Clark Creek Natural Area
| Clark Creek Natural Area | |
| Mississippi State Park | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Wilkinson |
| Elevation | 43 ft (13 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | 31°04′8.6″N 91°30′59″W / 31.069056°N 91.51639°WCoordinates: 31°04′8.6″N 91°30′59″W / 31.069056°N 91.51639°W |
| Area | 700 acres (283 ha) |
| Established | 1978 |
| Management | Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks |
  Location in Mississippi | |
| Website: Clark Creek Natural Area | |
Clark Creek Natural Area is a public recreation area in the U.S. state of Mississippi located off Mississippi Highway 24 approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Woodville. The state park's 700 acres (2.8 km2) include approximately 50 waterfalls, some with up to 30-foot (9.1 m) drops. The park is used for hiking, bird watching, and geocaching.[2]
History
The park was established in 1978 through the efforts of the Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Committee, the Nature Conservancy, Wilkinson County, David Bramlette, International Paper Company and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
Flora and fauna
The Nature Area has a mix of hardwood and pine forest with large beech and magnolia trees. The park includes the world record Mexican Plum and Bigleaf Snowbell and the state of Mississippi record Hophombeam. Several uncommon trees that can be seen are Southern Sugar Maple, Serviceberry, umbrella tree, pyramid magnolia, Chinquapin oak and witch-hazel. The federally endangered Carolina magnolia vine and many others are well marked.
The park includes migratory birds, various snake varieties (both venomous and non-venomous), a rare land snail, white-tail deer, chipmunks, the Southern red belly dace (a state endangered fish), foxes, coyotes, squirrels, armadillos, feral pigs, bobcats, cottontail rabbits and black bear as well as many other species.
Activities and amenities
The park has both primitive and improved trails. The improved trails have been paved with pea gravel and include steep wooden stairs. Clark Creek's steeply sloping bluffs increase the difficulty of hiking. The length of the primitive trail is approximately 2.6 miles (4.2 km) and usually takes 3–5 hours to complete. The improved trails are approximately 1.75 miles (2.82 km) long and usually take around 2 hours to complete. Public restrooms and a drinking fountain can be found at the parking area. Eight geocaches are located in the park.
Restrictions
The state has imposed various restrictions on visitors: park use is limited to pedestrian traffic year round; motorized vehicles are not allowed; hunting is prohibited; potable water is not available on the trails; camping is not permitted; ropes may not be used for climbing; hikers are required to stay on paths or in creeks.[3]
References
- ↑ "Clark Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
- ↑ "Clark Creek Natural Area". Parks and Destinations. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ↑ "Rule 1.3: Regulations for the Clark Creek Natural Area" (PDF). Title 40: Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. pp. 30–31. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
External links
- Clark Creek Natural Area Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
- Clark Creek Natural Area Map Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
- Mississippi Geocachers Association
- Clark Creek Natural Area article with map
- Tunica Trails information