MATTHEW HIGHT | Hattiesburg American THE OLD GRIST mill at Dunn's Falls near Meridian provides a picturesque view leading down to the Chunky River.

Have you ever been riding north on Interstate 59 and noticed the sign at exit 142 that reads: Dunn's Falls Water Park and wondered, "How do we have waterfalls in Mississippi?"

My friend Matt and I are always looking for new places to ride our motorcycles and, remembering the sign, we decided to hit the Internet and do a little research.

What we found in short order was not only a great place to rid motorcycles, but the next place we would take our families camping. Matt's 4-year-old daughter, Lindsey, had never been camping or caught a fish, and Dunn's Falls seemed like the perfect spot.

Dunn's Falls sits on a bluff above the Chunky River in Lauderdale County. The 65-foot waterfall was created in the mid 1850s by John Dunn to power a grist mill. A creek that flowed near the bluff was diverted to create the falls.

A grist mill was moved from Cave Springs, Georgia in 1987 and reconstructed on the site of Dunn's original mill. The pond behind the falls has been stocked with catfish.

The park, managed by the Pat Harrison Waterway District, has one cabin to rent, primitive camping, a picnic area and hiking trails. The Web site lists swimming in the pond, but we found that not feasible. Paddle boats are available to rent.

We arrived on a Friday afternoon, fishing poles and camping gear in hand. Park supervisor Peggy McInnis helped us get checked and gave us a rough overview of the park. I inquired about the fishing on the pond and she informed me that fish had not been caught out of the pond in months.

I thought, "I'm Henry Deer's boy. I can catch fish in a stocked pond." I was going to help Lindsey catch her first fish.

We drove to the primitive camping area and picked out our campsite. We were expecting water in the area, but the faucet did not work. My wife, Emily, brought us water when she arrived. The site did have a grill and picnic table, which was adequate for our needs. We set up camp, then proceeded to explore the area.

We went down a series of steps to the area where the fall runs into the Chunky River. A sign says to proceed at your own risk, but the steps offer easy access.

Looking up at the falls, you feel like you are in another time. The water gently falling over the rocks was inviting on that hot May afternoon. Lindsey played in water like it was the first time she had seen a waterfall. The Chunky River would have been ripe for swimming in my younger days.

We headed back up the steps and toured the two-story grist mill. The mill was complete with period tools and had the feel that - with a little work - it could be grinding corn from the local crops in no time.

It was definitely worth the price of admission. All of this was great, but I had a mission - to catch fish out of a pond that wasn't producing fish.

I set out a couple of catfish poles baited with liver. I set Lindsey up with a cricket and a bobber on her small pole and then the hunt was on. Matt, his wife Rachael, and Emily headed down the bank.

Lindsey, a typical 4-year-old, managed to hold the pole for about five minutes. The bugs she could see were more interesting than the fish she could not see. We waited for what seemed like an eternity, but was probably not more than two hours.

Not one bite. I walked away from my pole for a few minutes and I looked back to see my pole headed for the pond. I lunged for it and set the hook. This monster catfish splashed in the middle of the pond and the fight was on.

Lindsey was standing by my side cheering me on. The fish would have pulled her petite 30-pound frame into the water. I got the fish to the bank and told Matt to either grab the fish or grab the pole.

The head was four inches wide and the body probably 18 inches long. Matt reached down to grab the catfish then, SNAP! My line broke. I put my hands in the water where the fish once was and it was gone.

I moped and groaned for the next hour. Everyone else got back to fishing, but not catching. Emily caught one small bream and Lindsey caught plenty of bugs.

The weather was perfect that night. We fried fish over the camping stove that night. Fish caught by the best fisherman I know, my father Henry. We relaxed around the fire and taught Lindsey the art of roasting marshmallows. The clear night sky made for a great camping trip.

The next morning, breakfast was cooked using cast iron over an open fire. Lindsey found a new crop of bugs as we relaxed and enjoyed the morning. We were the only people camping that night. That was a shame.

The area was rich with life and is very family friendly. It is a great place to get away from the grind of daily life.

The next time you are bored ,I suggest following the signs off the interstate to Dunn's Falls Water Park. The park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

The day use fee is $1.17 per person. Camping is $7.50 per site per night. More information can be found on the Internet at www.phwd.net or by calling them at (601) 735-4365.

Originally published Friday, June 1, 2007