Did you know the first national park area to protect a river system is in Missouri?
Hey, SEMO-based explorers! I have spent so much time daydreaming about the famous national parks way out west, and not enough time taking advantage of the beautiful national park area just a two-and-a-half-hour drive west of Cape Girardeau. I'm talking about the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
The U.S. National Park Service says, and I quote, "The Current and Jacks Fork rivers are two of the finest floating rivers found anywhere. Spring-fed, cold and clear: they are a delight to canoe, swim, boat, or fish. Besides these two famous rivers, the park is home to hundreds of freshwater springs, caves, trails, and historic sites..." end quote.
One of the stunning destinations within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways is Blue Spring. This vivid, bright blue water in the middle of the Missouri woods looks so beautifully out of place. It's also one of the deepest springs in the entire United States. You can fit a whole Lady Liberty in there, toes to torch.
This natural wonder is an easy quarter-mile walk from the trailhead. But to get to Blue Spring's trail head, you have to drive down a steep gravel road. I would not take an RV or bus down there. And I'd even think twice about taking a sedan in slippery weather.
Blue Spring is 14 miles east of Eminence, so make it a day trip! Hit up the famous Dairy Shack for a burger and a milkshake. And from there, pop over to Alley Spring and Mill, a historic mill from 1893 that sits beside another sapphire blue spring.
Resources
Ozark National Scenic Riverways (U.S. National Park Service)
Blue Spring - Ozark National Scenic Riverways (U.S. National Park Service)
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Alley Mill - Ozark National Scenic Riverways (U.S. National Park Service)
