Homochitto National Forest: Clear Springs Lake Trail (Blog Hike #1059)

Trail: Clear Springs Lake Trail
Hike Location: Homochitto National Forest, Clear Springs Recreation Area
Geographic Location: southeast of Roxie, MS (31.42591, -90.98519)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: A short loop hike around Clear Springs Lake.
Area Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mississippi/recarea/?recid=28869
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=980760
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 24, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From Roxie, take US 84 east 6.5 miles to Clear Springs Road and turn right on Clear Springs Road; there is a national forest sign at this intersection.  Drive narrow and winding Clear Springs Rd. 4 miles to the recreation area entrance.  Pay the entrance fee, and park in the day use parking area near the picnic shelters beside the lake.

The hike: Located in the rural southwest quadrant of Mississippi east of Natchez, Homochitto National Forest (pronounced like home-uh-CHEAT-uh) protects 191,839 acres mostly of recovering farmland.  The forest was established in 1936 as Mississippi's first national forest, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked to reforest the land and build many of the roads and recreation areas we use today.  The forest is named for the Homochitto River, which drains most of its land.  The river's name in turn probably comes from the Choctaw word for "big red."

            For recreation, the forest is most famous for its many miles of bridle trails, but it also has a few dayhiking options.  I came here on the last day of a 23 day hiking trip with a long drive home in front of me, so I chose to hike the forest's shortest trail: the 1.3 mile Clear Springs Lake Trail described here.  This trail forms a loop around its namesake lake, and the scenic lake views combine with the relatively steep hills and good wildlife viewing to make a fantastic short rustic hike.

Drinking fountain at trailhead

            From the main information board, begin a counterclockwise journey around Clear Springs Lake by heading west on the single track trail with the lake to your left.  The Clear Springs Lake Trail is mostly unmarked but entirely easy to follow.  The drinking fountain at the trailhead was turned off for the winter when I came here in late February, but several picnic tables occupy scenic spots beside the lake.  Clear Springs Lake was not particularly clear on my visit: the lake is fed by a combination of streams and springs, and this area had received large amounts of rain the week preceding my visit.

Picnic shelter across the lake

            Ignore several side trails that exit right; they lead uphill to the campground and another picnic area.  The lake makes for above average birding, and I heard and saw lots of common birds on this hike.  After following the trail closest to the lake for 0.3 miles, you reach Clear Springs Dam, which forms the lake.  Turn left to hike across the earthen dam and access the less developed south side of Clear Springs Lake.

Clear Springs Lake, as seen from the dam

            The next 0.4 miles stay close to the south shore of the lake.  The forest is dominated by pine trees, as you would expect for reverting farmland from the 1930's.  Some narrow trail and a decent number of small ups-and-downs make the going more challenging than you might expect, but broad views open up across the lake.  Old patches of asphalt can be seen in the trail surface, indicating that this trail might have been partially paved at one time.  At 0.7 miles, the trail curves right to briefly leave the lake and begin heading southeast high above a small side stream.

Hiking along the lake

            After crossing the stream and returning to the lake area, the trail curves right to round a low ridge before passing the east/upstream end of the lake.  You pass through a muddy area before intersecting the much longer red-blazed Richardson Creek Trail at 1.1 miles.  Turn left to continue the loop around the lake and cross the lake's main feeder stream on a wooden footbridge.

Footbridge over Richardson Creek

Final turn

            After less than 500 feet on the Richardson Creek Trail, you need to turn left to leave the Richardson Creek Trail and begin the final leg of our loop.  The blue arrow here is one of the few trail markers I saw on the entire Clear Springs Lake Trail.  A short flat walk through more pines deposits you at the picnic area to complete the hike.