The motorcycle routes in Mississippi are varied and include lush forests, hills, valleys and the Gulf Coast. There are touristy areas and historical sites to enjoy along the way as well. Mississippi is generally warm, even in the winter months so you can ride you heart out until you need to eat or sleep. Here are a few of the best routes in this state.

-Desoto National Forest

Grab some road on Route 29 and enjoy this 45-mile ride. You will get to travel through the heart of Desoto National Park and view plenty of nature while you traverse the hills. This road is not very heavily traveled so you get peace and quiet and it has a few curves, but is a great road for beginning riders. With good pavement and a few gas stops, you have it all on this route.

-From Holly Springs

If you want a ride that will take you a few hours, start in Holy Springs and head south towards Potts Camp before you hit the Sardis Dam. The mostly flat land has a few rolling hills and friendly locals who always wave. With excellent, well-marked roads, you have a good surface to work with the twisties. Keep an eye on your speed and enjoy this road, even if you are newer to the riding world.

-The Blues Highway

For seasoned riders, this just under 300-mile ride is great for music and good food no matter where you stop. You will enjoy the field views where you can see for miles. The towns are a bit sparse, but there are interesting possible detours a long the way. There are hundreds of deer herds around Eagle Lake so take it slow and enjoy the wildlife scenery as well.

-Clarke County Pine Forest Route

For a drive that takes less than an hour, you get more than you bargained for. You will see pine forests, peach orchards, pastures, and small creeks along this route. There are also fun sweeping turns and hills along the way. The road is in great shape, but there are no amenities along the way. Since it is a short ride, gas up before or after and enjoy the scenery and turns a few times.

-Backwoods Route

This route runs from Benndale to Monticello and is just over 100 miles in length. You’ll get some farm and pasture views with long stretches of woodland areas that have a great tree scent. The two lane back roads have small amounts of traffic so you will enjoy peace and quiet as well. There are several small towns along the way for food and gas and other stops.

-Gulf Coast Route

This two-hour ride takes place in Southern Mississippi and includes New Orleans as a stop. You get lush, green coastal forest views and bay views all on the same road. You’ll see things you didn’t expect in odd locations like crafts stores, pubs and bars, and unique restaurants. With the flat, coastal land, it’s an easy ride, but there are so many views you will want to be looking around. The amenities along this route are world class and hard to pass up.

When you visit Mississippi, the routes are varied and tempting. If you want to enjoy the gulf, you can do that on your motorcycle. You can also take in forests, historic sites and everything in between. Plan to ride when tourists are not in the area and you can pick and choose where to go with ease.