Scenic Highway 19

 
Scenic Highway 19, the first so designated by the Missouri Legislature, goes right through the heart of the Ozark Heritage Region, an area characterized by clear, spring fed streams. It crosses two river systems that are federally protected, and one ironically, which was protected by the citizens of Missouri from the federal government.

The Meramec River and a couple major parts of its system, Huzzah and Courtois Creeks, drain the northern part of this section of Highway 19. These streams are free-flowing today because Missourians voted to call a halt to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to dam the Meramec. Work was already in the construction stage when stopped.

Highway 19 then threads its way into the Current River and Jacks Fork River watersheds, now largely preserved by the National Park Service in their natural state for recreational uses .The Ozark National Scenic Riverways was the first of its kind in the nation - a park dedicated to the preservation of wild, free flowing streams.

After the Riverways, Congress passed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. One of the first designated was the Eleven Point River, administered by the U.S. Forest Service. Highway 19 crosses the heart of this watershed on it's way to Mammoth Spring, Arkansas.

The Ozark Heritage Region is unique in the world for its springs. Beside the highway, or only a short side-trip away are seven of the largest springs in the world including the largest springs in the nation, including the largest single-outlet spring in the world. It is these cool springs that breathe life into the streams of this region.

Take your time and enjoy a drive through the area. The scenery is sensational in all seasons. Partake of the recreational opportunities. You can fish, hunt, canoe, swim, hike, take photos, tour caves, ride horses....just to name a few.

If you are traveling south to north, Historic Hermann, is on up Highway 19, as is and Mark Twain's Hannibal.

How to use this guide 

This is a mile-by-mile guide to touring along Highway 19. Mileage begins at I-44 and Highway 19. The mileage to various points of interest south of there is listed.
The guide is best used, however to help you anticipate what is up ahead, and what you may be missing on some of the roads that intersect with Highway 19. If you are at the boundary of Ozark National Scenic Riverways (Mile 70.8), for example, and you are hungry, you'll note there is a place to picnic just three miles ahead, and the town of Eminence with its restaurants is 16 miles ahead. Of course you can use the guide in either direction.
Some side trips are shown with blue lettering. Other attractions are listed, along with mileage to them, at intersections with other highways. Sponsors of this guide are shown below. They would appreciate your business and the knowledge that you came to them by way of this guide.

Beginning at I-44 and Highway 19 
 

0.0 I-44 and Highway 19, beginning of Southern Section of Highway 19, City of Cuba. Food, fuel, motels, sporting goods.

0.5 Historic Route 66 crosses Highway 19 here. To the west .6 miles is Route 66 Lounge, expanded on a Route 66 era building. To the east .4 miles is Wagon Wheel Motel, a still-operating motel of that era. Further east are two stave mills where white oak is prepared for barrel making. Good Kentucky bourbon is aged in these barrels, as are fine wines.

On Historic Route 66 In Cuba 573-885-3411

1.6 Leave city limits.
2.3 Cuba Golf Club. Tourists welcome
Highway begins gradual decent to Meramec River Valley. The Meramec is the biggest in-state river system that empties directly into the Mississippi River.
4.0

4.6 Bird's Nest Road - Public Access to Meramec River is located two miles back this road, across bridge from historic resort.
6.2 Roadside Park. Overlook,
picnicking.
7.2 Meramec River. Campground nearby.

8.3 City of Steelville and Jct. Hwy 8 - goes west to Maramec Spring Park, 12 miles. Trout fishing, picnicking. Historic buildings in park. Historic cabin on way.
Steelville has fast foods, fuel, restaurants, motel, groceries.

9.5 Historic cabin and cemetery.
12.0 - Maramec Spring Park.
Open year around. Trout fishing, camping, picnicking, playgrounds. Nature Center, two museums, fifth largest spring in Missouri, natural and historical landmark.

Steelville's city park centers on a spring. Ask directions. Chamber office at east junction Highway 8 and 19.

9.0 Jct Hwy 8 goes east.

6.9

Canoes· Rafts· Kayaks· Riverfront Camping· Log Cabins · Group Rates· Horseback Riding· Catered BBQ Call or EMail us for free color brochure EMail: fdicbass@misn.com Web Page: www.bassresort.com STEELVILLE MISSOURI 1-800-392-3700

Backtrack to Steelville and Hwy 19.

9.3 Leave Steelville
19.2 Cherryville. Jct Hwy 49.Hwy. 49 goes east to Davisville and U.S. Forest Service, Red Bluff Camp on Huzzah Creek, 6 miles; Dillard Mill State Park, 11 miles. Tours of old waterwheel mill in season. This area was nationally renowned wine producer before prohibition. In recent years, vineyards have returned and now produce Ozark Highland Wines, a federally recognized designation.
30.4 Jct. Mo. 117 goes to Indian Trail State Forest and Fish Hatchery.
0.0 There are 53 miles of roads and trails in this oldest of Missouri public areas. There 13,253 acres of public forest here, with primitive camping, hunting, hiking, nature study.
.3 Fork in road, go straight.
1.6 Go right.
2.2 Sign points to fish hatchery. Open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed weekends and holidays. This is a warm-water hatchery, soon to be retired as a huge new hatchery comes online.
3.7 Hatchery headquarters. Small lake. Picnicking, but no swimming or fishing. Lake is water supply for hatchery ponds. Leaving area, go south along lakeside from hatchery headquarters.
4.7 Go right, you are on historic old White River Trace, an Indian Trail dating into pre-history.
5.8 Go right.
6.5 Forestry headquarters - maps of area available.
6.6 Fire Tower.
10.9 Back to Highway 19.
32.3 Meramec River headwaters.
39.1 Wood industry, buys white oak staves. Used to make barrels in which fine bourbon is aged. Most forests here were cut over in the 1800's with much of the wood going into charcoal, which was used in the iron industry.
39.8 Trail of Tears marker and pull-off. Marks authentic route taken by Cherokees when
removed to Oklahoma in 1838.
42.0 Main office of Pioneer Forest, largest privately owned forest in Missouri, with holdings of more than 160,000 acres in several counties.
42.0 Jct. Mo. 68. St. James, Maramec Spring, 28 miles.
42.4 Salem City Limits. "Gateway to the Riverways." Refers to Ozark National Scenic Riverways, a national park, for which Salem is the anchor city on the north.
42.5 Salem City Park, history marker tells about area being center of iron mining in the past century.
43.0 County Courthouse, main business district of Salem.
43.8 Junction Highways 72/32. Food, motels, fuel. West via Hwy 32 is Montauk State Park, trout fishing, 22 miles.
East two miles is road to White River Trace Wildlife Area. Two lakes, fishing, picnics.
44.1 Mark Twain National Forest Research Station.
48.4 Jct. Route K, goes to upper Ozark National Scenic Riverways Recreation Areas.
0.0 This route provides access to numerous points on Upper Current River. Tan Vat Hollow, Cedar Grove, Welch Spring, Akers Ferry, to name a few.
5.0 Jct. Rt. E and YY, goes to Montauk Spring, trout park fishing, and Tan Vat Hollow, river access.
6.9 Jct. ZZ, goes to Cedar Grove, river access.
9.0 Community of Jadwin.
12.0 Welch Spring road on right.
14.1 Begin Devils Backbone, spectacular view of Current River Valley on right.
15.7 Akers Ferry, ferry crossing, Summersville 19 miles.
(You may complete loop back to Highway 19 by following Rt. KK. If so, resume at 62.5)

Akers Ferry Canoe Rental

53.9 Barren Fork Creek, a typical "losing stream." Drainage enters the underground spring system.
62.5 Junction Rt. KK Goes to Akers Ferry.
0.0 This route goes into upper sections of Current River.
2.5 Road to Devils Well, an underground lake.
65.2 Shannondale. Community crafts shows in season.
67.9 Jct. Rt. A, goes to Bunker and U.S. Forest Service Camp at Loggers Lake. Round Spring Canoe Rental.
68.4

69.5 Presley Conservation Education Center, 1 mile. Generally open to public, but not a recreation area.
69.7 Jct. Rt. EE, goes to Pulltite Campground, and access to Current River. Pulltite Spring is across river from lower end of campground. May be reached by wading in warm weather.
70.5 Fire Tower Road.
State fire towers are manned during periods of high fire danger to spot forest fires early and direct fire suppression activity .
70.8 Enter Ozark National Scenic Riverways, a national park.
71.9 Sinkin Creek Bridge. This is the largest surface tributary to Current River from the east. Access to Current River at primitive campground, recreation area.
73.1 Group camp and access to Current River.

73.3 Bridge over Current River. You may park at cluster camp road, 73.5, and walk across bridge for a better view.
73.8 Main entrance to Round Spring Recreation Area on left. Camping (no electric), river access, hot showers, laundry. Picnicking, cave tours in season. One of the largest springs in the world rises here in a sinkhole, flows under a natural bridge and then on to Current River.
74.0 Pull-off, overlook.
75.7 Enter stand of virgin pine. The pines give an idea of how Ozark ridges may have looked in the past.
76.4 Interpretive trail goes into virgin pine area. Driving AND hiking sections. Pioneer Forest is sponsor of the trail.
76.9 Exit pine grove.
78.9 Jct. Rt. D, to Summersville.
80.3 Enter Clow State Forest.
81.8 Road to Jerktail Landing on left.
0.0 This is a good gravel road for seven miles to Jerktail Landing. It goes mainly through state forest, then national park. Hunting is allowed, in season.
2.5 Turn-off to Bay Creek State Shooting Range. (Hunting, but not target shooting, is allowed in the national parks.)
6.2 Enter Jerktail area.
Primitive camping, river access. Named for the difficulty with which mules pulled ore wagons up out of the valley after a river crossing.
84.7 Scenic view and pull-off on left. Not always open.
85.7 Eminence Forestry District headquarters. Maps of state forests available.
86.2 City limits of Eminence. Food, lodging, fuel, supplies.

86.4

86.7 Jct. with Mo. 106. Goes west to Alley Spring on Jacks Fork, five miles. Old spring-powered mill, campground, river access.Another world-class spring.
0.0 Start side trip west.
2.0

5.0

6.0 Overlook of Jacks Fork Valley. Return to Eminence.

East to Powder Mill/Owls Bend, camping and access to Current River, 12 miles.
0.0 Begin side trip east on Highway 106.
0.4 Jacks Fork Campground.
3.3 Road to left goes to Shawnee Creek. Access to river, picnicking, primitive camping.
4.5 Route V to junction of Current River and Jacks Fork. Hiking east from Park entrance sign leads to Prairie Creek Canyon, a photo opportunity.

7.0 Route H and Route NN go to Rocky Falls. Picnic, hiking and swimming area. Old Klepzig Mill is on road at left at end of Rt.NN.2.0 Cross Current River at Powder Mill. Camping, picnicking, river access.
13.4 Road to Blue Spring, one of nine so named. This is the deepest water in the state, explored to more than 260 feet. A Missouri Natural Area.

Return to Highway 19 at 86.7

86.8 Courthouse and Historic Marker.
89.2 Enter Rock Creek State Forest.
89.9 Roadside Park. Overlook, picnicking.
93.3 Leave Rock Creek State Forest.
95.8 Lewis Lake. Open irregularly for picnicking. But you may walk in anytime.
97.4 Mark Twain National Forest, Winona District Headquarters. Administers Eleven Point Wild and Scenic River. Maps, brochures, hiking, floating information available here.
98.1

98.6 Jct. with U. S. 60. East is Van Buren, headquarters of Ozark National Scenic Riverways, 20 miles. This is also the site of Big Spring, largest single-outlet spring in the world. West is Mountain View, 20 miles. Highway 19 follows 60 west, briefly.
99.2 Highway 19 leaves 60, turns south. Fuel, convenience stores.
108.2 Forest Road 3170 goes to Falling Spring, 4 miles. Unpaved. Small recreation area, old mill, lake, picnic grounds. Spring issuing from bluff was used to power a mill.
112.1 Forest Road 3155 goes to McCormick Lake, two miles. Campground closed. Picnicking, trailhead for Ozark Trail.
117.0 Turner Mill Access to Eleven Point River, seven miles. Unpaved.
118.0 Small overlook off highway on left.
118.7 Greer Access to Eleven Point Wild and Scenic River. Camping, picnicking. Enter on east side of highway.
118.8 Cross Eleven Point River. Parking area on left across bridge. Eleven Point is Missouri's only officially designated Wild and Scenic Riverway under a federal program of that name. U.S. Forest Service protects the riverway in its wild condition. (Ozark Riverways in contrast, is a national park.)
120.3 New Access to Greer Spring, second largest in Missouri and one of the top 10 in the world. The spring has been purchased by U.S. Forest Service and is now public. Access is by a new mile long foot trail. The trail is all downhill to the spring, and all uphill back out. The grade of the new trail has been lessened by switch-backs. The wild aspect of this spring is preserved.
120.9 Community of Greer.
122.8 Cane Bluff Access to Eleven Point River, west 3.5 miles. Unpaved.
128.0 Junction U.S. 160 at Alton. West Plains is west, Doniphan is east. Alton features food, fuel, motel

0.0 Going east on U.S. Hwy 160 toward Doniphan.
12.8 Eleven Point River. Access, picnicking.
13.0

Return to Highway 19 and continue south.
140.0 Junction U.S. 63 at Thayer. West Plains to the north, Mammoth Spring, Ark. to south.
141.3 Jct. Route W - goes to Grand Gulf State Park, six miles. Park features collapsed cave, natural bridge. Picnicking.
141.8 Junction Mo. 142. Bakersfield to the west, Doniphan to the east.
142.3 Junction 63 again. Food, fuel.
142.8 Arkansas State Line. Hwy 19 ends. U.S. 63 continues south.
143.3 Mammoth Spring, Ark. State Park. Visitor Center for Arkansas. Picnicking, trails. Federal fish hatchery and aquarium. Historic railroad museum. Spring River Access. Town has shops, restaurants, motels. Mammoth Spring is the second largest spring in the world. Harrison, Ark, 25 miles.

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