To the Scouts and Scouters of the Chickasaw Council: The Order of the Arrow is a program based on service and camping and it is our duty to promote camping within the council. This book is constructed to inform the units of camping locations in an effort to increase camping experience of units in the Chickasaw Council. This book is an effective reference when being used to plan your unit’s outings. Inside you will find a list of State Parks located around the Mid-South and a number of other locations for a long weekend or summer trip. There is a chart of the available facilities for each State Park along with directions on how to get there. There is also a list of websites that can come in handy when planning your outdoor adventure. Camping is one of the greatest experiences in Scouting, yet not many scouts get the chance. Please use this book to help Scouts experience the joy of an outdoor adventure. Yours in Service, Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge #558 Camp Promotions Committee 1 Where to go Camping in the Mid-South Table of Contents Tri-State map of State Parks 3 State Parks in Tennessee 4 National Parks in Tennessee 7 Day Trips in Tennessee 7 State Parks in Mississippi 9 Day Trips in Mississippi 11 State Parks in Arkansas 13 Day Trips in Arkansas 15 Chickasaw Council Camps 18 Long Weekend or Summer Trips 19 Useful Websites 20 Would you like to add something? 21 2 3 Tennessee State Parks Campsites Restrooms Swimming Fishing Sports Water Marina Dock Boat Trails Foot Big Hill Pond XX X X Chickasaw XXXX X Cedars of Lebanon XXX X Falls Creek Falls XX XX X Fort Pillow XX X X Land Between The Lakes X X X X X Meeman-Shelby Forest XXXX X Montgomery Bell XX X X Mousetail Landing XXXXX X Natchez Trace XX X X Nathan Bedford Forrest XXXX X Paris Landing XXXXX X Pickwick Landing XXXX X Pinson Mounds X X Reelfoot Complex XX X X T.O. Fuller XXX X 4 Big Hill Pond State Park Fall Creek Falls State Park This 5,009-acre park allows the visitor to get a more Fall Creek Falls is Tennessee’s second largest state park personal understanding of nature and man’s interaction covering 16,000 acres. The popular park’s attractions with it. Within the park are campsites, backpacking are largely scenic with deep-cut river gorges, old-growth trails, picnic sites and a visitor’s center. For all you forests, and four waterfalls. At 256 feet, Fall Creek Falls anglers, the park includes McNatt Fishing Lake and a is one of America’s highest. cypress-lined pond created during the construction of the Memphis-Charleston Railroad. Although there are developed campgrounds, campers have the option of backpacking 13 miles to two The park is located on State Highway 57 on the junction backcountry sites. There is good fishing and canoeing of the Tuscumbia and Hatchie state Scenic River. but visitors must rent a park canoe. Bikers have the use Route 1, Box 150 C of a three-mile trail and there are some good rock climbs Pocahontas, TN 38061 in the park. (901) 645-7967 The park is located off State Highway 111, and Highway 30. Route 3, Box 300 Chickasaw State Park Pikeville, TN 37367 Chickasaw State park is situated on some of the highest (615) 881-3297 terrain in west Tennessee. Chickasaw offers 13 cabins complete with fireplaces, 110 campsites, hiking trails, and a swimming beach on the shores of Lake Placid. Fort Pillow State Historic Park Also, fishermen of all ages enjoy the fishing in a lake This historic wilderness area was once the cite of a Civil with large amounts of bass and bluegill. War battle and the fortifications built by Confederate soldiers under the command of Col. Patrick R. Cleburne The park is located 18 miles South of Jackson, still exist. There are many challenging and information Tennessee on State Highway 100. packed trails throughout the park and a nice waterfront 20 Cabin Lane for fishing. Henderson, TN 38340 (901) 989-5141 The park is off U.S. Highway 51 and west on State Highway 87. Route 2, Box 109 A Henning, TN 38041 Cedars of Lebanon State Park (901) 738-5581 Do not come here looking for the sweet smell of the cedar because it is actually a juniper forest, but at Cedars Land Between the Lakes of Lebanon, you will not be disappointed as the park If your Unit is looking for an action packed weekend, contains 831 acres of “intensive” recreation. Land Between the Lakes is the perfect place to go. Besides the plethora of campgrounds, there are boating, a The park is well equipped with 119 campsites, most of Wrangler’s Campground with wagon trails and which have electric and water hookups. Many picnic backcountry wildlife viewing, over 200 miles of rustic tables are throughout the camp as well as an Olympic trails and roads, a working 19th Century farm called The size swimming pool, hiking trails, and the Merritt Nature Homeplace-1850, a planetarium, and some of the Center World’s best fishing. The park is located south of I-40 on U.S. Highway 231. Land Between the Lakes is located 200 miles Northeast 328 Cedar Forest Rd. of Memphis off Highway 79. Lebanon, TN 37090-7678 100 Van Morgan Drive (618) 443-2769 Golden Pond, KY 42211-9001 (502) 924-5602 5 Meeman-Shelby Forrest State Park Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park If you live in the Memphis area, Meeman-Shelby Forest Overlooking the site of the Civil War battlefield of is a convenient place for an action-packed camp out. Johnsonville, the 741-foot Pilot Knob, the 2,587-acre With cabins, 50 campsites, 20miles of hiking trails, and park’s most prominent point, offers a spectacular view of the ever-popular primitive camp, your unit should always the western valley of the Tennessee River. The park has have something to do. facilities for swimming, hiking, and fishing. Year-round fishing is available on the 125-acre Poplar Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park is located north of I- Tree Lake. 40 near Camden on State Highway 191 Star Route The park is located 13 miles North of Memphis near Eva, TN 38333 Millington off U.S. Highway 51. (901) 584-6356 Route 3 Millington, TN 38053 Paris Landing State Park (901) 876-5125 There are not many better places to work on the Golf Merit Badge than Paris Landing’s 18-hole championship Montgomery Bell State Park golf course. Traces of the iron industry that was once within the boundaries of Montgomery Bell still exist today, though The park is located on the west shore of the Kentucky quiet and abandoned. There are 120 campsites, 8 cabins, Lake and fishing, boating, and water sports are very three fishing lakes, and about 19 miles of foot trails. The popular here. park also has an 11.7-mile overnight hiking trail with three overnight camping shelters along the way. The park is located on U.S. 79 just past Paris. On U.S. Highway 79, Route 1 The park is located North of I-40 on U.S. 70. Buchannan, TN 38222 P.O. Box 39 (901) 642-4311 Burns, TN 37029 (615) 797-3101 Pickwick Landing State Park This place has it all, excellent fishing, a challenging golf Mousetail Landing State Park course, a full service marina, and 48 campsites. This 1,249-acre area on the east bank of the Tennessee River is rich in opportunity, but not rich with people. If you are not feeling so rustic, then you can rent one of Mousetail has many campsites, a backpacking trail with the ten two-bedroom deluxe cabins overlooking the shelters, and provides an excellent opportunity to canoe picturesque Pickwick Lake. on the Buffalo River. There are also public swimming areas, many picnic The park is located on State Highway 50. tables and shelters, and a wide variety of recreation P.O. Box 280B activities including volleyball, badminton, archery, and Linden, TN 37096 horseshoes. (901) 847-0841 The park is located at the intersection of State Routes 57 Natchez Trace State Park and 128 in Hardin County. It is 13 miles south of Natchez Trace is inside Tennessee’s largest state forest, Savannah, TN and 20 miles northeast of Corinth, MS. the 48,000-acre Natchez Trace State Forest. It is a P.O. Box 15 popular park among units in our council partly because Pickwick Dam, TN 38365 (901) 689-3135 of its four lakes, 45 miles of hiking trails with backpacking opportunities, and wrangler camp facilities. Reelfoot Lake State Park What year was that war? Oh yeah, 1812. That was also The park is located South of I-40 halfway between when a series of severe earthquakes created Reelfoot Nashville and Memphis. Lake. Large areas submerged and one of those sinkholes On I-40 Route 1, Box 265 filled with water. Wildersville, TN 38388 (901) 968-8176 You can enjoy the natural beauty of the lake on a three- hour guided boat tour, or by walking the Cyprus 6 Boardwalk nature trail that takes visitors over the lake to There are several hiking trails with patches and pins for view the snakes and blue herons in the swampy areas. successful completion of the various hikes. Additional This area is also known for its population of bald eagles. information on these awards is available at The park is fully stocked with 114 campsites.