On our last morning in Mississippi, we visited Tishomingo State Park (named for the Chief of the Chickasaw Nation) in the northeast corner of the State. Covering more than 1500 acres in the Bear Creek Valley (a tributary of the Tennessee River), the Park is renowned for its spectacular cliffs and slump blocks of Carboniferous sandstone and limestone.
Several trails provide access to the rocky terrain, the most popular of which begins at a swinging bridge that crosses Bear Creek. This loop hike runs along and atop the scenic cliffs and returns to the bridge along the banks of the stream. Recessed caves and a natural spring are also encountered in the gorge.
In a State known best for its lowlands and beaches, Tishomingo State Park, lying in the foothills of the Southern Appalachians, offers rugged topography more typical of the mountains to its north and east. Finally, this refuge lies along the Natchez Trace Parkway, a route of historic significance across the Deep South.
