National parks in Mississippi

Mississippi's National Park Service units are the kind of places that reward slowing down. The Natchez Trace Parkway runs as a long, unhurried spine through the state, connecting dark-sky corridors, shaded hiking trails, and quiet campsites along one of America's oldest travel routes. At the southern end, Gulf Islands National Seashore opens onto barrier island coastline that works well for families or anyone who wants to pitch a tent near salt water. The two national military parks at Shiloh and Vicksburg cover the Civil War with real depth, and both welcome cyclists and families as readily as serious history readers. Natchez National Historical Park is the quietest and most intimate of the group, and a guided tour is the best way into it. Together, these units stretch from the Gulf Coast north through the interior, which makes Mississippi a solid choice for road-trippers after layered history, outdoor variety, and very few crowds.