Date Visited: 4/6/2019
With only 40 miles left on our journey up the trace we decided to take in one more short trail to check out another waterfall.
I often wonder at the power of nature’s ability to reinvent herself all the time and the sights you see at Jackson Falls is just one of the places where we see the results of the transformative power of water.
There are two trails at Jackson Falls. The one to the left takes you on a 1/4 mile walk to a thirty story overlook above the Duck River. The one to the right takes you to Jackson Falls.
The trail leading down to Jackson Falls is a 900′ concrete paved trail with stairs and handrails to assist you with the steep climb. After having sat out the trail hike to the previous fall, I said the heck with it and against my husbands wishes started down the trail.
It’s a beautiful walk along the bluff where the rocks weep with dripping water in places and lichen, mosses, and ferns delighted us with their bursting early spring green colors.
Along the way we discovered that if you don’t want to take the 1/4 mile trail to the Overlook you can still see the Duck River from the trail to the waterfall. We skipped the overlook trail since we were able to see the river, but wonder now how spectacular the view must have been from 300′ up.
Along the trail we stopped to read the marker explaining how the the Jackson branch has altered it’s course over the years. This sign says:
This trail descends to Jackson Falls, a beautifully sculptured cascade that seems ageless. But it isn’t. For thousands of years before the falls existed, Jackson Branch flowed into this high valley, isolated from the Duck River below.
Then, in a classic case of “stream piracy,” Duck River captured the Jackson Branch. The flooding river and other erosional agents wore away at the bluffs, cutting a new channel through faults in the rock. At the site of Jackson Falls, the diverted stream slipped down into Duck River valley, abandoning its former course.
If I had not read that the Jackson Branch had deviated from it’s original course, I would have assumed that the falls had looked this way for thousands upon thousands of years: Etched in stone so to speak. Seems nature can be a fickle little mistress.
When you reach the bottom of the concrete path you can walk along the banks and look up at the pool where the water collects above the falls. In warmer months (and with the skills of a goat) you can climb up and enjoy the cool pool of water. Jackson Falls is one of the most popular stops along the parkway for this reason. In fact, a young couple was doing just that while we were there, even though the weather was cool and the water was ice cold.
We passed up on the chance to gain blue lips and skin prickles opting to enjoy the view from the dry banks.
As we headed back up the trail to the parking lot I couldn’t help but wonder what changes mother nature had in store for this little waterfall thousands of years into the future.
Our next stop is one of the few remaining building associated with the Natchez Trace that is standing, but more on the significance of that stop next week.
Until then…
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