See How Oxford's Favorite Sardis Beach Has Changed

Click on the image above to experience the “End of the Road” beach on Sardis Lake in 360. Created by Huntington Maddrey.
Over the past decade, Oxford, Mississippi has become exponentially more commercial. New shopping centers, restaurants, and entertainment options seem to pop up every month. Once spring comes, however, Oxford residents begin to migrate out of town, down Country Road 314, and out to the “End of the Road.”
“End of the Road” is a popular nickname for the Sardis Lake beach into which Country Road 314 dead-ends. Sardis Lake has many official, maintained beaches across its 98,000 acres, but the “End of the Road” became popular because visitors were able to drive their cars right out onto the beach and park right beside the water’s edge.

As of late 2016, the beach is no longer fully accessible by visitors. The Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains the area, leveled off the ground to make it more accessible to all vehicles. In doing so, however, the Corps also built a barrier preventing cars from traveling past the newly smoothed area now designated for parking.
It’s the end of an era for Oxford residents who loved to go out and tailgate in their cars right on the water. On major holidays, like the Fourth of July, cars would line the shore as far as the eye could see and the beach would turn into Oxford’s second largest tailgate party — after the Grove, of course.
“Its stupid,” said Oxford resident Michael Kocher. “It was a fun place to go and its sad that no one else will get that full experience.”
Story contributed by Meek School of Journalism & New Media student Huntington Maddrey. He can be reached at ghmaddre@go.olemiss.edu.