A nature trail loops around Kennedy Lake and crosses the water at several points on wooden footbridges. The bridges are therefore not a single crossing, but recur along the loop. The lake is on Town Creek; its shoreline is densely wooded and slopes down, and the water is calm. Both the route across the water and the character of the shoreline shape the nature experience.
Nature and Outdoor Activities
Town Creek Campground offers 100 sites with electrical and water hookups, as well as hot showers. Activities offered there include hiking, biking, and birdwatching. This makes it possible to combine different interests during an outdoor stay. If you are considering the campground for your plans, check the availability of sites and facilities before your trip.
Prairie Wildlife offers another perspective on the landscape: the area covers 6,000 acres in Mississippi’s Black Belt and is dedicated to wildlife habitat management. Rather than focusing on a single viewpoint, it centers on habitat stewardship. For visitors interested in nature, this is a different way to experience the area than the loop trail at Kennedy Lake.
Trails and Connections in West Point
The Kitty Bryan Dill Memorial Parkway runs for 3.75 miles through West Point and connects five local parks. Unlike the nature trail at Kennedy Lake, its focus is on connecting several parks; the lake trail, by contrast, centers on looping around the lake via footbridges. In 2005, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated the parkway a National Recreational Trail. Its length and the number of parks it connects provide a concrete point of reference if you would like to include different trails and landscape experiences in your travel plans.
Architecture, Performing Arts, and Local History
Center Stage is located in Central School, a building designated as a Mississippi Historic Landmark. The Center Stage Auditorium was originally built in 1928 and features an orchestra pit, raised seating, and a balcony. As a performing arts venue, Center Stage has 450 seats and is used by schools and the West Point community. Here, architectural history meets a contemporary use as a stage.
The West Point Unified Historic District also presents architecture in a broader context. It combines three previously designated historic districts with additional areas to showcase West Point’s architectural heritage. The district includes 401 historically and architecturally significant properties. Rather than focusing on a single building, you can view the many listed properties as part of a shared historical context.
Those interested in technology and transportation history will find rows of vehicles and historical information at the Sam Wilhite Transportation Museum. This offers a distinct focus alongside architectural history: here, the emphasis is on vehicles and their historical context.
Blues History and Memorials
Howlin’ Wolf was born on June 10, 1910, in White Station, north of West Point. West Point’s Mississippi Blues Trail marker commemorating him is located at 510 East Broad Street. Check local conditions before visiting. A park in West Point also features a black granite statue honoring Howlin’ Wolf, as well as a memorial bench and a marker honoring Lillie Handley Burnett. The three memorials are therefore clearly associated with different people.
West Point holds an annual memorial festival in honor of Howlin’ Wolf. If you would like to plan your trip around the event, check the event calendar for the year you have in mind.
Festivals and Travel Information
The Prairie Arts Festival takes place every year in downtown West Point on the Saturday before Labor Day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It features more than 600 exhibits and traditional Southern cuisine; food offerings may vary from year to year. Check the festival dates for your chosen year when planning your trip. Its exhibits and changing food offerings give the festival a different character from the permanent sites associated with architectural and blues history.
West Point is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 45 Alternate and State Highway 50. The local airport, McCharen Field, has runway and hangar capacity for business aircraft as well as small private and sport aircraft. If these flight options are relevant to your plans, confirm operational details before your trip.
Discover more destinations: West Point, Covington, Adams County, Scott County, Washington County, Marshall, Desoto, Jackson County.
Return to the main travel overview: Mississippi.
