Johnson Shut-ins
State Park
The
redeveloped Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park has reopened to the
public in 2009. The main valley of the park includes
an orientation center, retail stores, picnic areas and shelters,
and an enclosed picnic shelter. A new boardwalk provides
access to the shut-ins and there are numerous areas to
access the East Fork of the Black River for swimming and splashing.
Althouth not yet open the Goggins Mountain area of the park
will provide a new campground and will include basic, electric,
full-hookup, equestrian and walk-in campsites plus camper cabins.
The campground will include a store, showerhouses and laundry
facilities. Hiking and equestrian trails are offered in the
park, including a portion of the Ozark Trail and a trail and
overlook in the scour channel in the valley of the park. (For
much more information on Johnson's Shut-ins please see this
website MissouriStateParks.net)
Fort Davidson State Historic Site
Today, the Arcadia Valley in Iron County is a peaceful setting
in one of Missouri's most scenic areas. But in 1864, the valley
was the scene of one of the largest and most hard-fought battles
of the Civil War waged on the state's soil - the Battle of Pilot
Knob. To learn much more about the Civil War in Missouri and
to read about Fort Davidson State Historic Site, visit www.missouri-vacations.com.
The Ozark Trail
The Ozark Trail is a part of 28 year-old vision to build a scenic
and varied route through the Missouri Ozarks, stretching from
the St. Louis metropolitan area southwestward to the Arkansas
border. The five miles of the Ozark Trail that passes through
the Johnson's Shut-ins is closed at this time, however, the
remainder of the Taum Sauk section of the Ozark trail is open--
Highway 21 to Devils Tollgate, Bell Mountain to Goggins -- but
you will not be able to travel though Johnson Shut-Ins State
Park. Read more about
the Ozark Trail Sections in our region here.
Grasshopper
Hollow
This is the largest, most significant fen complex in unglaciated
North America. Its wet, stony ground (in knee-deep water) is
laced with beaver runs among a rich assemblage of native grasses
and sedges. A spur of the Ozark Trail borders the preserve.
Read more here www.missouri-vacations.com
If
you love to hunt and fish,
there are endless opportunities in our Black River Area.
To learn about the best places to hunt and fish, visit this
website that covers conservation and wilderness areas, state
forests and hunting
in the Mark Twain National Forest.
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Elephant Rocks
State Park
Imagine giant granite rocks standing end-to-end like a train of
circus elephants. That's what you'll see at Elephant Rocks State
Park. Read comprehensive information about Elephant Rocks State
Park and see spectacular photographs of the part at www.missouristateparks.net.
Taum Sauk Mountain State Park
Make the great escape to Missouri's wilderness
- Taum Sauk Mountain State Park. The park provides 7,448 acres
of solitude amid unspoiled land with a wilderness quality hard
to find in today's world. Read more about the magic or Taum
Sauk Mountain and the Legend of Taum Sauk at www.missouristateparks.net.
Mark Twain National Forrest &
Sutton Bluff Recreation Area
Mark Twain National Forest offers a wide variety of trails
covering some 742 miles of the Ozarks. Trails differ greatly in
length and difficulty. A few are restricted to hikers only, but
many are open to mountain bikes and horses, and two areas are
set aside for ATV and motorcycle enthusiasts, Chadwick and Sutton
Bluff. Find out much more about Sutton Bluff at www.missouri-hiking.com.
Bell Mountain Wilderness Area & Trail
The Ozark Trail is concurrent with the Bell Mountain
Trail for about a mile into the Wilderness. Then the Bell Mountain
Trail turns north and ascends the 1,702-foot peak of Bell Mountain.
A Wilderness is a special area set aside by Congress which “generally
appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature
with the imprint of man’s work substantially unnoticeable…”
Read much more about Bell Mountain Wilderness and other wilderness
trails at www.missouri-hiking.com.
Our
region is a wonderful place to go bird watching in Missouri.
You might wish to explore the different birding opportunities
in our area at www.missouribirdwatching.com.
If you are researching your family history in the Black River
Area, you will find this genealogy
website helpful.
Come visit our beautiful Black River
Area! You won't be dissappointed.
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