Red Bluff is a geologic feature formed by natural erosion, located in Marion County, Mississippi, and is a popular tourist attraction.

Geologic description

Red Bluff is a geological formation created by the natural erosion of the west bank of the Pearl River

Pearl River (Mississippi-Louisiana)

The Pearl River is a river in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Louisiana. It forms in Neshoba County, Mississippi from the confluence of Nanih Waiya and Tallahaga creeks. It is long. The Yockanookany and Strong rivers are tributaries. Northeast of Jackson, the Ross Barnett Reservoir is formed by...

. The bluff is an exposure red clay

Red Clay

Red Clay is a 1970 album by Freddie Hubbard.Red Clay may also refer to:* Red clay, a type of clay court in tennis* Ultisols, a type of red clay soil common in the U.S...

, soil

Soil

Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...

, sand

Sand

Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...

, and other colorful sediments, and rises to a elevation of approximately 400 feet above sea level

Sea level

Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...

. The bluff slopes sharply (200 feet) into a creek that feeds into the Pearl River. The natural erosion process continues, and has forced the movement of nearby Mississippi Highway 587

Mississippi Highway 587

Mississippi Highway 587 is a state highway in Mississippi. It runs north-south for approximately 30 miles, beginning in Monticello, Mississippi and ending at the junction of U.S. Hwy. 98, just past the community of Foxworwth...

 at least two times.

Tourism

The view from the bluff encompasses a significant portion of the Pearl River Basin in Marion County, Mississippi

Marion County, Mississippi

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 25,595 people, 9,336 households, and 6,880 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 10,395 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...

, as well as the eastern portion of the nearby city of Columbia, Mississippi

Columbia, Mississippi

Columbia is a city in Marion County, Mississippi, United States, which was formed six years before Mississippi was admitted to statehood. Columbia was named for Columbia, South Carolina, from which many of the early settlers had migrated. The population was 6,603 as of the 2000 census. It is the...

. The land where the bluff is located is privately owned, so hiking is prohibited, but the bluff can be viewed from roadside parking areas along Mississippi Highway 587

Mississippi Highway 587

Mississippi Highway 587 is a state highway in Mississippi. It runs north-south for approximately 30 miles, beginning in Monticello, Mississippi and ending at the junction of U.S. Hwy. 98, just past the community of Foxworwth...

. It is a popular attraction for sightseers, photographers, and touring motorcyclists.