So, what’s a “blueway”?

And why has the Land Trust been helping people get out onto the water here in southern Mississippi for over 20 years?

Blueways are defined as “a stretch of river, a shoreline, or ocean that has been mapped out with the intent of creating an educational, scenic, and challenging experience for recreational paddlers. The Land Trust has been involved in increasing access to local blueways for many years.

We have established and improved blueways, protected the land along the banks of blueways and provided access to blueways. We’ve cleaned up blueways, removing truckloads of litter and debris and downed trees to make blueways navigable and enjoyable! We even helped to create and publish a Design Guide for others to establish new blueways and tell the public about it!

There are so many great blueways on the Gulf Coast; see the list here: https://gis.dmr.ms.gov/Blueways/. You can print individual maps by clicking “Download PDF” under the heading of the blueway you’re interested in.

Paddling on the blueways is good for your health and it’s super fun! Kayaking the blueways is a great way for people to socialize at a distance, enjoy nature, do some birdwatching or fishing, or help clean up our coast by picking up litter while enjoying the water.

And that’s why we do it! It’s what the Land Trust is all about! Protecting and enhancing what makes the Gulf Coast special, so that you and I, our friends and future generations can all enjoy it. See you on the water!