Tishomingo State Park

A two hour drive from our home, to the North East corner of Mississippi, is a little state park on the edge of a little MS town.  I found out about the park on Saturday morning, and headed there this morning for a day of exploring, and scoping the park out for a trip with the family this weekend.

Below is the town of Tishomingo.  I'm at one end of their Main Street, two blocks dead ahead is the end of town.

I love state parks.  No matter what state you're in, they all have a feel of age and care that most of the surrounding countryside is lacking.  This suspension foot-bridge was built in the late 30s.

Simple, clean design.

A little wave in the middle.  The cables at the bridge's center were about knee height. It both made my feet tingle, the bridge is a decent height off the water, and made me happy for times when people weren't assumed to be morons.  Though a sharpy note on the bridge mentioned a girl fell off in 2011.  I asked a ranger about it, he said it hadn't been reported, so if it did happen she must have survived.

Bear Creek.  Fast moving, but over a slight enough incline that the sound of its passing was a wooshing ripple. Filled with turtles, there's one in the bottom left corner of this picture. I really want to canoe down this with the family.  

The other side of the bridge.

After crossing the bridge, the trail starts heading up.  Like nowhere else I've found in MS, the terrain is steep, there are fast moving streams, and lots of solid rock walls over 15 ft tall.

The first waterfall I have ever seen in MS.  About 3 ft high.

Can you believe this is MS? This park is on the very edge of the Appalachians.

The SECOND waterfall I have ever seen in MS. This one was closer to 18 ft tall.

Bear Creek.  Only natural sounds sitting on a flat rock jutting into the creek for a lunch break, water wooshing around me.

Cypress.  The scale here is hard to describe, the base of this tree is easily 8 ft in diameter, yet tapers to nothing in maybe 20 ft.

Fun day. Looking for a place to stay near the park this weekend with the whole crew. I don't know that we can or want to cram into a tent.