Nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Mississippi, the Red Bluff is a 150 feet deep gorge. An unusual sight to see in the flat magnolia state! The Red Bluff is located in Foxworth, MS.
I’ve always wanted to go check it out, but I kept my expectations low. I wasn’t super impressed with the pictures and the title of “Grand Canyon of Mississippi” I thought was a little much. As mentioned in my previous post, I am the new owner of a DJI Mavic Mini drone and thought I could capture some good footage at the Red Bluff. I’m sure glad I went! Pictures gave the canyon no justice, and it was way more impressive in person. While it’s no Grand Canyon, I believe my footage from my GoPro and drone gave a better perspective.
The Canyon
The canyon is formed from the erosion of the west bank of the Pearl River. The edge of the canyon has the remains of the old HWY 587. Over time the erosion kept expanding until it swallowed large portions of the road. The top of the bluff is around 350 feet in elevation with the canyon being 150 deep, half a mile wide, and nearly a mile in length. Standing at the top of the Red Bluff offers a panoramic view not often seen in the state of Mississippi.
The soil within the canyon offers unique hues. Mississippi’s famous red clay is visible but you also will see yellow, orange, and magenta colors lining the canyon walls. The erosion has also created unique shapes and features.
Train Wreck Below
The canyon empties into a small stream which makes a pleasant hike through the forest. The stream will take you across railroad tracks at the edge of the Pearl River. Amongst the woods on the edge of the river, you can find the leftover evidence of a train wreck in the past. The railroad carts were from a train wreck in 1901, where two passenger trains collided head-on at a rate of 30 miles an hour.
The wreck occurred due to the train Engineers, named Coffey, failing to stop a certain switch. He was supposed to wait until the south-bound train has passed by, but he simply forgot to do so. As a result, three people were killed, twenty seriously wounded, and thirty-two slightly injured. Now the wreckage is being overtaken by mud and the surrounding vegetation. It’s also been litter with graffiti over the years.
Visting
The Red Bluff is located in a fairly rural part of Mississippi, so don’t expect many amenities nearby. The land is privately owned, and the owner of the property doesn’t seem to mind the visitors. From my visit, I do not remember seeing any “No Trespassing” signs or anything barring us from entry.
Since it is privately owned, and not promoted you may find yourself as the only visitor around. During our visit, the canyon had a small crowd, but it was probably due to the fact we went on Labor Day. Regardless, it can make a fun day of hiking and exploration.
Parking can be found on both sides of the Red Bluff and it’s easy to find with Google Maps. I do advise making sure you found the correct area before heading out. The Red Bluff is located in a rural part of Mississippi, so depending on your carrier, your cell signal may be no existent.
Feel free to contact me with any questions about the Red Bluff. You can either email me at [email protected] or contact me on social media! To help support me, please leave me a like on my YouTube video and Subscribe to my channel.
