Black Creek Wilderness Map
Float and backpack Mississippi's only wild river, De Soto National Forest.
A 6-day Black Creek Wilderness trip in Mississippi's De Soto National Forest. Paddle the 21-mile Wild & Scenic float from Big Creek Landing past Moody's and Janice to Fairley Bridge, camping on white-sand bars, then backpack the Black Creek Trail through the state's only designated wilderness.
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15 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Black Creek: every stop pinned in order.
Big Creek · Moody's · Janice · Fairley Bridge · Mississippi
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
Black Creek in photos: 3 of the stops.
Plan and book your 6 days in Black Creek, one step at a time
- Black Creek near Brooklyn is running about 89 cfs (gauge 3.8 ft) today, below the 20th percentile for late September (median about 163 cfs): expect shallow riffles and some dragging over sand bars, and slower miles than the day estimates. Source
How 6 days in Black Creek split up
Plan 6 days for Black Creek. Distance: ~50 miles. River: 21-mi Wild & Scenic. Permits: None. The Black Creek Wilderness sits inside the De Soto National Forest and protects Mississippi's only designated Wild & Scenic river. This 6-day itinerary pairs a multi-day canoe float with a Black Creek Trail backpack, so you experience the blackwater, white-sand bars, and old-growth bottomland forest from both the water and the trail.
Day 1: Arrive in Brooklyn & Gear Check
2 stops · Day one
Day 2: Launch at Big Creek & Paddle to Moody's Landing · ~10 miles
4 stops · Day two
Day 3: Moody's Landing to Janice Landing · ~9 miles
2 stops · Day three
Day 4: Janice Landing to Fairley Bridge
3 stops · Day four
Day 5: Black Creek Trail Backpacking
2 stops · Day five
Day 6: Hike Out & Departure
2 stops · Day six
Arrive in Brooklyn & Gear Check
Your Black Creek Wilderness trip begins in Brooklyn, Mississippi, the closest town with services to the river access points and about an hour's drive from Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT). Use the day to gather last-minute supplies, check gear, and stage vehicles for the shuttle.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive from
~1 hr from Gulfport-Biloxi (GPT) · car required · DriveBase your logistics out of Brooklyn, Mississippi, the closest town with services to the Black Creek access points. It sits about an hour north of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT). Services are limited, so stock up on food, fuel, and water containers in Hattiesburg or on the coast before you arrive.
- Stage & overnight in Hattiesburg
Hotels in Hattiesburg · ~30 min to Brooklyn · lodgeSpend the night near Brooklyn or in Hattiesburg (about 25 minutes north, with more hotels and full grocery) so you are rested for an early launch. Organize your dry bags, confirm the shuttle or outfitter plan, and do a final gear check.
Launch at Big Creek & Paddle to Moody's Landing · ~10 miles
Shuttle a vehicle down to Fairley Bridge Landing (your float take-out and trail start), then launch your canoe or kayak at Big Creek Landing, the northern terminus of the float and the Black Creek Trail. Secure everything in dry bags before you push off.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Shuttle a vehicle to Fairley Bridge
~40 min · your float take-out & trail start · DriveBefore launching, set the shuttle: leave one vehicle at Fairley Bridge Landing, the downstream end of the float and the eastern trailhead of the Black Creek Trail, then drive the other vehicle to Big Creek Landing to put in.
- Launch at Big Creek Landing
Concrete ramp · northern terminus · no fees · ViewpointPut your canoe or kayak into Black Creek at Big Creek Landing, the northern terminus of both the float and the Black Creek Trail. It has a concrete boat launch and no user fees, but no drinking water. Secure all gear in dry bags before you push off.
Official info → - Paddle to Moody's Landing
~10 mi · 4–6 hrs · calm bottomland float · activityPaddle roughly 10 downstream miles of calm, tannin-dark water through serene bottomland forest to the Moody's Landing area, where the 21-mile Wild & Scenic section officially begins. The current is gentle and mostly flatwater.
Official info → - Primitive camp near Moody's Landing
Sand bar camping · Leave No Trace · lodgePitch a primitive camp on one of the many white-sand bars near Moody's Landing. Choose a flat, open bar well above the waterline, bury human waste 6–8 inches deep at least 200 feet from the creek, and pack out all trash.
Moody's Landing to Janice Landing · ~9 miles
Continue downstream from Moody's Landing through the heart of the Wild & Scenic corridor. This stretch is lined with the white sand beaches Black Creek is known for, ideal for a long lunch, a swim, or drifting and watching for herons, turtles, and wood ducks.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Paddle Moody's to Janice Landing
~9 mi · white sand beaches · gentle current · activityContinue through the heart of the Wild & Scenic corridor, lined with the white sand beaches Black Creek is famous for. Take a long lunch, swim, and watch for herons, turtles, and wood ducks as you drift roughly 9 miles to Janice Landing.
Official info → - Primitive camp at Janice Landing
Concrete ramp · small primitive campground · free · lodgeJanice Landing is a popular put-in and take-out with a concrete ramp and a small primitive campground. Settle onto a nearby sand bar or an established site, filter all your water, and pack out every scrap of trash.
Janice Landing to Fairley Bridge
The last and longest float leg winds about 12 miles from Janice Landing through ancient cypress and tupelo bottoms to Fairley Bridge Landing, the downstream end of the Wild & Scenic river and the eastern trailhead of the Black Creek Trail.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Paddle Janice to Fairley Bridge
~12 mi · cypress & tupelo bottoms · longest leg · activityThe last and longest float leg winds about 12 miles through ancient cypress and tupelo bottoms to Fairley Bridge Landing, the downstream end of the Wild & Scenic river. Start early and pace yourself to arrive with daylight.
- Take out at Fairley Bridge Landing
End of the float · eastern trailhead of the trail · ViewpointTake out at Fairley Bridge Landing, the downstream end of the float and the eastern trailhead of the Black Creek Trail. De-rig and dry your boat, then load it onto your shuttle vehicle for the transition to backpacking.
Official info → - Re-pack & camp near Fairley Bridge
Transition from paddle to backpack · check fire rules · lodgeReorganize into your backpack, moving only what you need for two days on the Black Creek Trail, and camp near the landing so you can start hiking early. Check current De Soto National Forest fire restrictions before building a fire.
Black Creek Trail Backpacking
Trade the paddle for boots. From Fairley Bridge Landing, hike west on the Black Creek Trail, a ~40-mile National Recreation Trail that parallels the creek and passes through about ten miles of the Black Creek Wilderness itself. The tread is generally flat, sandy in places, and crosses countless small streams on over 100 bridges and boardwalks.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Hike the Black Creek Trail west
~40-mi NRT · ~10 mi in the wilderness · foot travel only · HikeFrom Fairley Bridge Landing, hike west on the Black Creek Trail, a ~40-mile National Recreation Trail that parallels the creek and passes through about ten miles of the Black Creek Wilderness. The tread is generally flat, sandy in places, and crosses over 100 small bridges and boardwalks.
Official info → - Primitive camp in the wilderness
Durable surface · 200 ft from water & trail · lodgeAfter 8–10 miles, set a primitive camp on a durable surface at least 200 feet from water and the trail, deep inside the Black Creek Wilderness. Filter water from the creek, keep your group to 10 or fewer, and follow Leave No Trace.
Hike Out & Departure
Turn around and hike the Black Creek Trail back east to Fairley Bridge Landing, another 8–10 miles, where your shuttle vehicle is waiting. The wilderness miles look different in morning light going the other way. Pack out everything, including all trash and food scraps.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Hike back to Fairley Bridge
~8–10 mi · out and back to your car · HikeHike the Black Creek Trail back east to Fairley Bridge Landing, another 8–10 miles, where the shuttle vehicle you left on day 2 is waiting. Pack out everything, including all trash and food scraps.
Firecruise / CC BY-SA 4.0Drive to Gulfport-Biloxi (GPT)~1 hr south · fly home · DriveRetrieve your vehicle at Fairley Bridge (and the second car at Big Creek Landing if you ran your own shuttle), clean and de-rig your gear, and grab a post-trip meal in Brooklyn or Hattiesburg. From here it is about an hour's drive south to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT) if you are flying home.
Book the 1 night under a roof
Most nights on this trip are in a tent. Reserve any campsite the route needs, and the room either side of it if you want one.
Tell us your dates and we will do the calling: the rooms either side, and the guided days in between. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Black Creek
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping out 4 nights
For the 1 night under a roof
For the drive to the trailhead
Essential wilderness rules & planning.
Leave No Trace
Pack it in, pack it out, including all trash, food scraps, and packaging. Bury human waste 6–8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from water sources, trails, and campsites. The Black Creek Wilderness has no facilities in its interior.
Camping & campfires
Primitive camping is allowed on sand bars and at least 200 feet from trails and water. Campfires are generally permitted unless restrictions are in place, so use existing fire rings and make sure fires are completely out before you leave.
Group size & foot travel
Keep groups to 10 people or fewer to minimize impact. Only foot travel is permitted on the Black Creek Trail, and the float is limited to non-motorized canoes and kayaks in the Wild & Scenic corridor.
Go October through April
The best window is fall (October–November) and spring (March–April): mild temperatures, fewer insects, and good water levels. Winter is pleasant but cooler. Avoid May through September for extreme heat, humidity, and heavy mosquitoes.
Water & self-reliance
No drinking water is available on the trail, and all creek water must be filtered or treated. Cell service is unreliable or nonexistent in the wilderness, so carry a satellite communicator and be prepared to be fully self-reliant.
Filters clog on tannin water
Black Creek runs deeply tannin-stained, and those fine particles can clog a standard hollow-fiber filter (such as a Sawyer Squeeze) within a few gallons. Bring a pump or gravity system with a rugged ceramic or pleated element that handles heavy sediment, pack a backflush kit, and backflush after every use.
Strainers & flash floods
The float looks like a calm bottomland drift, but it is choked with strainers, fallen pines and cypress, where a loaded canoe can be pushed sideways into a submerged log jam and capsize or trap a paddler. Scout ahead, portage anything sketchy, and never camp on a low sandbar when rain is forecast regionally, since Black Creek drains a large area and can rise several feet overnight.
Shuttle, permits & getting there
No permits or fees are required, but self-registration is encouraged. A point-to-point float and backpack needs a two-vehicle shuttle or a Brooklyn outfitter drop-off. Base out of Brooklyn, MS, about an hour north of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT).
Black Creek: questions before you go
Black Creek strainers: the questions people ask most.
This 6-day itinerary is moderate. It requires basic paddling skills for the roughly 31-mile float and moderate fitness for the 8–10-mile-per-day backpacking legs on the Black Creek Trail. Prior experience with wilderness camping and navigation is strongly recommended.
No. No permits or user fees are required for the Wild & Scenic float or the Black Creek Trail. Self-registration at trailheads and landings is encouraged so the Forest Service can track use. If you stay at a developed campground before or after the trip, reservations and fees may apply.
October–November and March–April are best, with mild temperatures, fewer insects, and reliable water levels. Winter (December–February) is pleasant but cooler. Avoid May through September because of extreme heat, high humidity, and abundant mosquitoes.
Yes. Outfitters near Brooklyn and the De Soto National Forest rent canoes and kayaks and run shuttle drop-offs. Because this is a point-to-point float and backpack, you need either a two-vehicle shuttle or an outfitter, so book ahead, especially on fall and spring weekends.
Going downstream, the float runs from Big Creek Landing to Moody's Landing (~10 miles), on to Janice Landing (~9 miles), and finally to Fairley Bridge Landing (~12 miles). The 21-mile Wild & Scenic section is from Moody's Landing to Fairley Bridge. Exact river mileages vary by source and water level.
No drinking water is available on the Black Creek Trail, and all creek water must be filtered or treated before drinking. Cell service is unreliable or nonexistent in the wilderness, so plan to be self-reliant and carry a satellite communication device for emergencies.
The creek is heavily tannin-stained, and that fine sediment can clog a standard hollow-fiber squeeze filter within a few gallons. A pump or gravity filter with a rugged ceramic or pleated element handles the sediment far better. Carry a backflush kit and backflush after every use so your flow rate holds for the whole trip.
Two things. Days five and six on the Black Creek Trail are exceptionally sandy, and walking 8 to 10 miles a day in soft, shifting sand under a heavy pack tires your calves and blisters feet faster than firm dirt, so break in your boots and pack extra blister care. With no picnic tables or logs on the sandbars for four nights, a sub-two-pound backpacking chair also greatly improves camp comfort.
Tell us your dates and we ask a local guide who works this area what they can do on your days and what it costs. If nobody is free, we tell you. Asking is free: no card, no deposit, and nothing is held until you say yes.
Pick how you want to go.
Same 6-day route. Same 7 stops.
- 1 night, a campground in Hattiesburg before and after the route
- $22
- 4 nights, free backcountry camps on the route
- Free
- Rental car, 6 days
- $360
- Gas, about 174 miles
- $25
- A private local guide, campsites booked
- Included
- Airport pickup and every drive
- Included
- Park, permit and campsite fees paid
- Included
- All the gear and the trail meals
- Included
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Last checked September 2026
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