Paddling near Gulfport, MS

Sitting at the center of Harrison County on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Gulfport opens onto a mix of coastal bays, inland bayous, marsh preserves, freshwater rivers, and barrier islands — all within a short drive. The Mississippi Sound runs parallel to the shoreline, its barrier-island-sheltered water staying paddle-friendly much of the year, while the nearby Wolf River and the seven mapped blueways of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Heritage Area give paddlers everything from a beginner loop to a 10-mile open-water crossing to Ship Island.