August fourth marked the second anniversary of the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). In that time, the USDA Forest Service has selected more than 880 Legacy Restoration Fund projects across the nation aimed at reducing deferred maintenance, strengthening rural infrastructure, and enhancing access to public lands. Mark Twain National Forest has received…
Bull snake on burned prairieApril, 2000 One of the longest and heaviest snakes in Missouri is the bullsnake. Bullsnakes can average four to six feet long but may grow upwards to seven, maybe even eight, feet in the right environment. Bullsnakes are tan, yellow, or cream-colored with numerous, large, brown, or black blotches. These markings along…
Ribbon-cutting ceremony Missouri has a new state park. I attended the opening day ceremonies and ribbon-cutting to open Bryant Creek State Park on Friday, Sept. 23. Bryant Creek State Park is in Douglas County in south-central Missouri. Although there are a few Missouri Conservation Areas around, this had been an area that was void of…
By Alex Holmes Brown is boring, brown is dull, brown is common, simple and mundane… or so you might think! During a public opinion poll of American and European residents, brown scored at the bottom of the bucket in favorite colors. So, here we are to change the story around boring old brown. This gsll…
A project funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) will improve campsite amenities at a popular Forest Service recreation site on the Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek Ranger District of Mark Twain National Forest. The Lane Spring electrical and water fountain replacement project will replace outdated waterline components, upgrade existing electrical system to handle more load, and…
MDC – Sugar Maple Leaf The temperatures are cooling down and trees are beginning to change color – a sure sign that fall has arrived. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages people to enjoy fall foliage through camping, driving tours, hiking, or even floating. To help, MDC offers weekly online fall color updates from…
I know that if you are reading this you are probably aware of “our out of doors” and I am “preaching to the choir,” but I believe some of this information we all can use to help others. There are many ways to cover our tracks (so to speak). As more and more people venture…
By Dave Tobey Hiking in Missouri? You bet! Fall hiking opportunities are plentiful in Missouri. Unfortunately, during the long hot and humid summer you can lose your hiking edge. Looking for a solution, I was excited when a group of old friends contacted me and invited me to join them for a climb up Pikes…
