With 50,000 acres of lakes, seven marinas, eight resort and retirement communities, two state parks, several Corps of Engineers parks, the Natchez Trace Parkway, and too many boat ramps to count, Tishomingo County is widely known as the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of the Mid-South”.  Nestled in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachians, Tishomingo County is locatedat the intersection of the Tennessee River and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway with water connections to the Ohio-Mississippi-Missouri-Great Lakes navigation systemand the Gulf of Mexico. The deep, coldwater of Pickwick Lake is justifiably famousfor its fighting smallmouth bass while Bay Springs Lake is well known for those lunkerlargemouth bass.

Rated nationally with over 3,000 state parks, Tishomingo State Park consistently rates near the top each year in the award categories of canoeing, birdwatching, educational and historical facilities, fishing spots, hiking trails, kid-friendly parks, picnic areas, romantic spots, scenic views, tours and events, amazing locations, and unique cabins and lodging. This amazing park has the state’s only rock canyon and is located near the state’s highest point, Woodall Mountain, near the state’s highest natural waterfall, Cooper Falls in J. P. Coleman State Park located on 43,000 acre Pickwick Lake.

Tishomingo State Park

In 2019, Tishomingo State Park celebrated its 80th birthday with the erection of a bronze statue honoring the hundreds of young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps that built the park in the 1930s, as well as parks and other conservation projects across the USA. A Friends of the Park volunteer project, the statute was cast in Michigan and will be unveiled in May.

Tishomingo State Park has several special events each year including an Easter egg hunt, an old-time music festival, Earth Day, Swinging Bridge Trail Walk/Run, Native American Customs and Traditions Festival, Kids to Parks Day, Santa in the Park, and First Day Hike, among others. Tishomingo State Park is located on the Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444-mile scenic National Park Service parkway between Nashville, Tennessee, and Natchez, Mississippi.

The Trace runs through the middle of Tishomingo State Park. Like Tishomingo State Park, J.P. Coleman State Park has won numerous national awards. Located on the rocky shores of Pickwick Lake, the park has several popular fishing tournaments each year that draw sportspersons from all across the USA and several other countries. Pickwick Lake is 47,000 acres and is located in three states–Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. J. P. Coleman State Park has a 16-room hotel overlooking Pickwick Lake and a conference center that can accommodate up to 200 persons. The park’s cabins and RV park are among the most popular, and scenic, in the state.

Tishomingo County

The six quaint Appalachian towns and villages of Tishomingo County harkens back to a more peaceful and authentic time. Downtown Iuka offers America’s only Apron Museum, the Old Courthouse Museum, Mineral Springs Park, Iuka Covered Bridge, and a host of unique restaurants and shops. Iuka is the home of the popular Needle Chasers Quilt Show, one of the largest in the South, scheduled every other year. 

Numerous other festivals and events are scheduled throughout the year. The Old Courthouse Museum has an eclectic collection of Native American, pioneer, and Civil War artifacts as well as one of the largest genealogical collections in the southern USA. The Old Courthouse Museum was known as the “Marriage Capital of the South” up until 1958.

No waiting period or blood tests were required. Over 45,000 marriages were performed in the historic building and hundreds of these couples continue to visit the Old Courthouse Museum each year. Each year in August, Iuka sponsors the Iuka Heritage Festival and Car Show. Attended by thousands, the festival offers something for everyone. The car show is one of the largest in the southeastern USA. Belmont in the southern end of Tishomingo County is famous nationwide among wholesalers and retailers as the “Bargain Capital of the South.”

Tiffin Motorhomes

With over one million square feet of store space, this small town draws buyers from all over the USA and several foreign countries. The Belmont area is also home to Tiffin Motorhomes, a popular motor home with the highest quality rating in the USA.  The Belmont area also offers Bay Springs Lake and several recreational developments around the 7,000-acre lake. The lake is part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, so boats can travel easily from Pickwick Lake without going through locks. The visitor center on the lake has a museum, a pioneer log cabin, a picnic area, and paved walking trails.

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Tishomingo County’s natural beauty is complimented by excellent highways, award-winning medical facilities, A-rated schools, and other public facilities and services, plus one of the lowest crime rates in the USA. Retirees find the area to be a low-cost, low-stress location. Proximity to several metro areas rounds out the advantages of living in Tishomingo County. Tishomingo County has earned the respect of retired persons who have moved here from all over the USA, Canada, and other countries.  Whether you come for a day or to spend the rest of your life, Tishomingo County welcomes you. Visit us online at www.exploretishomingocounty.com or call 662-423-0051.