"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime"-MARK TWAIN

Sunday, December 14, 2014

A Walk in the Woods.

 

It has been a beautiful week here in Southwest Mississippi.  Too beautiful to just hang around the house, though there was plenty of leaves and pine straw to clean up.

I hadn’t been out on a hike of any kind for a month, or more.

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Some seventy five miles West, one will find Clark Creek Natural Area.  700+ acres of mixed hardwood and pine forest, interspersed with over fifty waterfalls.  I haven’t been there in years, and thought it would be a good outing for a day.  A part of the loess bluffs which border the Mississippi River from Vicksburg, MS to near Angola, LA.  The area has  eroded into huge hills and ravines. The difference between the level of the creek beds, and the top of a hill just a few feet away can be over a hundred feet.  Not unusual for mountainous areas, but remember this is Southwest Mississippi.  I mentioned the trip to my neighbor and he was on board, also.

The majority of the waterfalls are located on what is called the “primitive trail”.  We decided we would stick to the main trail as the elevation changes on it were enough to get your heart rate up pretty good.

Trail going in.

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A look down the hill.

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First peek of Clark Creek.

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Waterfall!! There’s usually more water flowing, but it has been the driest Fall in years.

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What looks like rock boulders are actually huge chunks of what we call soapstone.  Don’t know its real name, but it’s slick as soap when wet.

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Another one.

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Ferns and vines.

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Resting along the way.

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Though all these pictures make the area appear to be only small trees and undergrowth, that’s not true.  The area is also home to lots of gigantic oaks, pines, and other hardwoods.  Many species usually found only in places such as the Appalachians.

An oak by the trail.

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A beautiful day outside.  Sunny, short sleeve weather, in DecemberWinking smile…jc

8 comments:

  1. Nice hike. I'm dealing with withdrawal from green and trees. ;)

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  2. More beautiful Mississippi!!
    Dry here as well but awaking to sun for weeks and short sleeves...in Decembe makes for the happy dance!

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  3. AWESOME....Mississippi does have great "Adventures" for the taking...Thanks for sharing.....Horst sends

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  4. That's the kind of photos I love best. Local natural "wonder" details.

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  5. Glad you are out enjoying the weather. We had some nice weather but it is gone now. I have been hiking weekly with a club of seniors...doing mostly short hikes....but tremendously enjoying the woods.
    We will probably go directly to AZ as our blood family and our fiberglass family will be there waiting. Tell Eileen "hi'!

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Thanks for looking, and comments are welcome.