![]() When early European explorers arrived in the 15s, tribes in the area were growing crops, living in villages, and traveling to hunt deer and bison. By the 1800s, other tribes originally from further east were passing through on forced westward migrations. The land surrounding Ozark National Scenic Riverways was once the territory of the Osage, Quapaw, and Illini tribes. A few things to be aware of are ticks, mosquitoes and gnats in summer, and the chance year-round of thunderstorms, torrential rains, and flooding. Overall, the park is home to 112 species of fish, 26 species of amphibian, 46 species of reptiles including four venomous snakes, 197 bird species, 58 mammals, and around 1,000 species of plants. Several of the caves within the park provide critical habitat for endangered gray and Indiana bats. Hellbenders also live here – salamanders that can weigh up to four pounds (1.8 kg) and live for 30 years. Riparian habitats are perfect for wood ducks, great blue herons, and a number of other waterfowl. Watercress and duckweed are two common water plants. There are ongoing restoration efforts to return river cane to these areas to slow erosion and create nesting habitat for Swainson’s warblers. There are a number of floodplains within the park that historically supported large stands of river cane, a native bamboo species. In addition to forest and river, the park also supports open field, floodplain, and glade habitats. ![]() In these areas, sycamores, maples, cottonwoods, willows, and green ash grow abundantly. However, riparian habitats account for a significant portion of the park. The riverways lie directly south of the world’s largest lead and zinc mining district.įorests set back from the rivers primarily consist of oak and shortleaf pine, the only pine native to Missouri. Along the province’s eastern edge sedimentary rock has eroded away, exposing Precambrian granite and porphyries that form the mountains in St. The riverways fall within part of the Ozark Plateaus. In addition to dolomite, the bedrock also contains smaller amounts of sandstone and chert and the landscape is punctuated by knobs made up of volcanic rhyolite. Soluble dolomite underlies much of the area which has led to the creation of sinkholes, caves, and springs – a prime example of karst topography. The park is neighbored by the Rocky Creek Conservation Area and Current River Conservation Area. Although some are closed off to protect habitat for cave-dwelling wildlife, many of them can be explored. The miles of waterways offer great opportunities for johnboating, canoeing, swimming, fishing, tubing, hiking, and bird watching. In fact, the establishment of the park protecting these invaluable river systems was a precursor to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act that passed four years later. The national park is the nation’s first “scenic riverways”. Several springs within the park are classified as “first magnitude” – springs that have over 65 million gallons (295 million liters) of water flowing through them daily. Big Spring is one of the largest springs in the country and it flows an average of 276 million gallons (1,255 million liters) of water per day. More than 60% of the river flow comes from seven major springs and hundreds of smaller springs. ![]() It is located near the Ozark Highlands of southeastern Missouri. Ozark National Scenic Riverways was established in 1964 and protects 134 mi (216 km) of Current and Jacks Fork Rivers and around 80,000 acres (32,375 hectares) of river, forest, open field, and glade habitats. Best Hikes in Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
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