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…
JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has released a new comprehensive report about glades in Missouri. The publication, “Comprehensive Distribution and Characterization of Missouri’s Glade-Producing Rock Formations,” was a collaborative effort between Missouri State Parks Ecologist Allison Vaughn; geologist Larry “Boot” Pierce, Jr., formerly with the department’s Missouri Geological Survey; natural community advisor…
The Missouri State Fair’s public campground, sponsored by Missouri State Parks, is set to open by 9 am, Friday, Aug. 5. The 60-acre campground is located west of the fairgrounds on Clarendon Road. Unreserved spot rental is $35 per day, per vehicle/unit. There are approximately 100 full hook-up sites available for first-come, first-serve. These spaces are…
If you lived near the Mississippi River in 1993, you may have had an unwanted guest — namely: Mississippi floodwater. But there were some other guests that came with the floodwater and for Annie and me, one of those guests became more than just an overnight guest. I am referring to “Oscar,” a huge…
The results are in and with your help, Johnson’s Shut-Ins has been named the “Best State Park for RVing/Camping” in the nation in the USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The wilderness qualities and geology of Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and the surrounding St. Francois Mountains make this park a special place to visit. Its…
I wouldn’t mind a little rain right about now. The old Ozarkers had a few ways to bring it on, according to the late great folklorist Vance Randolph. One way was to pour out a gourd, or bucket, full of water in the middle of your field. Another was to submerge a cat in sulfur…
By Bob Brennecke Osage orange, also called hedge apple, bow-wood, French Bois d’Arc, naranjo chino, or horse apple, and monkey brain are a few of its names. This fruit, when cut open, has many small seeds surrounded by a sticky, milky sap-like liquid that can produce dermatitis in humans. The Osage orange is often trained as a hedge row along a…
Black-Eyed Susan Now that summer is officially here, splashes of yellow naturally dot the highways and byways throughout Missouri. It’s a sight I welcome more and more with each passing year. Those splashes of yellow I am referring to are Rudbeckia Hirta, better known as Black-Eyed Susan. This floral delight is a common Missouri native…
