Discover Forrest County: Longleaf Trace, Geiger Lake and Art

Forrest County offers a variety of ways to plan a stay: cycling on the Longleaf Trace, water sports at Geiger Lake, and art and history in Hattiesburg. Choosing your focus in advance can help you plan your time in the region around the experiences that matter most to your trip.

Cycling and Water Routes

The Longleaf Trace is 44 miles long, 10 feet wide, and paved. It runs from Hattiesburg through Sumrall, Bassfield, and Carson to Prentiss. This makes it possible to map the route through several named towns. The trail is part of the Pearl & Leaf Rivers Rails-to-Trails Recreational District, a joint entity of Forrest, Jefferson Davis, and Lamar Counties. For a cycling-focused trip, both the trail’s length and its route provide concrete points of reference.

The Pinebelt Blueways offer a different focus: these scenic waterways in Mississippi’s Pine Belt region are intended for kayaking and canoeing. One launch point is in Hattiesburg. This gives you two different ways to spend active days: a paved trail route and waterways for paddling trips. Deciding which should shape your stay is a practical consideration when planning your trip and accommodation.

Geiger Lake and the State Park

Geiger Lake is located in Paul B. Johnson State Park in Forrest County and covers 225 acres. Fishing, boating, and water skiing are available on the lake. These activities bring several water-based pursuits together at one named location, offering a different focus from the cycling and paddling routes.

The State Park also offers a variety of accommodations: 125 RV sites, 25 primitive campsites, 12 cabins, two duplex units, and one group lodging facility. This means the park offers both campsites and cabin and group accommodations. Check reservation details before booking.

Art and History

More than 150 large-scale murals, sculptures, and painted utility boxes can be seen in Hattiesburg. The Hattiesburg Public Art Trail provides a brochure, a map, and clearly visible signs to help visitors explore this public art. The different art forms offer different points of view, while the materials help with navigation along the trail.

Another exhibition venue is the Gallery of Art & Design at the University of Southern Mississippi. It features works on loan from artists, museums, and galleries, as well as exhibitions by students and faculty. Every spring, the Gallery hosts the Annual Student Show, a juried exhibition. The program therefore brings together both works on loan from outside and work from the university community.

The Historic Saenger Theater offers a glimpse of architecture and local history: it opened as a movie palace in 1929 and is an Art Deco building. The 1964 Freedom Summer Trail commemorates participants in the civil rights movement in Hattiesburg during the 1960s and includes an audio tour. The Hattiesburg Pocket Museum offers a smaller, changing exhibition experience: it is a small gallery in a narrow downtown alley. The theater, audio tour, and gallery each offer a different focus within the cultural attractions.

Choose Your Accommodation Based on Your Priorities

If you’re looking for a vacation rental or vacation home in Forrest County, first decide whether cycling, water activities, or art and history should shape your stay. This helps you choose a location that suits your travel plans, without assuming that all the experiences are in the same place.

Hattiesburg has local commercial air service and a train station in the city center. In addition, American Airlines offers daily flights to Dallas and Chicago. Flight schedules can change, so check current connections before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Lowndes County, Tunica, Quitman County, Copiah County, Washington County, Attala County, Rankin.

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