PROJECT FOCUS AREAS
HABITAT CONSERVATION & OUTDOOR RECREATION
The oldest bald cypress tree at Sky Lake is nearly 47 feet in circumference and 70 feet tall. That tree and a slightly smaller one nearby are among the largest trees in Mississippi and some of the state’s oldest living things.
Sky Lake harbors a rich diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and other wildlife. Cypress-tupelo swamps are among the world’s most productive ecosystems.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to significant structural issues caused by water and time, the Sky Lake Boardwalk is closed effective immediately and until further notice. This closure pertains only to the boardwalk. The rest of the Sky Lake Information and Education area remains open per normal access regulations. (POSTED FEB. 2026)
Sky Lake Boardwalk
Completed in 2011, the Sky Lake Boardwalk is more than 1,700 feet long and takes visitors through the heart of an ancient bald cypress forest. Some of the trees are estimated to be over 1,000 years old.
Sky Lake Paddling Trail
A 2.6-mile paddling trail winds through the wetland forest. A pavilion, an office, and education center are located at the trailhead. The site is owned and operated by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
Access to Sky Lake
Sky Lake is open to the public during daylight hours. Users of the Sky Lake boardwalk and headquarters area are exempt from having a state-issued Wildlife Management Area (WMA) user permit.
Directions
From Belzoni, take Highway 7 north for about 8 miles, turn left on Four Mile Road for 3 miles to Permit Station, then go left onto Lake Road. Go about 0.25 miles to WMA headquarters.
History of the Sky Lake Project
Creating public access to Sky Lake was years in the making, and those efforts began when Wildlife Mississippi was formed 25 years ago. Wildlife Mississippi’s founder and Chairman Emeritus Clarke Reed of Greenville was an early promoter of the project.
Wildlife Mississippi worked with the governor’s office and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks to acquire the core of the property from its owners, Peggy and Mark Simmons. Since then, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has acquired another 3,500 acres around Sky Lake and restored its bottomland hardwood forests.
Project Partners
Wildlife Mississippi partnered on this project with Federal Highway Administration; Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; David Smith Construction, Inc.; Humphreys County Board of Supervisors; Humphreys County Sheriff’s Department; Pryor and Morrow Architects; Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board; various individuals, corporations, and foundations.
SUPPORT OUR WORK
You can make a difference by helping conserve Mississippi’s natural areas for present and future generations. Together, we can make Mississippi a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
