Where Black River Meets Amazing!

I have many favorite places in Southeast Missouri, but I can honestly say that Markham Springs in Williamsville Missouri is my absolute favorite destination.  Frequent guest blogger Aaron Jackson has written a great piece on the area and it will be posted on Wednesday.

The main reason I like Markham Springs is the river views.   I grew up near the southern portion of Black River, which is a truly black river that looks like a glorified ditch.  There is nothing special about this "river" and most people will speak of it passingly, if at all. However,  Black River in the southern Butler County and NE arkansas is completely different from the immaculate Black River of Wayne County.  It should not even be referred to Black River at all in this area.  No, it should be referred to as the blue or green hue river (I would issue a decree but my powers of persuasion and influence are tethered to the inner sanctum of my mind).  It is the most gorgeous hue of green (or blue depending on weather conditions and time of year) in Wayne County and it meanders the area like flowing poetry.  

The Eagle Bluff Trail, named because Chief Eagle and his tribe camped here during the trail of tear, is my favorite trail in all the world.  Perhaps it is my trail because it was the first real trail that I hiked when I started to enjoying hiking and the natural world.  It is also the most unkempt trail in Missouri, but the views of the river, the nearby hills, mountains, and valley make it worth the hassle.  

Simply Grand: Grand Gulf State Park (guest blog)

In my exploration of Ripley County, Missouri, I began to wonder what lay in her neighbouring counties such as Oregon County.  Today, I decided to venture out and discover.  I drove to Grand Gulf State Park outside of Thayer and was not in the least disappointed.
The small size of this state park makes it easily traversable.  Further boarded stairways with rails make it possible for almost everyone to enjoy the scenic beauty that this fine state park has to offer, and it is very fine indeed.

To the right of the parking and picnic areas is a walkway down to the overlook point of the Grand Gulf Sink — a collapsed cavern that now fills with rainwater to form a small pond of immense blue hues, resembling in some regards Blue Spring near Eminence, Missouri.  However, do not be fooled by the sink’s appearance.  The small pond can reach depths of up to 100 feet with heavy rains and water marks along the cliff walls clearly indicate her awesome potential.

A side trail leads to the Natural Bridge — a part of the cave that did not crumble for some reason and now forms a natural dolomite bridge over the sink hole and Shiloh Creek.  Were it not there, one would see a huge mass of water to his right that would be quite frightening in the wet season.  A 1-mile spur trail off this meanders along Shiloh Creek, offering close portraits of The Narrows, another small hole along the creek bed and the Natural Bridge.  However, it is not yet complete and dead-ends in the woods, forcing one to turn around and follow the same path back.  The path however is gravelled for the most part and marked with blue blazes.

Once back at the parking area, I ventured to the other side where the Grand Gulf Canyon trail leads one down 119 steps to an observation deck at the bottom of the canyon.  In wet months, this would be an awesome sight with the roar of thousands of gallons of water pouring down beside you into an opening that feeds Shiloh Creek below the falls.  However, the weather has been unseasonably dry, so there was not as much as a trickle, save a small spring jutting out from the side of the cliff near the observation deck.

This alone would have provided a nice exploration, but I was not satisfied.  I left the park and drove along Hwy W to my right, where it turns into a gravelled county road.  About ½ mile down, I noticed a dry creek bed and decided to park and explore.  This is where the fun truly began.
Dry paths of rock and gravel do not just appear in nature.  It takes the awesome force of swiftly flowing water to deposit such specimens for miles in such a uniform manner.  Where there is a creek and a canyon, there is a waterfall.  Though there was no water flowing on this day, I decided to follow Shiloh Creek above the falls and see if I could locate the source.  After a short walk of about ¾ miles that took me into thickets around fallen trees and over large dolomite and limestone boulders, I discovered the top of the canyon and the beautifully-carved, white rocks that are hidden beneath a torrent of water during the wet season.  It was truly a sight to behold!

I shall be returning someday to this beautiful state park and natural area for further exploration into the canyon and caverns.  I may even return during the wet season and sit above the waterfalls as the water rushes by and makes pure my soul.  I suggest to anyone within driving distance of Thayer, Missouri, to do the same.  You shall not be disappointed. -Aaron Jackson

To the Bat Cave, Or Not!

Allison of Ozark Highlands of Missouri blogged about the discovery of White Nose Syndrome being found in Missouri.

We're doomed.
White Nose Syndrome, a disease which causes mortality in cave-dwelling bat species has been discovered on a little brown bat in a privately owned cave in Pike County, Missouri. While the primary means of transmission of the disease is from bat-to-bat, live fungal spores have been documented from caving gear and in boot prints, suggesting the probability of humans serving as vectors for the disease, as well. 

It's time to close the caves in Missouri.  I know it will irritate the cavers and explorers, but it is time to take necessary measures.  Caves are more than deep dwellings beneath the ground; they are important ecosystems.  Bats are an important part of the cave world, if not for the science of things, than for being the ambassadors of the cave world.

suggested reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_nose_syndrome

The Other Cape Girardeau

I should have been arrested for impersonating a southeast Missourian.  For years, I drove to Cape Girardeau (southeast Missouri culture mecca) for shopping and to eat at a restaurant not found in my home town/county.   I never went to downtown Cape and I actually thought the downtown area was the location of the restaurants, malls, and big box stores.   One day, I got lost and found myself looking at several beautiful murals on the Missouri wall of fame (the Cape Girardeau flood wall).  There was President Truman, George Washington Carver, Walter kronkrite

Guest Blog: Big Springs

Nestled in a hollow in the lower Missouri Ozarks (near the city of Van Buren) is one of the most popular recreational areas in the state and Missouri’s first state park: Big Springs. Big Springs is a favourite retreat for people from near and far.  They come to picnic, to hike and to partake of water sports; yet, mainly they come to stare at one of the largest springs in the world.


Big Spring is a natural spring with freshly-flowing blue water that appears like a blue-green lagoon as it forms a pond at the base of the spring and flows downstream to feed Current River via Sherman’s Creek.  The constant 58-degree temperature and shade from the mammoth chert bluff provide for a scenic and cool picnic area even during the excessively warm months of July through September.  The impressive flow of water through earthen caverns spews with such force that it is estimated that some 286 million gallons of water flow daily.  That is more than triple the amount of any other spring in the state, with the exception of Greer Spring.  It is truly a sight to behold!


However, this cosy state park offers even more than this, as if that were necessary.  There are several cabins offered for a reasonable price, allowing visitors to extend a day-trip into a weekend retreat.  River resorts in the city of Van Buren allow for canoeing, jet-skiing, floating, boating and fishing.  Trails and paved entry roads allow for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking.  Camping is also widely available throughout the region.
On my most recent visit, I introduced two friends to the site, and we decided to hike.  There are several trails including the Big Spring Overlook Trail, Slough Trail, Chubb Hollow Trail and others.   Warning!  The trail leading above the spring to the ridgeline is very difficult for amateur hikers!  I am not certain if it is Big Spring Overlook Trail because neither end of the trail is marked with signage (though one end abuts the 1.2-mile Slough Trail at about one-third of the route along).  This trail rises at least 150 feet above the spring area with very steep points at either end and is well over two miles in length.  However, the entire trail is gravelled for easier walking.


The Slough Trail is a flat, wheelchair-accessible trail with its trailhead near the spring.  Along the path, signs detail the CCC’s efforts to build the state park (with original pictures and quotes).  The path ends at the Peavine Picnic Shelter.  The round-trip is 1.2 miles.  It was along this trail that we spotted two white-tailed does and several squirrels.
During the summer months particularly, one may access a few caverns and receive a guided interpretive tour of the partially-completed railroad tunnel left intact after it was abandoned in the late nineteenth century by a now defunct railroad company.


If one is very adventurous, like me, he or she may scale the rocks above the spring and climb one of two boulders overlooking the spring.  I did this safely inside of 15 minutes.  Once at the top, the view is impressive, though partially obscured by trees.  This point is perhaps 65 feet above the spring.  One must utilize his or her upper body strength and be prepared to plant on unstable earth.  This climb is not recommended for anyone save the fearless.


In short, there is something for everyone at the majestic Big Springs in Ozark National Scenic Riverways.  Whether you fancy a day on the water in Ozark National Scenic Riverways system or a day of hiking over the numerous trails that litter the region or simply a quaint, family picnic, Big Spring State Park is the place for you. 


-Aaron Jackson 

Blue Spring

I remember the first time I saw Blue Spring.  It was a time in my life when I did not enjoy hiking or even being outdoors.  The trail to the spring is an easy and flat one mile trail.  However, I still complained the ENTIRE way to my hiking companion about the humidity, the bugs, the sand, the spider webs, and how I wanted to go home soon.  We got to the area and my irritable disposition gave way to complete awes. The spring was the blueish blue I had ever seen and I could not believe what my eyes had seen!  There is essentially a giant hole in the ground, that is actually a cave shaft,  and one can see all the way to the bottom (except during high rain and snow melt).  There is no slight decline, just straight down with beautiful sights of watercress and moss.

Blue Spring is located 12 miles east of Eminence on HWY 106

Cowards Hollow (finally!)

Finally, the place that has haunted my dreams and taunted me in my waking hour has been found.  Cowards Hollow Natural Area has been an obsession since the beginning of winter and I, because of a friend who found the cascade, got to see it in person in early March.  I have been told, erroneously, that I would not be impressed once I saw the waterfall with my own eyes.  I kept telling myself that I wanted to see if even if I would not be impressed.  " I want to find it, no matter what it looks like and what it doesn't" I kept saying to myself. 

 The directions on the Mark Twain National Forest site are way off and the road it is near is unmarked and impassable for almost all automobiles.  I kept verbally berating myself for not finding it sooner because I was soooo close so many times.  The path is muddy and one must walk through the forest to avoid splashing ankle deep in water (the warmer months might be better for the path but waterfalls are best in spring and fall).  The trail is uneventful, although I did see a limb with fungi growing beautifully all over (picture is on your left).  I kept hearing the cascade in my head and kept looking around to see some kind of natural sign that I was near the natural area. 

I could hear the flow of the waterfall and I had a peculiar feeling in the pit of my stomach.  The feeling was child like excitement and that little feeling everyone has when an obsession becomes reality (a little bid sad that the journey is over).  The 20 ft chert cliffs caught my eye and I looked left and saw the creek fed waterfall cascading downward into the creek.  The chert walls definitely add a mystique to the place and a cave nearby magnifies the beauty of the natural area.  Most waterfalls come from strong bodies of water like fast moving rivers.  This fall was fed by a creek, which is cool because you can walk across the top and look down to the bottom with ease. 

I took a seat at the top near the water and just took it all in.  I did not want to blink, I did not want to move, and I definitely did not want to leave.  The tranquility, the ambiance, and air around me made me feel like an adventurer, like an explorer that braved the deadly sea to find new land.  Then, I remembered the story that this place was named Cowards Hollow because people during the Civil War and (later) prohibition hid here from the law.  Looking around at the beauty, I wondered what it must have been like to hide here during such tumultuous times.  No matter the war whether it be a real battle, a lawless act, or a kid in search of the meaning of life......Cowards Hollow is a magical place.