The Pascagoula River
Blueway is almost 23 miles in
Merrill
length and is best for experienced and intermediate paddlers
because of distance between
access points and strong currents.
Those hoping to enjoy fish and
wildlife in the slower backwaters
should visit Points of Interest
accessible by road just off the
main river.
The Pascagoula River is formed
where the Leaf and Chickasawhay
Rivers join. It is allowed to move
naturally (no dams) over 80
miles where it empties into the
Mississippi Sound.
Over 50,000 acres are now
protected for conservation along
the stunning landscapes of the
free-flowing river.
mR
Sale
d
0
2
Dead River
10
9
HWY
5
14
15
7 8 Ramp East & Ramp West
18
Mixon Lake Rd
6
d
ad
Ramp East
19
Bilbo
Basin
57
MAP KEY
k
Cree
k
7
McRae
Dead River
Y
Hiking Trail
Big
EW
ilk
e
rso
Pierce Lake
HW
Intermediate Trail
nF
er
ry
Rd
17
k
WW
ilke
rson
8
20
9
10
0
6
9
W
Lower
Rhymes Lake
Ferr
y Rd
21
POINTS OF INTEREST
Kayak Launch
Parking
Facilities
Handicap Pier
Historic
Birding
Picnicking
Camping
Spring Water
N
Upper
Rhymes
Lake
Ramp West
11 Josephine Sandbar
Experienced Trail
sro
16
Josephine Sandbar is currently the
largest accessible sandbar on the
Pascagoula River. The site boasts an
artesian well, a continuous source of
freshwater.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
Handicap Pier
Cro
s
Peewee Miller Rd
9 Upper Rhymes Lake
Kayak Launch
urphy
• Alcohol is not permitted within
the Pascagoula River Wildlife
Management Area.
• Purchase and carry an annual
WMA User Permit. Daily Visitor Use
Permits must be filled out, carried
on person, and turned in daily.
• Pack out your trash.
• Avoid trespassing on private lands.
Formerly the site of Wilkerson Ferry,
a historic ferry carrying passengers
across the river, the locations host
primitive camping, port-a-lets, and
running water (Artesian well).
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
Permit Station
TRAIL RULES
Hutson Lake
McRae Dead River is a former river
channel of the Pascagoula River. From
the water, paddlers can get a sense
of how the river changes course over
time. During high water events, the
oxbow may be accessible to the main
river channel. Access the area from
Mixon Lake Road off Hwy 57.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
Information Kiosk
26
BUZZARD ROOST
COMMUNITY
13
k
4
sR
Rd
Big
La
ke
Rd
d
R
e
k
n La
Hutso
River Rd
12
Big Lake
2
3
Frank M
Dacy Eddy
Dacy Lake
11
6 McRae Dead River
Point of Interest
Rd
1
Ramp Davis
Another former river channel now
isolated from the main river, Hutson
Lake is a bird sanctuary easily
accessible by road or boat launch.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED WY 26
H
1
6
Davis Eddy
5 Hutson Lake
Mile Marker
Cochran
Dead River
8
Davis Dead
River
Co
c
7
4 HWY 26 North Birding Area
1
hr
an
To
wn
HW
Y5
7
5
Dacy Lake, a former river channel
often called a “dead river” or oxbow,
is a scenic locale ideal for nature and
wildlife photography.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
Lower Rhymes Lake is another
large oxbow that provides great
opportunity for intrepid paddlers to
get close to giant cypress and tupelo
gum trees. Many wading birds and
waterfowl use these areas for feeding
and nesting.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
Pree Eddy
4
3 Dacy Lake
10 Lower Rhymes Lake
rril Rd
3
- Me
roads
Cross
Big Eddy
2 Big Lake
Upper Rhymes is home to large
cypress and tupelo gum trees. Watch
for alligators and wading birds amid
the cypress knees and buttressed
(swollen) trunks.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
k
Round Eddy
Big Lake is a long, narrow lake that
was most likely a “drowned” stream
dammed naturally over time.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
Just north of HWY 26, this area
showcases many migratory songbirds
in spring and fall as well as ducks and
other waterfowl in winter and early
spring.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
ing
Land
1
1 Davis Eddy Lake
Often called “Bird Lake”, Davis Eddy
Lake is a must-see for nesting herons
and egrets in the spring. For additional
scenic views, hike the 2 mile nature
trail to Cochran Dead River.
WMA USER PERMIT REQUIRED
Byrd
1
22 11
2
3
4
5
6
Josephine
Sandbar
7
8
0
E
S
9 10 11
1m
SAFETY INFORMATION
• Check local weather and river stages before your trip! If the river level is under
3 feet or over 9 feet, wait for better conditions before attempting to paddle. To
report safety concerns, call George County Sheriff (601-947-9156) or 911. For WMA
violations, call 1-800-BE-SMART .
• The Pascagoula River Blueway is for experienced and intermediate paddlers.
• File a float plan with a friend or relative. Cell phone coverage is not always reliable.
• Be aware of eddies and strong river currents especially at boat ramps.
• Wear a life jacket with a whistle attached and take a waterproof first aid kit.
• Alcohol is not permitted within the Pascagoula River Wildlife Management Area.
• The Pascagoula River WMA is open for hunting season from October 1 – May 1.
Walking trails are important passageways for hunters; please use caution during
these months. Hunter orange hats or clothing is appropriate.
• The Pascagoula River WMA is a wildlife haven. Please be aware of your
surrroundings and always respect the wildlife.
• For local weather and river stages, www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/wmas/
southeast-region/pascagoula-river.aspx
Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)
are lands set aside to conserve Mississippi’s
wildlife resources. Our WMAs are managed
by the Mississippi Department of
Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Within the
Pascagoula River WMA hunting, fishing,
camping, hiking, wildlife watching, and
boating are all acceptable activities.
Aside from the river, visitors may see
oxbow lakes and other backwater sloughs,
cypress-tupelo swamps, small creeks, pine
savanna and longleaf pine forests within the
37,000 acres of the Pascagoula River WMA. Within
this fascinating landscape of habitats, over 327
species of birds live or migrate each year to feed, nest and
roost. Deer are plentiful; fox, river otters, beaver, skunks, bobcat,
alligators, snakes and even black bear can be found within the
river habitats.
All visitors must purchase and carry a WMA User
Permit (purchased wherever licenses are sold).
Permit use is strictly enforced. Additionally,
visitors must complete a daily use permit card
before entering the WMA. These permit cards
are available at permit stations located at
The Land Trust for the
major entrances to the WMA. For questions
Mississippi Coastal Plain
about the Pascagoula River WMA, visit the
works with landowners to conserve
website at www.mdwfp.com/wma or call
special places in perpetuity. With local, state
601-947-6376.
and federal agencies, the Land Trust protects
natural areas that benefit residents and visitors to south Mississippi: abundant seafood,
rich timberlands, pristine water, and unsurpassed recreational activities. www.ltmcp.org
The National Park Service is collaborating with state and local agencies and
organizations to promote the conservation, stewardship, and public use of the Pascagoula
River, the last large unimpeded river system in the lower 48 states. The Pascagoula River
Blueway is part of America’s Great Outdoors Rivers Program to conserve and restore key
rivers across the nation, expand recreational opportunities and support jobs in local
communities.