A Saturday at Red Bluff

https://youtu.be/clzDsYsfu1Y

If you ever catch yourself in a small town called Morgantown, Mississippi head down Highway 587 and you’ll be in for a surprise that has been dubbed “Mississippi’s Grand Canyon.” To some of the residents of Marion County, it is simply known as Red Bluff, but for others, it is one of Mississippi’s best kept secrets. Red Bluff was created like many other geographical regions like it. Millions and millions of years of erosion has caused this spectacular crater formation, but for Velma Dunaway however, a Morgantown local, it’s much more than that. “You know, it kind of makes you feel small in a way. Living in Morgantown you kind of take things like this for granted.”

Taking nature for granted is something that is all too familiar these days. Everyone is so consumed with the latest technology, that they don’t step back to appreciate the world around them anymore. When you walk into Red Bluff’s entrance you are greeted with “Road Closed” signs. The backs of the signs are adorned with graffiti and other artworks. Some may say the graffiti on the signs is disrespect but others believe that it adds character to the area. Where the signs stand use to be a major highway, but with all the erosion, the highway had no choice but to close down.

The highway eroding away would scare a lot of people off but in my personal opinion it was one of the greatest sights I have ever seen in my life. It was hauntingly beautiful. To most people they would just see a shattered road, but this road has so much history. To think that this use to be a major highway, one that took people to their jobs, one that use to lead into the main town where people use to gather together as a community. This road use to have a story and now it has another one. It may no longer be road that leads anywhere, but it is still a road that brings the community together. People from all over Mississippi not just Morgantown come here to hike, take pictures, camp out, and for the adventurous soul find the mighty Pearl River.

The Pearl River runs closely behind Red Bluff. You can hear the river running as you hike the bluff, but to find this river you must go off the trail and into the woods. Although this is not recommended it is what a lot of people come to the bluff to do. The walk to the river is kind of an obstacle. The rocks are very slippery and it is easy to fall. The river runs through the rocks to create small brooks that people like cool off in after a long hike.

Speaking of hiking. Hiking down the bluff is an exhilarating experience. It feels like you are one with nature, but hiking back up the bluff is a completely different experience. When you get down to the bottom of the bluff you realize how small you truly are. You are surrounded with mountains of red clay. It kind of feels like the earth consumes you. It’s a nice reality check, but when you have to hike back up the bluff you realize how small you are but it’s a completely different feeling. You meet so many different types of people while on adventures like this one. While I was there I met a lovely girl named Danita Stevenson and she explained to me why she loved Red Bluff so much. “I like Red Bluff because it’s a miniature Grand Canyon. I tell people to visit Red Bluff because it’s a beautiful creation and a sight to see.

If I had to sum up my experience at Red Bluff it would be freedom. The feeling of freedom was everywhere. Freedom from the perils of everyday life, freedom from worry, and for me even freedom from being a college student. (although this is technically an assignment) It was nice to step back for one day and just be free.