavilions for picnics or gatherings. Pavilion One has restrooms nearby, Pavilion Two overlooks Haines Lake, and Pavilion Three also offers a beautiful view of the water. The dining hall is available for weddings, reunions, meetings, and other special events. Fishing enthusiasts will love the three fishing spots: Haines Lake, a quiet pond behind the Pioneer Cabin, and Bear Creek beneath the swinging bridge. For families, the park includes two playgrounds, a sports field, and plenty of picnic tables with cast-iron grills scattered throughout. Outdoor fun continues with three disc golf courses designed for different skill levels. And when it's time to clean up, the campground features two bathhouses that are always kept tidy by the hardworking park staff. Tishomingo State Park is more than just a destination--it's a place where history, nature, and community come together.

Beautiful park. Stayed in cabin 6. Updated and well kept. Doesn't feel like Mississippi at all here.read more

There was a levee built in 1835 that led to the creation of Big Hill Pond, a 35 acre pond. The…read morestate park surrounding the land is over 4,000 acres of land which has marshland, timberland, and other natural resources. The park offers horse trails, bike trails, two picnic pavilions, boating, fishing, paddling, 28 primitive campsites, a visitor's center, and an observation tower. There's over 30 miles of trails, including the Azalea Spring Day Loop (2.95 mi), the Big Hill Pond Access Trail (0.30 mi), the Big Hill Pond Trail (4.75 mi), the Dogwood Point Trail (3.10 mi), the Dry Ridge Trail (2.85 mi), the Fox Hollow Trail (.65 mi), the Horse (& Mtn Bike) Trail (6.0 mi), the Rocky Knob Trail (2.40 mi), the Turkey Call Trail (2.45 mi), and the Tuscumbia Trail (2.30 mi). They also offer rentals of kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards in the summer. When we went, the trail to the observation tower was out of pocket due to flooding, so we definitely want to go back.

Fantastic state park under two hours from Memphis! The park…read moreis underused, which is great because you have a lot of privacy! The trails are decently marked and there are over 30 miles to be hiked of varying difficulty. The observation tower is worth seeing and the trail to get there isn't terribly long. Camp sites are a little close to each other but I don't think it's ever busy here so it's a mute point. Bathrooms are the cleanest I've seen in a TN state park!! You have to use wood from the park and there is plenty of it, but bring a hatchet, you'll need it to split the big pieces! The staff were also very welcoming! Park is horse and pet friendly! I will be visiting again soon!!

We loved hiking in this nature preserve. It is definitely off the beaten path (literally a drive…read moredown a gravel road). There are beautiful wooded trails and a pretty overlook. Our hike was a loop that took us through a waterfall, woods and an overlook. The hours are limited: weekend hours only and it closes at 5 pm. It is part of a land trust. I recommend this preserve for hikers, nature lovers and those that love exploring trails off the beaten path.

Such a lovely private preserve! Clean, well managed, clear signage & maps. We went when there was a…read moredrought, but would love to go back k when we can see the waterfalls.

Beautiful park that brings you close to nature. Serene and relaxing. Facilities are clean and…read morewelcoming. Campground was in excellent condition and quiet. Definitely returning to this amazing park.

We had a nice spot under trees on our own picnic table... Right next to the beach area and of…read morecourse right bye the water!! Swimming area is clean and beautiful. Bathrooms and a shower.... We had an excellent time. Bring a cooler with your lunch and drinks and enjoy!!!

Don't miss this park . It has so many things something for everyone…read more The magnificent oak trees with moss shading the park . Free parking near the tennis courts.

The flora, fauna, and typography of this canyon are not very different from any other hiking area I…read morehave hiked in Alabama. It's very similar to Bankhead National Forest. The size of the sheer bluffs (and many of the rocks) at Dismals is fairly unique, though. We visited this past weekend and I thought the whole experience was okay. It's not a National Park, or a National Forest, Dismals is a "National Natural Landmark" that is privately owned. The cost in my humble opinion to hike (without a guide) the Dismals *and* take the night tour with a guide is expensive! It was approximately $28.00 per adult. The trail is around 1.5 miles - at least the trail we explored in the daytime before taking the night tour. The creek running through the base was deep enough that there needed to be ways to cross it that were navigable, preferably with handrails. In photos, I've seen concrete blocks, which would have been okay (note, not handrails) but there were no concrete block crossing at areas we needed/wanted to get across the water. There were random pieces of wood, even fallen trees and my husband, who is both a "daredevil" and in great shape, managed to traverse the waters to see the other side, but he did land in the water (on his feet) and absolutely soaked his shoes and socks. The three of us opted to backtrack and not deal with the water. To me, this is very poor planning on the part of the Dismals owners. The trail map we got from the "General Store" had landmarks which were just "cute" names for the features, like "The Pulpit" and "Witches Den" - to me, they were fairly unremarkable "landmarks." Fast forward to the night tour which was scheduled for 9:00 PM. We were told to arrive at 8:30 and if everyone was early, we could start early. I did not note the time we started, however, it was about a 45 minute hike. Parts of this hike were in total, 100 percent darkness to ensure we had the utmost opportunity to view the "Dismalites." That's fine, except, I'm not a fan of walking in uneven/unfamiliar terrain in the pitch dark, with my husband dragging me forward in a group of 13 people counting the guide. This was unnerving and I moved at a snail's pace, and held up those who were stuck behind me. Also, I was hanging onto the rail with one hand and couldn't physically rubberneck around to try to catch a view of a glowworm. I think I saw a total of twelve glow worms. After exiting the night tour trails, we saw firefly larvae that glowed in the shallow water at the entrance to the trail. To me, this was the highlight of the glowing visuals. Another con is the numerous wooden staircases at the Dismals trail's entrance/exit. There is absolutely no way these are constructed to code! These stairs are so narrow in depth that my size 8 ladies shoes, (which is an average women's shoe size) hung off the edge about 2 inches, forcing me to "duck walk" down the stairs. Even if they are built to code, the stair treads are completely worn off, providing absolutely no traction whatsoever. The guide told us due to the "drought" the Dismalite glowworms were not out in abundance. If you keep your expectations low, and really enjoy a sandstone gorge/canyon, and are not risk averse, you will have a nice time here. Our tour guide did a good job providing information that was geared towards the audience which included age ranges from children to senior citizens. I can't comment on the "General Store" food options because we didn't eat anything there, or the campsites (note, the on-site cabins are closed and unavailable). The sole restroom which is a little walk from the General Store and is clean with a barely working hand dryer and no paper towels. The parking lot is ridiculously small with each space being beyond small. The owners of the Dismals need to invest in their property to make it worthwhile, easy to traverse, and safe for their visitors.

Parents Beware Before Approving School Field Trips Here…read more I want to share my recent experience as a concerned parent. Our children's school scheduled a field trip to Dismals Canyon and collected payment for the students. Parents were originally told that we could attend for a $20 fee -- but at the very last minute, the site informed the school that parents would no longer be allowed to go. When I contacted the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce (who were kind and helpful), they reached out to Dismals Canyon for clarification. The canyon's staff claimed the decision was due to parking limitations, parents distracting the kids from learning, and tight spaces. However, this change was communicated only after money had already been collected and plans were finalized. Parents deserve transparency, especially when it involves children's safety at a location with cliffs, caves, and water features. I strongly urge other parents and schools to ask clear written confirmation of parent policies before sending children on field trips here. Families should not be excluded or misled after payments and plans have been made.

Such a beautiful park. Plenty to do and entertain the kiddos of all ages. Shady and easy to get a…read moregood walk in. Lots of photo opportunities as well.

It's a well kept historic area. There are a lot of sitting areas under large shade trees that make…read morefor a pleasant walk through the various working springs, log cabin and covered bridge.

A fun small-medium sized zoo than you can walk through in about two hours…read more The giraffe enclosure was nice that you could get so up close with them. We didn't do the drive thru area since they were busy with field trips. The gift shop is a lot cheaper than larger zoos.

As I was passing through I stopped in to find out more about this place. You can see some of the…read moreanimals from the road. The lady was very nice and it was quite busy. She explained to me that they had a walking tour as well as a drive through. They even give you buckets of food so you can feed the animals, apparently they come right up to you. I didn't take the tour but she invited me to continue to take a look around. Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves and I didn't hear any wild animals on the loose. Maybe next time I'll take the drive through tour, if things go wrong I know I can't outrun an animal but I can certainly out drive one.

Pickwick Landing State Park is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes from my home in Nashville, and…read moreis located in Counce, Tennessee. It has 1,400+ acres, fishing, boating, a marina, 10 cabins, camping, a lodge, a restaurant, a swimming pool, a golf course, a three mile paved trail, three small swimming beaches, an aviary, a butterfly garden, and a visitors center and gift shop. The town surrounding this area was originally called Pickwick, after Dickens' The Pickwick Papers. This was the spot of a riverboat stop in the 1840s. The lake was named Pickwick Lake. During Roosevelt's New Deal, this was the site of a new dam, named Pickwick Dam. The 53 mile long dam was completed in 1938. In 1969, the city was purchased by the state of Tennessee to become a new state park. The state park opened in 1972. This whole area is gorgeous and has a lot of water recreation, so if you're a fisher or swimmer, this park is for you. There's not much in the way of untamed wilderness, but this park is absolutely chocked full of amenities that's sure to please every member of the family.

Tonight, my husband and I attended the first, hopefully an annual, State Park Christmas lantern…read moreholiday hike. It was the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge and the Christmas Carol. The trail hike, a family friendly, short and sweet, hike, with the lead of an incredible State Park Ranger. The park Ranger graciously led the way and read the story aloud. It was a family fun event. Afterwards, we were able to drive through the Christmas lights through the park. It reminded us as a similar show, from the Memphis Shelby Farms starry nights, so nice to have this here at the Pickwick State Park. Thank you so much for all who arranged these events, we enjoyed it very much!