The Pearl River is one of the state’s most significant waterways and is not a typical paddling river, but it is both interesting and challenging. Challenges include logjams on the upper reaches followed by dwindling current as the river approaches Ross Barnett Reservoir. As the river nears the coast, some of the most impressive swamps in the state appear with a real sense of isolation and an abundance of wildlife. On the lower section of the Pearl, the river gradually widens as it courses through increasingly remote farm, pasture, and timberland. The paddling is fairly simple, with few obstacles and a good current. Wildlife is especially plentiful along these stretches