Best time to go
Early morning or late afternoon gives softer light and better reflections on the water for photos. A weekday visit tends to feel quieter than a weekend one. Sampled visits often reported no wait to park, though that will vary.
Overview
About Reservoir Overlook
Why stop
- Wide open reservoir views and wildlife watching
- Paved Chisha Foka trail starts here
Heads up
- A brief scenic stop unless you use the trail
This pullout at milepost 105.6 looks out over the Ross Barnett Reservoir, a 33,000-acre impoundment of the Pearl River and Mississippi's largest source of drinking water. The reservoir runs alongside the Parkway for roughly eight miles, and this is the spot built for taking it in, with parking, an accessible entrance, and open water views from above.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy stop hereMap
Where it is
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Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
Best time to go
4 active Natchez Trace alerts
- ClosureParkway sections closed for bridge and road constructionTwo Natchez Trace Parkway sections are closed to through traffic; follow the signed detours.Official details
- ClosureMount Locust historic stand closedThe historic stand at Mount Locust Inn & Plantation (MP 15.5) is closed because of structural concerns.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Natchez Trace Tour Guide
Your drive to Reservoir Overlook, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Natchez Trace Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Reservoir Overlook0:00 / 0:30
“You're approaching Reservoir Overlook, a quick chance to see Ross Barnett Reservoir spread out below the Parkway. This 33,000-acre reservoir on the Pearl River stretches alongside the road for about eight miles.”
Plays as you drive up to Reservoir Overlook in the Parkwolf Natchez Trace Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Boyd Site's Layered History
- Brashears Stand and Bill Waller Craft Center
- The Bird with Folding Toes
- The Lake with a City to Supply
- 272 audio storiesacross Natchez Trace’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor American Alligator, White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, and 9 more
- Works offlinemaps, 26 trails, 62 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Reservoir Overlook
What makes it differentMost Parkway stops in this stretch focus on forest, earthworks, or short historic walks.
Most Parkway stops in this stretch focus on forest, earthworks, or short historic walks. Here the subject is big open water, closer in feel to a lakeshore drive than a woodland trace. It is also the northern terminus of the Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail, so it works as both a photo stop and a starting line.
What you see and doWide reservoir views taken in from the overlook, with the water seen from above rather than at…
- Wide reservoir views taken in from the overlook, with the water seen from above rather than at its edge
- A quick leg-stretch break between longer driving segments, commonly done in about 10 to 20 minutes
- Trail access for a walk, run, or ride of any length you choose
- NPS lists the site amenities as accessible sites, scenic view/photo spot, and trailhead
The Chisha Foka TrailThe paved, 10-mile Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail begins here and runs south through historic…
The paved, 10-mile Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail begins here and runs south through historic Choctaw homelands. It is named for the Choctaw town that stood where Jackson is today, a name that translates to "among the post oaks." Along the way the trail passes through protected greenspace in Ridgeland, Mississippi, with trees, wildflowers, and wildlife to notice as you go.
Wildlife worth watching forThe reservoir is home to alligators and many water birds.
The reservoir is home to alligators and many water birds. Bring binoculars if you have them and scan the water and far banks; birds such as the anhinga, which perches and swims low in the water, are part of the reservoir's regular cast.
Honest expectationsThis is a roadside overlook and trailhead, not a visitor center or an exhibit stop.
This is a roadside overlook and trailhead, not a visitor center or an exhibit stop. The experience is the view, the birds, and the trail; plan on a short stop unless you intend to walk or ride the trail. Views are from above the water, so a long lens or binoculars help if you want detail on distant wildlife.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Natchez Trace
39 sightingsAmerican AlligatorMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
35 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
53 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
28 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
29 sightingsRed-headed WoodpeckerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
32 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around noonSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Natchez Trace. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
