Black Creek Wilderness
Encyclopedia
Black Creek Wilderness is a 5052 acres (20 km²) wilderness area in the U.S.
state of Mississippi
. Located within the De Soto National Forest
, Mississippi's largest wilderness lies in the broad valley of Black Creek, stained a deep caramel color by the tannic acid
of decaying vegetation.
, is Mississippi's only designated National Wild and Scenic River
. Designated in 1986, 21 miles (34 km) of the creek are classified as "scenic."
Black Creek bisects Black Creek Wilderness, creating a hardwood floodplain of oxbow lake
s and thick stands of sweet gum, sweet bay, red maple
, oak
, pine
, and bald cypress.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Located within the De Soto National Forest
De Soto National Forest
De Soto National Forest is of pine forests in southern Mississippi. It offers year-round opportunities for outdoor activities including camping, canoeing, hunting, fishing, and more. There are two wilderness areas within DeSoto: Black Creek Wilderness and Leaf River Wilderness...
, Mississippi's largest wilderness lies in the broad valley of Black Creek, stained a deep caramel color by the tannic acid
Tannic acid
Tannic acid is a specific commercial form of tannin, a type of polyphenol. Its weak acidity is due to the numerous phenol groups in the structure...
of decaying vegetation.
Wild and Scenic River
Black Creek, a tributary of the Pascagoula RiverPascagoula River
The Pascagoula River is a river, about 80 mi long, in southeastern Mississippi in the United States. The river drains an area of about 8,800 sq mi and flows into Mississippi Sound of the Gulf of Mexico....
, is Mississippi's only designated National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
. Designated in 1986, 21 miles (34 km) of the creek are classified as "scenic."
Black Creek bisects Black Creek Wilderness, creating a hardwood floodplain of oxbow lake
Oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
s and thick stands of sweet gum, sweet bay, red maple
Red Maple
Acer rubrum , is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern North America. It ranges from the Lake of the Woods on the border between Ontario and Minnesota, east to Newfoundland, south to near Miami, Florida, and southwest to east Texas...
, oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
, and bald cypress.
External links
- Black Creek Wilderness - Wilderness.net
- Black Creek Wilderness, Mississippi - GORP
- Black Creek Wilderness - Backpacker.com