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Climbing E-Rock

Halfway between Fredericksburg and Llano, Texas – about 15 miles from either – rises the most amazing sight.  As you round one of the bends in Texas Ranch Road 965 from either direction, this great batholith takes your breath away.  Vocabulary lesson time – a batholith is a rock formation under the ground that has been unearthed by erosion.  Other famous batholiths include Stone Mountain near Atlanta, GA, and El Capitan and Half Dome in Yellowstone National Park.

Comprised of pink granite, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, or E-Rock as it is commonly known, is a great day trip from Fredericksburg or Austin, TX.  The Tonkawa Indians believed they could hear the spirits talking at night, thus, the source of the name.  Geologists tell us today that the creaking and moaning sounds come from the rock heating during the day, and cooling at night.  Still, a hike to the top of E-Rock is an “enchanting” experience for anyone.

There are two ways to see Enchanted Rock:  (1) Walk the 4-mile trail through the picturesque canyons around the base of the giant, looking up at the sheer cliffs and sides sliding toward you, or (2) walk straight up the side of E-Rock.  While there is a “path” of sorts, you pretty much walk up the side, all the while at a serious slant, until you get to the top.  With backpack in place and bottled water in hand, we tackled the rocky rise.

It was fall, and we were amazed to see the wildflowers literally growing from cracks in the great rock.  Reaching the top, the view for miles and miles around all sides defied description.  The total silence, broken only by the occasional voice of a fellow hiker or the screech of a buzzard flying below us, was intoxicating.  Sound a little dramatic?  There aren’t words to describe the peace that fell over us as we sat for a long time atop the granite dome, imagining the messages of the spirits who spoke to the Tonkawa in earlier days.

Hiking straight up E-Rock is for those in excellent physical condition.  Absolutely no knee, ankle, back, or heart problems should attempt the hike to the top.  The walk up is not nearly as challenging as the walk down!

Camping in the park is for tents only; reservations are a serious recommendation.  The park closes to day hikers, particularly on weekends, if too many people show up at once and the parking lot is filled.  You can buy some limited supplies when you check in at the Ranger Station.  Picnicking sites and restrooms are available.  Wilderness camping on the far side of E-Rock is also an option for wilderness lovers.

I have climbed Enchanted Rock twice, both times a blessing of spiritual and natural beauty.  Now, missing the ACL in one of my knees, I’ll enjoy it from the trails that wind around the base.

Expect the Unexpected

Pearl River is a major waterway that has its beginnings northeast of Jackson, Mississippi. Dammed, forming the Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson, the Pearl River flows through south central Mississippi, eventually joining the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

This is an area scattered with recreation opportunities, both on, and near the Pearl River. Mississippi has several Waterway Districts that exist to mange local waterways for conservation and recreation. One nearby district is the Pat Harrison Water District, centered on the Pascagoula River area. The Pearl River Basin Development District handles these tasks for the Pearl River region. If you check out their websites, camping and river activities, such as tubing and canoeing, abound.

If you are travelling in this area, a truly unique experience awaits you at the Grand Canyon of Mississippi, also called Red Bluffs. Near Columbia and Newsom, MS, off MS Hwy 587, this is a natural area controlled by the National Forest Service where the rainbow-colored clay has eroded over thousands of years to reveal a colorful canyon this is 150 ft. deep, ½ mile wide, and almost a mile long. There is a steep, hiking trail into the canyon, located near the banks of the Pearl River. The Forest Service will give you all you need to know about getting there. But I digress……

One of our most unexpected camping experiences occurred on a most unlikely, sleepy bluff overlooking the Pearl River. We had travelled to a small, private campground near Columbia, Mississippi. Mimosa Landing Campground, (601) 736-9700, is in a quiet location, with full services and a nice pool, open during the summer. A path with metal steps descends the steep bluff from the campground down to the rocky (rockhounds rejoice!) shore of the Pearl River, where you can fish, canoe, or just relax with nature.

The nearby city of Columbia is a small gem of the Old South. Columbia has dubbed itself the “Bottle Tree Capitol of the World.” Brought to the forefront by noted Southern writer Eudora Welty in her short story “Livvie,” and locally produced by folk artist Felder Rushing, bottle trees adorn many of the homes in Columbia. (www.felderrushing.net for your curiosity)

We settled in this November evening in our RV, knowing that the night was forecast to be chilly, and that a line of showers might move through. No problem. After all, this was Southern Mississippi. Just in case, we lowered one side of the awning so the rain could run off. As we turned out the lights and snuggled under the blanket, we could hear the soft sound of rain on the trailer. Sleep was only moments away with this lullaby.

Waking up at first light, we looked outside to see that, sometime during the night, the temperature had dipped far lower than

Surprise Mississippi Snow

predicted. Rain had turned to sleet; sleet had turned to snow, and there was a thin dusting of white on everything. Ice had encased our outside water lines, that were sitting in puddles that had frozen solid. Ice had also formed on our awning, which was now collecting snow. And the snow was just beginning.

For the next two hours, snow fell like we were in Colorado. Two inches an hour. Giant white flakes. And, at some point, the inevitable “pop” of the awning giving way to the accumulation of snow sitting on top of the ice. Photos of our dilemma even made the local news!

Expect the Unexpected

By ten o’clock that Sunday morning, the snow ended, the sun came out, and the snow and ice disappeared just about as fast as it had come calling.

The moral of this story: If it CAN happen to an awning, it WILL happen to an awning!