Red Bluff - The Mississippi Hike 1 Year Later

I returned to Red Bluff almost one year after my first adventure there—this time, with my family for spring break. We parked on the other side of the canyon this time to extend the adventure. Seeing the looks on their faces when they saw Red Bluff for the first time was priceless. We walked the whole rim, stopping to take photos every 20 feet. 

My brother and sister were itching to go inside the canyon and explore further, but we walked down toward the Pearl River to check out the train tracks and wreckage. The walk down was steep in parts due to heavy rainfall, but the final stretch got a rope handle which made the walk much easier.

We took our time and explored the area, even stopping to explore the trainwreck beside the river. We stopped a few times on the way back up to catch our breath, but the cooler weather served us well this time of year. 

Once we made it back up to the rim, my siblings immediately began searching for a route to the bottom of Red Bluff. The trek down was tough because the soft sand made it easy to slip. 

The canyon was even more beautiful from the inside. Seeing the erosion up close was mesmerizing and seeing just how deep you are was crazy. Everyone at the top looked like ants because of how small they were. 

My siblings and I explored the carved-out canyon for a bit before trying to find a new way to climb out. Multiple unsuccessful tries later, we climbed out the way we went in. 

Pro Tip: Having shoes with good grip helps a ton for this hike. 

I slipped and sunk climbing up due to the loose sand and dirt below me, but I finally made it up. 

Tip: Pack a little extra water than you think you need. You’ll probably end up needing that water at the end. 

Once we all reached the top, we walked back around the rim to our truck. 

Definitely don’t overlook this fun family hike. My family talked about it all the time for weeks after. It even made my brother and sister want to go on more hikes in the future. Red Bluff is definitely a jewel strung on the necklace of Mississippi.