Lauderdale County Between Nature and History

The following differences can help you organize your priorities. When choosing a hotel, compare the options based on your own needs.

Nature, Water, and Waterfowl

The Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge brings together two notable features: it contains Tennessee’s largest stand of bottomland hardwood forest and is also an important wintering and stopover area for waterfowl. The refuge also has three accessible boat ramps. Visitors especially interested in birds will find a specific seasonal draw at the Lower Hatchie Refuge: In winter, waterfowl can be observed from a viewing tower.

The Lower Hatchie Refuge is at the confluence of the Hatchie and Mississippi Rivers, in Lauderdale and Tipton Counties in western Tennessee. Visitors can kayak or canoe on Champion Lake and Sunk Lake. Winter waterfowl watching and trips on the lakes are different ways to plan a visit: one centers on a particular season, the other on activities on the water.

Sunk Lake State Natural Area offers a different focus. Its habitats include swamps with bald cypress, bottomland hardwood forests, and emerging wetlands. Forests surround a group of eight shallow sinkhole lakes in the Mississippi floodplain. A 180-foot boardwalk leads to a viewing area at one of the lakes; there is also a boat ramp for fishing boats and canoes. The distinctive landscape, a short view from the boardwalk, and use of the water are different experiences to consider.

John Tully State Forest is also part of the county’s natural landscape: it covers 2,131 acres in Lauderdale County. This acreage distinguishes the forest as another natural area from the wetlands specifically described at Sunk Lake and the bird habitats of the refuges. This can help you decide whether to focus your trip on the landscape, birdwatching, or activities on the water.

History and Places with a Story of Their Own

The Alex Haley House is a ten-room bungalow built in 1919 by Will E. Palmer, Alex Haley’s maternal grandfather. Haley lived there with his grandparents from 1921 to 1929 and also spent time at the house during some later summers. The family stories passed down to him inspired him to write about his ancestry in Roots. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 14, 1978. Architecture, family history, and literary connections come together here, without needing to be treated as the same thing.

Fort Pillow offers another historical focus. Fort Pillow is designated a National Historic Landmark; Fort Pillow State Historic Park provides access to the bluffs along the Mississippi. The Blue Chickasaw Bluff Trail is designated as a backcountry section. The Red Historical Trail is 8.10 miles long. The designation of one trail section and the length given for the other provide different points of reference if you are interested in historic sites and trails.

The Lauderdale County Museum focuses on objects related to the county’s history. The museum is housed in the historic Sugar Hill Mansion, built in 1842. This connects the local history on display with a building that was constructed long before the museum was established.

Events and Other Interests

The Lauderdale County Fair takes place every year on the last weekend in August. If you would like to plan your stay around this event, check the current event calendar before making plans. The Lauderdale County Tomato Festival includes a tomato tasting. Since the festival program may change from year to year, it’s also worth checking the latest dates and program details.

In Ripley, City Park, with its disc golf course and walking path, offers other ways to add variety to your stay. These park amenities differ from the designated backcountry and historic trails at Fort Pillow: disc golf and a walking path are the features named here. When choosing, consider which of these interests best matches your planned stay.

Discover more destinations: Gates, Ripley, Shelby, Monroe County, Claiborne County, Marion County, Crockett County, Henry County.

For the broader travel overview: Tennessee.