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winter.13
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university
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mississippi
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lions
club
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Parking
Longleaf
Trace
Trailhead
or endpoint
Restrooms
Total trail length:
41
miles
Trail surface:
Asphalt
map illustration by
daniellemarks.com
Equestrian trail
County line
jefferson
davis county
lamar
county
covington
county
marion
county
forrest
county
miles
0
2 3 4
1
melba
sumrall
epley
hattiesburg
bassfield
carson
prentiss
Jefferson
Davis
Lake
White Sand
Creek
Jaybird
Creek
Ed Parkman
Rd.
N. Carson
Rd.
Carson-
Bunkerhill
Rd.
Hosey
Mikell
Rd.
Williamsburg Rd.
Graves Keys Rd.
Broome Rd.
Hardy St.
Oloh Rd.
J.E. Johnson
Rd.
Columbia Ave.
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Map for reference only.
Not for navigation.
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BIKE RENTALS:
The Hattiesburg Gateway has bike rentals, sou-
venirs and maps, and a bike storage service. It’s a welcoming
place to hang out and chat with the trail manager, Herlon Pierce,
and his team. The Gateway is operated by the same group
that maintains the trail, the Pearl and Leaf Rivers Rails-to-Trails
Recreational District. Thanks to this small but energetic organi-
zation, as the trail continues to grow and improve, the restroom
facilities are numerous and well-maintained; there are ample
signs and resting spots.
All-day rentals are $25 for comfort bikes, or $40 for recum-
bents, tricycles, tandems or trailers. Call ahead for availability:
601.450.2453.
GETTING THERE:
Delta Airlines flies in and out of Hattiesburg-
Laurel Regional Airport. For larger airports serving more
carriers, try Jackson, Miss. (90 miles northwest), Mobile, Ala.
(100
miles southeast) and New Orleans (112 miles southwest).
Hattiesburg is also on Amtrak’s Crescent route, between New
York City and New Orleans.
The Hattiesburg Gateway is west of downtown
Hattiesburg, in the thick of the University of Southern
Mississippi campus. FollowWest Fourth Street over State
Route 49, where you’ll find ample overnight parking reserved
for trail users. Parking is also available at the trailheads in
Prentiss and Bassfield.
6.0309)
is
1.2
miles off the Trace, with suites for between $80 and $90.
Look for Railroad Road, crossing the Trace 7.3 miles from the
Hattiesburg Gateway. Take Railroad Road on the left, then
left onto Old Highway 42 southeast for about 1.3 miles. Stay
to your right, and Sunny Grove will be on your right.
equestrian users in mind, but has room for campers and RV
hookups, plus a few bunkhouse rooms ($40). Kerley himself
is an active supporter of the trail.
Jeff Davis Lake has camping, boating and picnicking facili-
ties. For more information, call 601.792.8225 or 601.792.4674.
ore
and enjoyable
trail guide. Anthony Mozingo’s definitive volume will help
visitors identify many otherwise hidden relics and reminders
of the region’s fascinating past.
WHERE TO EAT:
; 601.264.2502),
just off the Trace at the tunnel under Seventh Street in
Hattiesburg, has a good reputation.
Farther along,Ward’s Restaurant (601.758.1933) in Sumrall, 15
miles from Hattiesburg, will scratch any itch you might have for
hearty Southern cooking. TheWard’s chain is famous in this neck
of the woods. Its specialties are burgers, biscuits and chili dogs,
and the root beer in a frosted mug is something else. There are
alsoWard’s restaurants not far from the trail in Bassfield and
Prentiss.
Similarly, Lau-Tori’s Fine Foods (601.758.3586), purveyors of
a very tasty shrimp po’boy, is a country diner in Sumrall that
reminded me why I love the South. Paying the bill, I got to chat-
ting with one of the owners. She made me promise to return one
day for the chicken dumplings. It was a promise I intend to keep.
The newly opened Melba Grocery and Deli (601.943.6000), 25
miles from Hattiesburg, has a deli and diner menu and an out-
door picnic area. You can also get snacks and some supplies at
A.F. Carraway Store and KimWest Grocery, both in Bassfield.
MAP BY DANIELLE MARKS