1991 to 2020 normals: 50 inches in the north, about 65 along the coast
Sleeping up top in the humidity
A roof tent solves the wet-ground problem that defines camping here, and it creates a condensation problem in exchange. Look for ventilation you can leave open in rain and fabric that dries quickly, because a tent packed damp in a Mississippi summer will not stay clean. Check total height against the parkway limit of 14 feet if the Trace is part of your route, and against low pine limbs on forest roads. Awnings earn their keep in this state more than almost anywhere, because the afternoon storms are brief, heavy and frequent.
A roof tent gets you off the ground and sets up in minutes. It also puts weight on the highest point of the vehicle, and the rack underneath matters as much as the tent. A dealer who installs will check your roof's load ratings before anything else.
What they sell and install
01Hard-shell and soft-shell roof tents
02Awnings, annexes and insulation
03Racks and crossbars rated for the load
04Installation and removal
05Parts: covers, zippers, struts and poles
How to choose a roof tent
Open it, climb into it and close it before you buy it.
01Know your two roof numbers: the dynamic rating for driving and the static load for camping with people inside. They are different, and the rack has its own.
02Hard shells open fastest and cut through wind. Soft shells give more space for the weight and the money.
03Check the mattress, the ladder angle at your vehicle's height, and whether it closes with bedding inside.
04Ask about parts and repairs before you need them.
05Measure your garage door.
What to have ready before you ask for a quote
The roof decides what is possible.
01Vehicle, and what is on the roof or bed now
02How many people sleep in it
03The weather you camp in
04Garage height, if it lives indoors
05A budget range for the tent and the rack together
Questions people ask
Will a roof tent fit my vehicle?
Almost any vehicle can carry one with the right rack, but check the roof's dynamic load rating in the owner's manual and the rack's rating. The lower number is your limit while driving.
Hard shell or soft shell?
Hard shells are quicker, quieter in wind and better in rain and snow. Soft shells sleep more people for less money and weight, and take longer to pack. If you move camp every day, speed matters more than you expect.
Does a roof tent hurt fuel economy?
Yes, some, and you will hear it on the highway. Lower-profile tents and a fairing help. It is a trade most people accept for the sleep.
How high is Mississippi?
From Gulfport at 20 feet to Woodall Mountain at 806.
Altitude decides what your engine, your brakes and your lungs have to work with, and how late in the year the passes open.
02,000
Feet above sea level
Towns
Holly SpringsChewalla Lake and the north unit of the forest605 ft
IukaNearest town to Woodall Mountain and the Tennessee River corner570 ft
OxfordHolly Springs forest office and the Yalobusha unit507 ft
ForestBienville forest office; Marathon Lake lies south east479 ft
MeadvilleHomochitto forest office; Clear Springs is five miles west314 ft
JacksonForest Supervisor’s Office; the Trace is busy at rush hour here278 ft
TupeloParkway visitor centre and the way in to Tombigbee forest277 ft
WigginsDe Soto Ranger District office; gateway to Black Creek260 ft
VicksburgCorps district town, the 16-mile tour road and the river bluffs242 ft
NatchezMilepost 0 on the Trace and the south end of the river byways215 ft
WaynesboroChickasawhay country: Turkey Fork, Little Tiger and Longleaf191 ft
HattiesburgLargest services before the De Soto and Camp Shelby country164 ft
New AugustaTurn for Rattlesnake Bay and the Black Creek Wilderness111 ft
Rolling ForkDelta Ranger District office and Delta trail permits106 ft
Ocean SpringsDavis Bayou, the only drive-in Gulf Islands area in the state21 ft
GulfportShip Island ferry and the west end of the Gulf Coast byway20 ft
Passes, high roads and summits
Woodall MountainThe state high point, in Tishomingo County. Our own reading at the summit point gives 805 ft806 ft
Pass, road and summit elevations are the figures published by the agency that manages them. Town elevations are the town’s or county’s own
figure where it publishes an exact one; the rest are from the U.S. Geological Survey (3D Elevation Program at the place’s official coordinates),
retrieved September 18, 2026. Every source is listed at the foot of the page.
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