Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) is offering a variety of hiking opportunities this fall. All activities and events are free of charge and pre-registration is not required. Now is the time to start planning fall and winter hiking adventures. ONSR has a variety of great trails for everyone to enjoy. Visitors can explore trails independently…
I have enjoyed many a stroll in Missouri State Parks, but one I took last October was simply spooktacular! On a road trip to view the fall colors, I stopped at St. Francois State Park to stretch my legs where I was greeted with an unexpected surprise. The campground was decked out with an array…
Last week I found something hanging over a trail on our farm; it was about eight feet in the air and attached to a tree limb. A photo is enclosed with this column. Folks, this is not a fun-filled Mexican pinata, full of candy and waiting to be smacked with a baseball bat. …
Just past the hustle and bustle of the growing college town of Rolla one can find a hidden oasis located off Bridge School Road/CR 7000. This area of Phelps County is not only home to spring-fed creeks, sandstone glades, and limestone cliffs; it’s home to Marguerite Bray Conservation Area. The property for Marguerite Bray Conservation…
As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, the James River Basin Partnership recently hosted the inaugural Paddle MO James trip with Stream Teams United last month. For three days, 50 attendees, including staff and volunteers, floated a 22-mile stretch of the lower James from Hootentown Campground to Galena, Missouri. Paddlers came from as far away…
I have been to every Missouri State Park. I also always look forward to visiting a new state park whenever one is opened in Missouri. But I had never been to Deer Run State Park. If you have never heard of Deer Run State Park, that is because it is no longer a Missouri State Park —…
During their spring and fall migrations, pelicans will visit Missouri’s reservoirs, large rivers, and wetlands where they feed and rest. They breed in Canada and several northern states in the summer and winter along the Gulf Coast. One of the best locations in Southwest Missouri is Stockton Lake. With its 9-foot wingspan, yellow-orange pouched bill,…
Mark Twain National Forest asks visitors to keep fire safety in mind this summer. Fire danger is still high! While rain has fallen across portions of Mark Twain National Forest, allowing the Forest to drop from an “extreme” fire danger level to a “high” fire danger level, conditions are still extremely dry across the southern…
