McCommas Bluffs

 

If you drive down 12 E in South Dallas and look North you'll see the Trinity, tame, running through an engineered flood plain. Then look right and there it is, the Trinity untamed. Keep driving East, turn right on Longbranch and keep driving.

You'll end up at the Riverwood overlook at McCommas Bluff. Pull over, think yourself lucky you've got a sturdy truck, and walk up to the bluffs and stare out at the river, winding wide through the Trinity forest. Look down and pick up a few spent cartridge cases by way of souvenirs, then clamber down the bluff to the river.

Conservationists are angry about the City reinforcing the bluffs with wire and rock but maybe this is no bad thing and stops the banks from collapsing. Regardless, the reinforcement's pretty minimal and there's plenty of original limestone standing tall above the river.

And there you are, looking out at the Trinity. It has a primeval aspect, at least to me, and can't be so very different from the way it looked when the pioneers arrived; what, 170 years or so ago? Reverie over, clamber about the banks and look out at the fast-flowing river.

Are there fish to be had? Most definitely, though I didn't bring a rod. Next time, and again it was good to be out in the country even though this was in Dallas.

Tight Lines,

LSP