Let's Visit Van Buren State Park
Van Buren State Park is a state park located several miles south of South Haven, MI. The park has access to the beach on Lake Michigan as well as a campground. There are also some great views along the beach including some of the dunes.
Arcadia Valley's Johnson's Shut-Ins
Johnson's Shut-Ins is one of the best swimming destinations in the mid-west. Located in the beautiful Arcadia Valley of Missouri, Johnson's Shut-ins has something for everyone. Enjoy this great video highlighting this great park.
Springs in Missouri
The Show-Me state is blessed with an abundance of clear water springs.
These blue waters surrounded by lush green vegetation, give life to many streams and rivers in the state.
There are over 11-hundred springs in Missouri.
You'll find springs in all regions of Missouri. But the greatest number are located in the Ozarks of central, southern and southwest Missouri.
While there are many springs in Missouri, there are still a lot of questions about these natural wonders that remain unanswered.
What we do know is their waters are cool. They have a constant temperature between 56 and 59 degrees.
A lot of water pours out of them.... millions and millions of gallons each day.
Big Spring near Van Buren is the largest spring in the state.
An average of 275-million gallons of water flows from the spring each day.
And that changes daily depending on the amount of rainfall.
But where does the water come from?
It comes from the surface, down through the soil and rock, and in many cases, the water travels several miles underground, before exiting at a spring outlet.
At Big Spring, some water travels from as far as 50 miles away.
The waters that flow from the springs in Missouri are the source of many streams and rivers and home to some of the most scenic beauty in the Midwest.
It's also home to many interesting plants, animals and fish.
For trout, these waters are the only natural place cool enough for them to survive year-round in the state.
At Bennett Spring near Lebanon, nearly 100 million gallons of water gushes daily from the state's third largest spring,
The stream is stocked daily from March through October and provides excellent fishing for rainbow and brown trout.
Springs also supply water to the state's other trout parks including Montauk near Licking.
An estimated 43 million gallons of water flows daily to form the main headwaters of the Current River.
The springs of Missouri provide a water source for fishing and floating in the state. They are also a drawing attraction for many tourists.
Over the years, they've been used for other purposes.
Some springs in Missouri supplied pioneers with salt.
Where salt was not present, they were used as water supplies.
Years ago, many springs also helped power grist mills to grind grains into flour and corn meal.
Today, only a scattering of mills, like this one at Alley Spring near Eminence can be found.
They also helped supply ideas for names of towns and cities. Over 60 cities have the word spring in their name. From Cedar Springs to Climax Springs; theres Excelsior Springs, Bennett Spring, Sweet Springs, Siloam Spring, Weldon Spring Lake Spring, Edgar Springs, El Dorado Springs and Springfield.
You Are Always Welcome in Missouri State Parks
Missouri's state park system, which on multiple occasions has been ranked as one of the top four state park systems in the nation, contains 87 state parks and historic sites. The state park system has something to fit everyone's needs. The system includes homes of famous Missourians, Civil War battlefields; and reminders of yesterday such as gristmills and covered bridges. The state's most outstanding landscapes are preserved here for everyone's enjoyment - deep forests, glades, prairies and blue streams and lakes.
Do You Know How Many Natural Springs Are In Missouri?
There are over 2,000 natural springs in Missouri.
The largest is Big Spring near Van Buren where an average of 275 million gallons of water flows from it each day.
The deepest is Blue Spring near Eminence with a recorded depth of over 300 feet.
Finger Lakes State Park
A visit to Finger Lakes State Park in Columbia, Missouri
Cave Spring on the Current River
Interesting Information:
The spring rises a short canoe paddle into a large cave opening on the Current River, from a vertical shaft 140 feet deep. The spring itself is a favorite fishing spot. During underwater survey, a Native American dugout canoe was discovered on the bottom of the spring. Both Devil's Well and Wallace Well are karst windows, the first a sinkhole opening onto an underground lake larger than a football field, and the second, a cave containing access to another conduit which flows to the spring.
Brief History:
Cave Spring has a long history of usage as a fishing, picnicking and canoe rest spot, but has never been commercially developed. Devil's Well was first explored in 1952. It was primitively developed and shown by the Wallace family as a tourist attraction in the 1960's and early 1970's, with a picnic area and gift shop. It was during Wallace's ownership that Vineyard's extensive study occurred. In the late 1960's, Devils Well was mapped by Ozark Spring Studies, an effort which required 62 weekends of trips by divers, cavers and mappers. During this era, Cave Spring was owned by the L-A-D Foundation, a private conservation group. Devils Well was sold to the National Park Service in 1974.
Ownership and Access:
Cave Spring is privately held by the L-A-D Foundation, but public access from the river is allowed for viewing only. Canoeists should be aware of the extremely cold and deep water if taking a look at the spring, which is in semi-darkness at the rear of the cave. There are no developed roads to the spring. Both Devil's and Wallace Well are extremely hazardous, and gated, with no access allowed to the caves themselves. A steep, gravel road leads to Devil's Well, where visitors may look through the karst window to the water from a viewing platform. Wallace Well Cave is obscure. The gated entrance is visible only by river.
Recharge Area:
Dye traced from Devil's Well to the northeast, and nearby Wallace Well, a cave slightly to the southeast. Recharge area lies primarily in a 10 mile area to the northeast. Extensively studied by Jerry Vineyard, and much information can be found in the book, Springs of Missouri.
Name: Cave Spring
Location: Shannon County, Mo.
Rank: 20
Average Flow:
Million gallons per day: 21*
Cubic feet per second: 32*
Falling Spring Waterfall, Missouri
Falling spring is a small mill with a stream that flows from a hole in the bluff, approximately 20ft above the mill. Falling Spring Mill was built in 1920.
It is located in Oregon County, about 10 miles south of Winona, Missouri. Take highway 19 south from Winona, turn East on Oregon County road 3170, then immediately turn left onto County Road 156 (aka Forest Service Road 3164). As of 2012, there were signs on highway 19 and 3170 which point to Falling Spring.
The Thomas Birch cabin, built in the 1850s, is located here. Nearby attractions include Turner Mill and Greer Spring.
Alley Spring and Mill in Eminence Missouri is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Leanna Bryson Park Ranger with the National Park Service provided me a very nice overview of the Alley Mill in Eminence Missouri. I also am sharing some video of the Alley Spring as Leanna talks about the Mill. This is a great place to visit I've been here twice.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE SPRING AND MILL:
Heading south on Highway 19, turn right (west) on Highway 106 at Eminence. After crossing the Jacks Fork River, turn right at the Alley Spring and Mill sign.
The spring empties an average of 81 million gallons a day into the upper Jacks Fork. A short trails leads around the spring, along bluff walls decorated with hanging gardens of wildflowers and ferns.
The barn-red mill was built in 1894 and is now a museum operated by the park service. The three-story mill is open daily.
Park Ranger Leanna Bryson had a bit of news. “The mill is going to be on the U.S. quarter in 2017,” she said. “They picked 55 national parks for the coins; Yellowstone was the first. They say we’re the most photographed mill in the United States.”
An image of historic Alley Mill near the Jacks Fork River will soon be imprinted on the back of U.S. quarter coins.
I certainly hope it brings more awareness to what we have with Ozark National Scenic Riverways, said park spokeswoman Dena Matteson. Local folks certainly know what we have here, but others may not know about the hidden jewel we have here in the Ozarks.
The story of Alley is a tale of nature, people, and a century-old mill sitting at the heart of a beautiful Ozark scene. Whether this is an annual trip you've made since your childhood, or your first visit, take time to soak up the splendid scenery and get acquainted with Alley's lively past.
Cold clear waters rise from deep within Alley Spring at an average daily flow of 81 million gallons. The spring basin is funnel-shaped with a depth of 32 feet.
Alley Mill is just one of over 100 historic structures found within Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
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MUSIC:
River Meditation 2:46 Audionautix Country & Folk | Bright
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River Meditation by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
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Closing music:
Come to the Woods 2:34 Silent Partner Country & Folk | Bright
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Taking a ferry across the current river in Akers Missouri
I came down a steep mountain hill in the Mark Twain National Forest. To my surprise I was greeted by this large plank of wood that ended up being my passage across the Current River. It took 10 minutes to get the truck and trailer on it, and it barely fit. Good times!