Clarkco State Park: Noxubee/Pascagoula Loop (Blog Hike #1100)

Trails: Noxubee, Chickasawhay, Pascagoula, and Yalabusha Trails
Hike Location: Clarkco State Park
Geographic Location: north of Quitman, MS (32.09761, -88.69413)
Length: 2.8 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2026
Overview: A loop hike mostly through pine forest passing an observation tower along Ivy Lake.
Park Information: https://www.mdwfp.com/parks-destinations/park/clarkco-state-park
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming November 27, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 45 and SR 145 on the north side of Quitman, take SR 145 north 0.2 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, then stop at the park office to pick up a trail map.  Next drive the cabin road south across Ivy Lake's dam to the cabin area and park by a vacant cabin; do NOT take a parking spot at a cabin that is occupied.  Cabin #3 is the closest cabin to this trailhead.

The hike: Developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and opening in 1938, Clarkco State Park occupies 815 acres in the rolling hills south of Meridian.  The park's center is 65-acre man-made Ivy Lake, which offers boating, fishing, tubing, and water skiing.  Lodging includes a 43-site developed campground and 20 cabins.  The park is named for Clarke County, Mississippi in which it is located.

            For hikers, Clarkco State Park offers one of the largest and best trail systems in the Mississippi state parks system: 14 miles of trails beckon exploration.  The hike described here goes into the more remote southern part of the park, but it also takes you to the popular observation tower beside Ivy Lake and through the park's cabin area.  Thus, this route offers a good introduction to everything Clarkco State Park has to offer.

Trailhead near cabin #3

            There are 2 main points of entry for the south part of the trail system: the park's campground and the park's cabin area.  The park's campground was closed for renovations on my visit, so I picked up the Noxubee Trail where it leaves the cabin road just west of cabin #3.  The Noxubee Trail heads south on a track wide enough to be an old forest road.  Dense pine woods line either side of the trail, and pine trees appear everywhere in this part of the park.

Hiking the Noxubee Trail

            At 0.3 miles, the narrower Chickasawhay Trail exits right.  Trails at Clarkco State Park are unblazed, but intersections such as this one are signed.  The Chickasawhay Trail explores the very southern end of the park, but most of it was closed on my visit.  Thus, I kept left to stay on the Noxubee Trail.  The Noxubee Trail curves gently left to begin a more eastern course as other trails exit right and left.

Major trail intersection

            0.6 miles into the hike, you reach a major intersection.  The Noxubee Trail angles left and quickly returns to the park's cabin area.  To extend my hike, I turned right to begin an open portion of the Chickasawhay Trail.  The Chickasawhay Trail climbs gradually as it heads further south, still surrounded by pine forest.  Parts of this trail were muddy from recent rains on my visit, but I took care with my footing and glopped my way through the sticky red clay.

Starting the Pascagoula Trail

            Just past 0.9 miles, you reach another major trail intersection.  A fire lane continues straight, and the closed (on my visit) portion of the Chickasawhay Trail continues to the right.  I turned left to leave the Chickasawhay Trail and begin the Pascagoula Trail.  The Pascagoula Trail heads northeast on a rolling course through...you guessed it...more pine forest.  I enjoy hiking past tall stately pines, so I enjoyed this hike.

            At 1.35 miles, you reach the highest point on this hike, where the Tombigbee Trail exits left.  As I mentioned before, all of these intersections are signed.  This hike angles right to stay with the Pascagoula Trail as it dips through a surprisingly steep and deep ravine.  After some more ridgetop walking, a moderate descent brings you to the north end of the Pascagoula Trail at its intersection with the Yalabusha Trail at 2.1 miles.  We will eventually go left on the Yalabusha Trail to head back to cabin #3, but first turn right to reach the wooden observation tower that overlooks Ivy Lake.

View from observation tower

Yalabusha Trail through the park's yurt area

            Quickly you reach the observation tower, and climbing about 2 dozen steps raises you to the observation platform.  Trunks from some tall trees partially obstruct the view, but the lake was a tranquil scene on the damp chilly early February morning that I came here.  Continuing east on the Yalabusha Trail would eventually take you around the lake to the park's campground, so next you need to retrace your steps to the end of the Pascagoula Trail and then continue west on the Yalabusha Trail.  The Yalabusha Trail climbs and descends one final ridge before depositing you on the park's cabin access road.  Turn left to do a short road walk, return to cabin #3, and complete the hike.

Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site (Blog Hike #1099)

Trail: Walking Trail
Hike Location: Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site
Geographic Location: southeast of North Augusta, SC (33.41997, -81.86847)
Length: 2.4 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: January 2026
Overview: A loop hike around the grounds of the 1859 Redcliffe Plantation.
Park Information: https://southcarolinaparks.com/redcliffe
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming April 6, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: On the South Carolina side of Augusta, take I-520 to US 278 (exit 17).  Exit and go east on US 278.  Drive US 278 east 7.4 miles to SR 580 and turn right on SR 580.  Drive SR 580 south 0.2 miles to Redcliffe Road, a good dirt road that is passable by all vehicles except in the wettest of conditions.  Turn right on Redcliffe Rd.  Drive Redcliffe Rd. southwest 0.2 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, and drive the gravel park road to the parking lot near the historic mansion.  Park here.

The hike: The deep south is dotted with old plantations turned tourist attractions and historic sites, but few of them have the raw authenticity of Redcliffe Plantation.  The main house was built in 1859 by James H. Hammond, a former governor of South Carolina, United States Senator, rapist, and slave-owner who is most famous for coining the phrase "cotton is king."  Hammond bought the plantation in 1855 for use as a country estate, and he named it Redcliffe after a red bluff near the front of the property.  Some of the property's support buildings have succumbed to the ages, and only the slave quarters and stable remain standing around the mansion.

            The mansion remains the center of the property today, and guided tours are offered several times on most days for a fee.  The grounds are open 9am-6pm daily free of charge, and the grounds include a single hiking trail that loops through the woods north and west of the house.  That trail is the one described here, and it offers a pleasant hike through rolling Piedmont forest.

Start of Walking Trail near park entrance

            The trail forms a true loop; I chose to save the mansion for last by hiking the loop counter-clockwise.  To execute such a plan, start by walking back out the gravel entrance road.  Just before you get to the entrance gate, look left to find the signed start of the Walking Trail.  The trail heads into the dense woods, which are dominated by pines, holly, and magnolia.  The wide dirt trail is unblazed, but distance markers appear at 0.25-mile increments.

Passing the 0.5 mile marker

            The trail heads north before curving left to begin a gradual descent at 0.5 miles.  On one hand the historic buildings and dirt road you drove in on make this site feel remote, but near-constant traffic noise from US 278 to the right and airplanes flying overhead from Augusta Regional Airport remind you that civilization is nearby.  Just past 1 mile, the trail curves left and descends as the old farm pond comes into view downhill and to the right.

Old farm pond

            After curving right to cross the stream that feeds the old farm pond, you reach a pair of benches that offer pondside views at 1.2 miles.  South Carolina is dotted with old farm ponds like this one, but this pond occupies a ravine that is steeper than you might expect for this part of the state.  Past the pondside benches, the trail climbs on a moderate grade through more of the same forest.  A tornado in 2009 did major damage to this forest, and parts of this trail were closed for several years.  Yet a local boy scout troop did an excellent job of repairing the damage and improving the trail in 2019, and today this is a very pleasant trail to hike.

Redcliffe Mansion

Magnolia Lane

            Just past 2 miles, you reach the end of the walking trail as you exit the woods and enter the mowed-grass historic area.  Turn left and climb gradually to reach the mansion.  My favorite feature of these old mansions is the porches, and approaching the mansion from this direction gives a great view of the steps leading up to the broad, expansive porch.  Looking east from the mansion gives a view down Magnolia Lane, this mansion's original driveway.  Walking past the stable and the slave quarters returns you to the parking area to complete the hike.