Forest Travel Guide

Not so much a city as a small town, Forest is located off I-20 in Scott County, about halfway between Jackson and Meridian. Primarily an agricultural community, the claim-to-fame here is the Annual Wing Dang Doodle Festival held every September. This festival celebrates two things: chicken and blues music. Visitors are allowed to judge the wing cooking contest which reportedly has some of the best wings in the region. For nature enthusiasts, there is the Bienville National Forest which includes the 23-mile Shockaloe Horse trail (off Hwy 80 -- available to hikers and horses). This is a very easy trail with beautiful scenery that winds through the forest; however it can be quite muddy after a good rain. Trail is clearly marked througout. The standard marker is a wooden sigh with a horse and rider on it. Spring/Summer visitors should come prepared with some type of bug repellent.