09/01/2026
Ball Mill Resurgence Natural Area in Perry County
Just Google "Ball Mill Resurgence" and you might think it's just a bluff and a sinkhole in the woods. The name is about as exciting as the 5-step skincare routine we're all pretending to do.
Now that I've been, I can confirm that even though the name is as unappealing as spending time on LinkedIn, the geologic feature is pretty neat.
It just needs a rebrand. Something like, "The Devil's Sphincter", "Hell's Backwash", or...oh!...I got it!..."Burp Hole Bluff...Where the earth vomits rocks". You'd wanna go see that, right?
**What is Ball Mill Resurgence?**
You know how, when it rains, a sinkhole will drain water underground? Kind of like the storm drain on your city street.
Well, sometimes, during heavy rains, water gets backed up in a sinkhole, and the sinkhole overflows. That's a resurgence.
When a sinkhole fills with water, the rocks inside get tumbled around in the churning underground current. These beat up rocks get pretty polished. And when the sinkhole overflows, it oozes out a bunch of round and oval rocks.
**But is it cute?**
Approaching the bluff, you walk along a dry creek bed that's a cobblestone road of rounded rocks.
As you draw closer, and your view of the sinkhole grows larger, it creates an effect of the bluff growing taller, and the rock face's curve becomes more notable. It's a little disorienting. It's cool, man.
If you can push away the intrusive thought that the earth is going to fall away and sweep you into an underground river, you can creep toward the sinkhole's edge and stare into...whatever you see. On our visit, the hole was dry. It was filled with a pile of rocks, and at the bottom was a tiny opening to a black pit. But after reading every blog post online, I've discovered this ever-changing place gives everyone a different experience. Sometimes, when people arrive, there is water in the sinkhole. Sometimes, there's no black pit visible. Some visitors report hearing water underneath and the clacking of rocks roiling around.
This geologic feature might not photograph well, but it should be lived in person, anyway, so go!
**The Good-to-Know's (Trail Details):**
- The trail is a lollipop loop and a little less than a mile round-trip.
- The trail is not wide nor regularly maintained, so even though it's an "easy" walk in terms of distance, elevation, and technicality...It is single-track with many overgrown spots. Wear pants and lots of bug spray. I bet it's amazing in the fall when the overgrowth chills out and you don't feel like you need a machete.
- If the thought of driving to Perryville "just" to walk a mile doesn't turn you on, don't forget you can also visit the Legion Lake Trails and the Perry County Community Lake's Shoreline Trail. Perryville is a great place to day trip with lots to do. You should totally get some Whirl-a-Burger.
- The field beside the trailhead is a fun spot to bird. Take binoculars and your Merlin app.
I have an idea for a scary movie called "The Resurgence" in which something horrifying crawls out of the depths of Perry County.
Or maybe that'll be my new word for a toilet overflowing when I'm in polite company. "Um, excuse me, maître d'...there is a resurgence in les toilettes. Might wanna send a guy."
City of Perryville Government
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