Trace State Park

Trace State Park, near Belden in Pontotoc County in northeast Mississippi, is one of Mississippi’s largest and most scenic state parks — centered on Trace Lake, a beautiful 2,500-acre reservoir set among the rolling hardwood-forested hills of the Pontotoc Ridge, with outstanding equestrian trails (one of the finest horseback-riding parks in Mississippi), excellent lake camping, boating and fishing, and a beautiful forest landscape in the northeast Mississippi uplands.

The park’s 25-mile network of equestrian and hiking trails through the rolling ridge-and-valley terrain is the primary attraction for many visitors, but the lake, the campground and the beautiful forest scenery make Trace State Park a superb destination for any outdoor visitor in northeast Mississippi. Trace State Park is a beloved and exceptional outdoor icon of the region.

Spring (March through May) is outstanding for equestrian riding and hiking — the hardwood forest is at its most beautiful with spring wildflowers, the lake is clear and the temperatures are mild. Fall brings spectacular hardwood color on the Pontotoc Ridge and excellent fishing. Summer is hot but the lake provides swimming and boating relief. Any season is rewarding; spring for the wildflower bloom and riding conditions, and fall for the hardwood color, are the highlights — ride the Trace trails in April for the most beautiful forest conditions.

Trace State Park’s rolling ridge-and-valley hardwood forest supports white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, fox squirrels, eastern box turtles, and a rich forest birdlife — wood thrushes, ovenbirds, Acadian flycatchers and summer tanagers breed in the ridge forest; the lake margins attract great blue herons, ospreys, kingfishers and wood ducks. The 25-mile trail system provides exceptional access to the forest interior for wildlife watching on horseback or foot. The park’s position on the Pontotoc Ridge, between the agricultural lowlands, gives it good wildlife value as a forest refuge.

Equestrian visitors should ensure their horses are trail-ready and know their skill level before tackling the 25-mile trail network (some sections have steep slopes for northeast Mississippi standards). Helmets are recommended for horseback riding. The forest trails may have venomous snakes (copperhead, timber rattlesnake); keep horses calm and watch where you ride and walk. Trace Lake does not have a lifeguarded swim beach — swim in designated areas at your own risk. Mosquitoes are present in warm months; carry repellent for evening camping.

Trace State Park offers equestrian riding on 25 miles of trails through the rolling hardwood ridges and valleys (horse rentals available; trailer parking provided; one of Mississippi’s premier equestrian parks), boating and fishing on Trace Lake (boat launch and fishing access; crappie, bass and catfish are excellent), hiking and biking on the trail network, camping at the lakeside campground (tent and RV sites with full hookups, primitive equestrian camping with corrals), swimming in the lake from designated areas, and birding (the ridge-and-valley hardwood forest supports rich warbler and forest bird diversity). The equestrian trail system and the lake camping are the signature draws.

Trace State Park sits in the heart of the Chickasaw homeland — northeast Mississippi was the territory of the Chickasaw Nation for centuries before their forced removal in the 1830s. The Natchez Trace, the ancient trail that gives the park its name, passes nearby (the Natchez Trace Parkway runs through northeast Mississippi just east of the park). The park was established in the 1960s on the rolling Pontotoc Ridge terrain. The Pontotoc Ridge was one of the most productive Chickasaw farming areas in the Southeast, and the rolling ridges and clear streams of the region are an enduring part of their homeland landscape. Trace State Park preserves the ridge-and-lake scenery of this historic terrain.

Trace State Park sits on the Pontotoc Ridge — a low, northeast-trending ridge in the northeast Mississippi uplands, underlain by Cretaceous-age sandy and chalky sedimentary rocks that weather to the distinctive, well-drained sandy loam soils of the ridge crests. The ridge’s north-south-trending sandy uplands support a diverse hardwood-pine forest; the valleys between the ridges carry small streams feeding Trace Lake. The lake was created by an earthen dam on a tributary of the Tombigbee River watershed. The Pontotoc Ridge geology, the ridge-and-valley terrain and the reservoir create the beautiful landscape of the park.

Trace State Park protects a significant block of rolling ridge-and-valley hardwood forest on the Pontotoc Ridge of northeast Mississippi, with a reservoir providing aquatic habitat and a focal point for recreation. The diverse upland hardwood-pine forest on the sandy ridges supports a rich plant and animal community. Protecting the forest, the lake water quality and the trail system sustains the ecological and recreational character of the park. The park’s equestrian trails are managed to balance recreation with forest protection.

Trace State Park holds a treasured place among the outdoor icons of northeast Mississippi — a beautiful ridge-and-lake forest park in the heart of the Chickasaw homeland near the Natchez Trace Parkway, with one of Mississippi’s finest equestrian trail networks through rolling hardwood ridges. The Chickasaw heritage, the Natchez Trace history and the equestrian tradition make Trace State Park exceptional. It is a cherished natural and cultural icon of the northeast Mississippi uplands.

Trace State Park is in Pontotoc County in northeast Mississippi, off U.S. Highway 72 near Belden, about 20 miles south of Corinth and 25 miles east of Tupelo. The park is well signed from U.S. 72. Tupelo (birthplace of Elvis Presley and a major northeast Mississippi center) is about 25 miles west with full services; Corinth has full services to the north. The park has a full campground, equestrian facilities with corrals, boat launch and a camp store. Horse trailer parking is available. Check Mississippi State Parks for current fees, trail conditions and campground availability before visiting.

Mississippi State Parks manages Trace State Park. Visitors help by staying on designated equestrian and hiking trails (off-trail riding erodes the sandy ridge soils), cleaning up after horses, keeping Trace Lake clean (no soap or waste in the water; pack out all trash), respecting the forest and wildlife, and following all park rules. The rolling ridge terrain is susceptible to erosion from off-trail use; responsible trail use sustains the park’s exceptional equestrian and hiking character.

Park entrance and camping fees apply (check Mississippi State Parks for current rates). Equestrian camping with corrals is available (book in advance). Boats on Trace Lake must comply with Mississippi boating regulations. Stay on designated trails (equestrian and hiking). Do not feed wildlife. Pack out all trash. Clean up after horses on the trail and in the camping area. Follow all posted park rules. Check Mississippi State Parks for current fees and trail conditions before visiting.

The city of Tupelo (about 25 miles west — birthplace of Elvis Presley, with Graceland Too, the Elvis birthplace home, the Natchez Trace Parkway and the Tupelo National Battlefield), the city of Corinth (Civil War battlefield sites), Tishomingo State Park (about 40 miles northeast — the state’s most geologically dramatic park), and the northeast Mississippi Appalachian foothills define the region. Trace State Park anchors the equestrian and lake camping experience of northeast Mississippi, easily combined with a Natchez Trace Parkway drive and the Elvis Presley birthplace in Tupelo.

Ride the full 25-mile trail system over two days with an overnight at the equestrian campsite for the most complete Trace State Park experience — the ridge crests offer open views of the rolling northeast Mississippi forest landscape and the lake. Anglers should fish the deep water near the dam in early morning for the best crappie and bass. Visit in mid-October for the peak hardwood color on the Pontotoc Ridge — the reds, oranges and yellows on the rolling ridges make Trace State Park one of the most colorful fall foliage destinations in northeast Mississippi. Reserve the equestrian campsite months in advance for fall color weekends.