The Chunky River is located in east-central Mississippi and is a tributary of the Chickasawhay River. The Chunky River begins in Newton County between the towns of Hickory and Chunky and is formed by the confluence of the Chunky Creek and Okahatta Creek. The river flows southeastwardly through the southwest portion of Lauderdale County and the northwest portion of Clarke County. The Chunky River joins Okatibbee Creek near Enterprise to form the Chickasawhay River. Dunn’s Falls is a wonderful attraction on the Chunky River just north of Enterprise. Dunn’s Falls consists of a 65-foot waterfall that was created to power a mill in the mid 1800’s and is now open to visitors as a park operated by the Pat Harrison Waterway District.


The Chunky River is rich in heritage and was named for a Choctaw Indian game called “Chanki” played with a round disc and sticks on the sandy flat banks of the Chunky River. In addition to its historical and cultural importance, the Chunky River is also known for its abundant natural resources.

The Chunky is a fun place to canoe, fish, camp, and swim during the summer months. The ideal river gauge to float is between 3.25' and 4.5'. There are four popular access points on the river: two on Hwy 80, point landing, and Stuckey Bridge. These points have information boards provided by East Mississippi Foothills Land Trust with a map and important information about the river and how to keep it clean of trash.

 

A portion of the Chunky River from the joining of Chunky Creek and Tallasher Creek and the Chunky River in Newton, Lauderdale, and Clarke counties to the junction with the Chickasawhay River in Clarke County was designated as a scenic river by the Mississippi Legislators in 2003. The river is part of the statewide program for protection of the most scenic and least altered waterways in Mississippi.