THE OZARK
NATIONAL SCENIC RIVERWAYS was created by an Act of Congress and
became our nations first national scenic riverway in 1964. It is
comprised of and protects 134 miles of the Current and Jacks Fork
rivers. The streams are located in the Ozark Highlands of southeastern
Missouri and are ideal for canoeing, tubing, fishing and swimming.
* The Jacks
Fork and Current rivers are generally slow-paced, but small rapids,
tricky turns and rootwads can be challenging, especially to beginning
paddlers.
* The region
is generally rural wiith abundant broadleaf forests dotted with
occasional open fields. The typical landscape of the area includes
narrow steep-sided hollows, with numerous streams and bluffs, plus
is home to numerous sinkholes, caves, and springs.
* Cave tours,
historic sites and Ozark crafts demonstrations add a unique cultural
dimension to the park. In addition, there are also numerous hiking
and horse trails.
* Numerous
park concessioners provide canoe and tube rentals and put-ins and
take-outs at predesignated locations. A float trip can last from
an hour to weeks.
* There
are many well developed campgrounds and lodging facilities, plus
drive-in primitive campsites are found throughout the park. Backwoods
camping is permitted on river gravel bars.
* Anglers
pursue Blackbass (largemouth and smallmouth bass), trout and goggle-eye,
and to ensure good catches the smallmouth population of the Upper
Jacks Fork is carefully managed.
Seven major
springs and 51 other various sized springs within the basin account
for around sixty per cent of the two rivers' flow . Big Spring,
with an average flow of 276 million gallons of water per day, is
one of the largest in the country .
Within the
park reside 112 species of fish, 196 species of birds, and 58 species
of mammals, plus 25 species of snakes, including 4 poisonous species.
The Jacks
Fork and the Current Rivers remain nearly as wild as the days when
Native Americans lightly trod the Ozark trails. Get out on the water
and you will quickly lose yourself in their timeless rhythm. Whether
you are out for an hour run from Buck Hollow or a days-long drift,
you will gain an intimate friend. At day's end, you will reflect
on hours of relaxation and adventure: the animals that scurried
up the hank, the birds that flew overhead screaming alarms, the
tiny wildflowers under thick canopies of trees, and even the solid
bluffs that yield so slowly to the wear of time. Float descriptions
below describe many of the sites that will enliven your day.
The Riverways
park is within an easy day's drive of two large metropolitan centers-282
kilometers (175 miles) south of St. Louis, and 402 kilometers (250
miles) southeast of Kansas City, Mo. The park consists of 216 kilometers
(134 miles) of the Current and its tributary the Jacks Fork, through
Shannon, Carter, Texas, and Dent Counties. A strip of land in public
ownership along both banks preserves the scenic river backdrop and
has helped to protect many important historic structures.
Mild winters
allow almost year-round use of the Riverways. The upper stretches
of the rivers are often more fun to float during late winter and
spring because in summer's low water, portages have to be made around
exposed gravel bars.
The major
center of activity on the Jacks Fork River is at Alley Spring, and
the major centers on the Current River are at Akers, Pulltite Spring,
Round Spring, and Big Spring.
VISIT THE
FOLLOWING SITES FOR MORE GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE OZARK NATIONAL
SCENIC RIVERWAYS PARK AND HOW TO COME AND ENJOY IT:
Official
National Park Service OZARK
NATIONAL SCENIC RIVERWAYS PARK SITE
Ozark
National Scenic Riverways History from NPS
Ozarks Mountain Springs RV Park &
Campground LLC
5400 CR 3200 #19 Mountain View , MO. 65548
Phone: 417-469-3351 or Toll Free @ 866-642-6430 Fax 417-469-3358
EMAIL US