A cute place! I would definitley visit again. Quality place and quality people and quality care…read moregiven to their animals. I would recommend.

Really was hoping to take my son horseback riding today since we are in from GA. Unfortunately,…read morethey don't mention you need to call 3-5 days in advance to reserve your spot. They should put that on their website. Very disappointed

Aiery Lake is a great place to fish, a great place to camp and a great place to take photos. It is…read morealso a great place for an embarrassing story from yours truly. This area of The Desoto National Forest is a good stopping point while hiking the Tuxachanie Trail. Depending where you begin your hike, this area is either 13 miles or 8 miles from the beginning of the trail. Personally I would rather do my long hike on the first day and the short hike the next day, but either way, Aiery Lake is a good stopping point. There are several areas to camp at Aiery Lake including some closer to the parking area. I think if you get away from the parking area you will have a more enjoyable experience, but if you want to be close to your vehicle, you can be. There aren't many facilities here, but there are actual bathrooms which is much nicer than digging a latrine in the middle of the woods (I know from firsthand experience). The Lake itself is beautiful. On a calm day the surface of the lake looks like glass and gives the perfect reflection of the sky and surrounding wilderness. If you're like me and love the view of objects reflected in the water, this is a must see. My kid thinks it would be pretty neat if I could somehow catch the mirror image of my Jeep reflected on a lake, but I have yet to find a suitable location. The lake here doesn't have vehicle access to the opposite side so I will have to keep searching. I am not much of a fisherman, but based on the number of people fishing, I suspect fishing is pretty good in the lake. If I would have had a pole I would have gladly sat around all day taking in that view, drinking beer and pretending to fish. Since I didn't have any of those items, I just watched others fish. So there are all of the reasons to go to Aiery Lake. Even if you are just passing through, it is a beautiful area and I encourage you to stop. As for this area being the location of an embarrassing story, I am somewhat reluctant to tell it, so please don't ridicule me too badly. Many years ago when I was a 13 or 14 year old Boy Scout, my troop hiked the Tuxachanie Trail. When we were almost to Aiery Lake we noticed two or three similarly aged girls and decided to try and impress them. In my underdeveloped juvenile brain I decided that the way to impress the girls was to use my "talent" of singing. I chose what was quite the popular song at the time and as we approached them I started singing. I must have underestimated the distance between us and them because by the time we passed I had come to part of the song which went a little something like this: "I did it like this, I did it like that, I did it with a wiffle ball bat sooooo I'm on the run, the cops got my gun........". As you can probably guess my lyrics were overwhelmingly unsuccessful in impressing anyone, much less the girls. I don't know if it was my singing, or if they saw some sort of poisonous reptile, but they ran as fast as their legs would carry them in the opposite direction. Later that evening in the camp site we decided a reconnaissance mission was in order. My friends and I walked over to their area and stood in the darkness trying to work up the courage to talk to them. I guess lurking behind a tree wasn't very impressive either as we got the cold shoulder once again. Looking back all I can do is laugh at how awkward and embarrassing the entire experience was. So there you have it. Aiery Lake is a great place unless you're a goofy awkward teenager.

Loved this place for a day hike! The trails are well maintained and there is plenty of parking…read more There are also trash cans and a public restroom at the parking location. They have several large campsites as well right by the lake.

My husband and I rented kayaks from this business this morning (Sunday). We found them via Google,…read moreand then researched them on heir Facebook page. I called yesterday afternoon to inquire on the rental procedure and spoke to one of the owners. I was told that they operate from sun up to sun down. Single person kayaks are $35 for the entire day, and two sweaters are $70 for the day. Cash only. They provide oars and life vests. We got there around 9:00 this morning and were greeted promptly by one second owner (husband/wife team) as he was assigning two other customers. We were soon on our way after paying and reviewing the area map. They take the kayaks down the road to a launch site. You park there, across the street. When you are down you call them to have the kayaks picked up. It's very close, so there isn't a long wait. We had never been kayaking before but, as they reassured us, it was easy to catch on. You start out in the bay and can head out to Deer Island or explore other waterways. We chose to head toward Deer Island. We didn't make it, lol. We probably had another half hour or so to go before we threw in the towel and turned around. For our first time we did pretty darn good. When we started out there weren't any boats out, but headed back people were getting out. We didn't have any issues traversing the paths of the boats, though fighting the wakes was something else for us newbies. There is plenty to see while you are out. We saw plenty of pelicans flying and diving for fish, we saw fishing jumping out of the water, and we saw several dolphins. We also saw something that resembled a dolphin...but looked a little different than a dolphin. It was at that point I turned around and headed back to my husband, lol. I'm not saying for certain it was what we're pretty sure it was...but.... The couple that owns this business are both incredibly nice and accommodating. They have been in operation for a little over a year, I believe. The kayaks were nice and in good shape, and they were very prompt with the drop off and pick up. I feel like price we paid was fair, especially considering that it is for the entire day. They suggest you bring a bag with drinks and snacks. Definitely bring sunscreen, and a hat wouldn't hurt. We brought ziplock baggies for our phones and car keys, but I would invest in one of those dry plastic bags that you can hang around your neck. I would also take towels next time. Totally didn't think about that. Bathroom. I only saw one port-a-potty along our way, so I'm really not sure how bathroom needs are met. Also, I asked about bringing our Pomeranian in the future and was told that they've had people have brought their dog before.

Owned by a nice, friendly couple. My friend and my dog and I had a great time renting kayaks and…read morekayaked to Deer Island. The couple gave us great advice on how to get there and even recommended a local place for great food after we were done! Definitely would recommend them to anyone looking for a fun outdoors adventure with great views. cost $35 per kayak and cash only since they are a mom and pop shop

We stayed a week at the POW campsite. The trails were great. We'll marked and easy. The pons is…read morebeautiful with a beaver dam raising the level a little. I would recommend this site for a short boondocks stay. Now the drawbacks. No water , no dumpsite. No picnic tables or fire rings. My wife and I spent one day just picking up the garbage and the remains of homeless tents and garbage. Busy with hunters and campers.

Years ago someone started the trend of the milestone review. Every 100 reviews, you're supposed to…read morereview something special. For my 1400th, I've chosen somewhere that was very special to me as a kid, but remains special as an adult. This review will be a little long winded so if that scares you off, go ahead and stop reading now. Back when I was a teenager my scout troop came here because it was the starting point of our backpacking trip on the Tuxachanie Trail. I was pretty much uninterested in history then, but when I learned the area once housed a WWII POW Camp, I was fascinated. Not much was left of the camp back then. It was just a few concrete bunkers that my juvenile mind thought were the remains of prison cells. It wasn't until much later that I realized they were the remains of ammo bunkers. My friends and I ran around like maniacs and climbed all over that bunkers. Had we known what was in store, we would have chosen to rest instead. The Tuxachanie Trail is 22 miles one way if you hike the whole thing. Most people start at the opposite end, but we started here as it is 13 miles to the nearest camping area. While on the trail we saw snakes, birds, trees, wildflowers and a whole lot of woodland scenery. I packed smart, but most of my friends did not. Those packs began to get mighty heavy around mile five. The memories of that hike are much more vivid, and in some cases funny, but for brevity sake, I will explain why it's still special today, and why I think you should visit this area. Despite the ominous sounding name, there really isn't much that would make you know this was once a POW camp for German soldiers. The aforementioned bunkers are still there, but now that I know what they were for, it isn't as frightening as when I thought they were prison cells. The area near the bunkers is a giant space that's been cleared of trees. Next to that area is a large and beautiful lake filled with water lilies, bullfrogs and small fish. The view from the shore was quite beautiful in particular the reflection of the surrounding forest and sky on the surface of the lake. The juxtaposition of the perfectly still water and the ever changing clouds was truly magnificent. Had it not been so sweltering hot, I could have stood there for hours. So for most people, this is where the review would end. But as you may have learned from my previous reviews, I am not most people. I noticed it as soon as I started driving away from the lake. There it was just calling to me. A good ole American dirt road and I just had to explore it. The road from the POW Camp is not for the faint of heart (car drivers). While it is mainly gravel and suitable for 2WD vehicles, it was rutted in some areas so higher clearance would help. The drive through the woods was peaceful and fairly uneventful. But the little trail I found off of the dirt road led me to paradise. I took that trail not knowing where it led or what was in store for me. It was blocked by a fallen tree, but it was no match for my well-equipped, yet stylish vehicle. I just put it in 4WD and climbed right over that thing. Hell Yeah! Enough of that badassery and back to the reason I mentioned the trail. The trail ended up leading to a different area of the lake that I had not seen before. This area was even more beautiful as it was filled with lilies as far as the eye could see. This is the area where I felt the most at peace. I felt fulfilled. I realize that will probably sound too touchy feely especially after I just mentioned the badassery of driving over a tree, but I am never happier than when I am out in the wilderness. Maybe it's all the time I spent in the woods as a kid. Maybe it's the fact that the woods let the hustle and bustle of everyday life seem like just a distant memory. Maybe it's something else. All I know is that being surrounded by trees is an experience every red blooded American should have, and one they should have regularly. Did I lose you? If not, thanks for reading.

I have been doing the Horse Help Challenge from Horse Haven Ranch. The Gascon's are very…read moreknowledgeable in regard to horse training and care. I highly recommend anyone who is looking for professional horse training the Gascon's and Horse Haven is the place to be!!!!

What an amazing family, they gladly share all of their tips and knowledge. They truly want every…read morehorse to be happy in every owner to be happy. There's no Horse that Michael cannot help you make into a wonderful lifetime friend.

Went on a two hour long horseback ride and it was AMAZING! Everyone who works here was soo kind and…read morereally made the experience worth your while. Definitely looking in to making this a monthly experience! They love their horses and you can most definitely tell.

I would be very wary of staying here long term. The landlord has been a thorn in my side from…read morepretty early on. I am in the military and stayed here for 7 months, and during this time I tried to accommodate Mary's ever revolving requests to the best of my ability. The reason I left was because I dealt with harassment and relentless pestering from the landlord, Mary. There are some positives like location, size of property, access to internet, and the RV neighbors. There are also plenty of negatives. Mary snoops unannounced, engages in unreasonable surveillance, and aggressively uses her phone to monitor our daily life. At the end of the day, Mary will always look for a problem. By the way she acts and some of the reasoning she uses, it seems that Mary would prefer to live alone. So, unless you're a hermit crab that rarely comes and goes, doesn't use the outside space, and have all potential projects completed find somewhere else to live. Unfortunately it took me this long to realize there are far better options at much cheaper prices in this area. Below are a few of the many frustrating interactions I had on property. - When I arrived, I was given permission to work on projects like truck maintenance or RV mods. Mary's website listed quiet hours at 9:00pm but I was always finished by dark. later was told to stop work by dark then again it was changed to 5pm(on a weekend). Regardless of how much that frustrated me, I complied. Still, she would uninvitedly enter our space to grill me about what work I was doing and when it would be done as if I was again inconveniencing her. I talked with all neighbors and the only person that was bothered was Mary. - I started a small welding project using a 125amp gas-less welder(power of a microwave) and welding blankets (all while keeping a safe distance from other RVs). Mary and I went back and forth on this one for a while. Power consumption was her main concern, to which I agreed to pay the bill difference. Then it was the fire hazard, which is ironic because there are fire pits and open flame fires are permitted. I was also told I should have ASKED mary's permission before purchasing the welder. Nonetheless, when Mary said no welding/angle grinding I complied. - There is a 5mph sign posted, which we respected, yet my wife and I received an abundance of messages about slowing down because we could potentially ruin the dirt driveway. The harsh rainstorms and flooding have more effect on the road than us but...again we comply. What really pissed me off was the relentlessly videotaping every time we entered or exited the property, as if she could prove our speed from a phone camera. This is when she started violating tenant/landlord acts like the Mississippi common law know as the implied covenant of quiet enjoyment. - When Mary mows the grass she keeps the deflector open which sent projectiles at my camper. - There is no laundry facility or designated drying rack so we often got complaints about our towels being hung up to dry. We have dogs that need washed/dried and don't want wet dog stench towels drip drying inside a small RV. - Mary is obsessed with keeping every space and trash can spotless, and routinely checks your trash for bugs. Flies and maggots are inevitable in a hot/humid climate but this lack of understanding didn't stop Mary from blowing up both my and my wife's phones about cleaning, even though I cleaned the can with Clorox every week. She requests we store meat waste in our freezer until trash day...our RV has a 3 cubic foot freezer . Laughable request. Mary also lingers and takes pictures of your area if it's not kept to her standards. Maybe it's just me, but I don't appreciate unannounced visits from people taking pictures of my belongings or rummaging through my trash. - Mary called the sheriffs deputy to report threatening behavior from myself. I was adjusting my RV, in the rain unfortunately, when Mary demanded my wife get out of the storm. To which I replied our safety is my responsibility. She persists with mundane points and begins to record us yet again. I text back stop harassing me, which made her feel calling the cops was an appropriate response. The deputy sided with me, agrees she's being overbearing and out of line, gives us friendly advice to leave(we were in the process of packing up), then states she didn't even call the right department because we were out of his jurisdiction. He and I exchange friendly small talk then he leaves. No reprimand because it's recognized that the landlord was in fact the issue. If you've read this far and still decide to stay here long term. Good luck.

I just Love this Place. It's literally a home away from home. It has a wonderful owner miss Mary,…read morewho is very helpful in every way to help you get your campsite set up and trying to help you in every way with your needs. It is a beautiful country setting with a friendly country feeling .The view is beautiful, horses, donkeys, big trees, birds and nature and friendly neighbors. The biggest thing is the safe feeling that I have staying here. It's safe, peaceful, and beautiful and if you need, grocery stores, convenience stores, and every kind of restaurant and entertainment are only 5 to 10 minutes away. This is a great place for families and I personally love it.

Wonderful environment for education! The Gascons focus on all aspects of the horse's life to…read moreproduce a good partner. Nutrition, training, and owner education. The best horses will fail in the wrong hands. I have learned so much from them and plan to continue doing so in the future

Michael is amazing trainer and person. He gives you the tools to help you and your horse. Following…read morehis program you will truly be able to enjoy your horse no matter what discipline you ride. He get the horse to give the person working with the horse it's undivided attention. Teaches the horse to freeze up when scared instead of bolting. Teaches the horse to turn to the human for the direction and leadership. I have followed many trainer and did their methods but never got the results like I did with Michael's methods. I recommend anyone with a horse to check Michael Gascon program out.