Encompassing over 18,000 acres, the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) contains some of the most biodiverse habitats in North America. Filled with pine savannas, salt marshes, saltpans, bays, bayous, and maritime forests, the reserve provides sites and scenery like nowhere else in the state. Perfect for everything from recreation to education, this hidden gem is worth checking out.

The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is located near the small community of Pecan in Jackson County.
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
Home to a variety of habitats and a number of rare and endangered plants and animals, stepping inside this reserve will make you feel like you're in a different world.
Gretchen Grammer via Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
Jennifer Buchanan via Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
The Nature Conservancy even named the area one of the “Last Great Places in America.”
Christina Mohrman via Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
Aside from the breathtaking views, the reserve is filled with things to do, including the Grand Bay Coastal Resources Center, which is open to the public Monday - Friday and has no admission fee. The center features interpretive exhibits, environmental education programs, and more.
grandbaynerr.org
Between the reserve's bayous, tidal creeks, and bays, there are plenty of places to canoe and kayak within the area.
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook

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The reserve even offers guided canoeing and kayaking tours.
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
A site on the Mississippi Coastal Birding Trail, the reserve is ideal for bird watching. In fact, over 250 bird species have been observed in the area.
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
Butterflies, dragonflies, turtles, alligators, raccoons, frogs, sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, and manatees are just a few of the animals that can be found at the reserve.
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
The reserve is also home to critters you may not be used to seeing, like this Palamedes swallowtail caterpillar.
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
Photography is another popular activity at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. And with photo-ops like these, it’s easy to see why.
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve/Facebook
There are also several improved hiking trails within the reserve, including the Savanna Trail (pictured below).
Facebook/Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve’s office and resource center are located at 6005 Bayou Heron Road; Moss Point, MS. For more information on the reserve, including hours of operation, directions, and upcoming events, call (228) 475-7047 or click here.

So many are unaware that this one-of-a-kind outdoor treasure is right in their own backyard. Did you know about the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve? Have you ever visited?

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