Facilities and Activities:
| Day-Use | Fishing | yes | | | Hunting | yes | | | Hiking Trail, miles | yes | | | Picnicking | yes |
National Park Location Maps:
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National Park Photo Gallery:
volunteer positions open
National Park Event Calendar:
volunteer positions open
Nearby Parks:
Alley Spring State Forest
Alley Spring State Park
Flat Rock State Wildlife Area
Rocky Creek State Forest
Clow State Forest
Indian Creek State Forest
Mule Mountain State Forest
Summersville Towersite State Wildlife Area
Blair Creek State Forest
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| National Park Overview: |
 | With an average flow of about 220 million gallons per day, Greer Spring is the second largest spring in Missouri; being beat out for the honor of the largest by Big Springs on the Current River in Carter County. Greer Spring flows from two openings, an upper outlet in the side of a Dolomite cliff and a lower outlet that boils out from the bed of the spring branch. The combined flows travel 1.2 miles and drops 66 vertical feet before entering the Eleven Point River. It more than doubles the flow of the river at this point. Greer Spring has had a maximum recorded flow of 653 million gallons in one day. The recharge area for the spring includes a huge area towards the west and north up to 35 miles away. The spring's average temperature is about 55?F.
Welcome to your Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri's National Forest, where a wide range of learning and recreational opportunities await you. The Mark Twain National Forest is located in southern and central Missouri, and extends from the St. Francois Mountains in the southeast to dry rocky glades in the southwest, from the prairie lands along the Missouri River to the nation's most ancient mountains in the south. Clear spring-fed rivers and streams, rocky bluffs, pastoral views and shaded trails all welcome visitors to explore and enjoy the beauty of the renowned Ozarks. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
| Be the 1st to Review Mark Twain National Forest. You can rate it, post a comment on it, or do both. |
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| Camping: |
| Looking for a quiet, natural setting for your camping trip, while still enjoying basic conveniences like level campsites, picnic tables, drinking water, grills or fire rings, and toilet facilities Mark Twain National Forest offers many campgrounds with spacious, secluded sites in a forested setting. Many are beside sparkling lakes or clear rivers. Some are trailheads for a full network of trails. Come camp with us. |
| Trails: |
| ATV Trails
Mark Twain National Forest offers a wide variety of riding experiences for ATV and motorcycle riders. You may ride on any open, numbered Forest Service road in counties where county ATV permits are issued, provided you abide by Missouri State Motor Vehicle regulations. Approximtely half of the counties containing National Forest land currently offer permits.
You may also ride on designed motorcycle and ATV trails at Chadwick Motorcycle and ATV Use Area in Christian County, and Sutton Bluff Motorcycle and ATV Use Area in Reynolds County if you have a Forest Service permit. Daily permits sell for $5, annual permits are $35, and are available at Forest Service offices and local businesses.
Trails vary greatly in length and dufficulty. Maps and brochures for the Chadwick Area are available at the Ava Ranger District Office, maps and brochures for the Sutton Bluff Area are available at the Salem Ranger District Office.
A printable Brochure of ATV rules and regulations is also available.
Biking:
The Mark Twain National Forest has many excellent opportunities for road and mountain biking. If you're planning to ride on local highways, remember that summer traffic can be extremely heavy, so be careful! For mountain biking, there is an extensive network of woods roads and over 400 miles of multiple use trails, some of which provide for excellent riding. Mountain biking is relatively unrestricted and depends on your cooperation and consideration to remain that way.
Please follow these guidelines when biking on the Mark Twain National Forest:
When riding on open roads, watch out for the other traffic. Drivers of Logging truck, busses, and cars may not be watching for you.
Be Considerate of Hikers, Pedestrians and other trail users.
Slow down and yield the right of way when approaching foot travelers or horses.
To prevent resource damage, avoid riding on muddy trails or after heavy rain. Stay on designated roads or trails, and avoid trampling vegetation.
Cycling is prohibited on short trails within and adjacent to developed recreation areas, and in the 7 designated Wildernesses.
Trails vary greatly in difficulty, length and physical conditions. The trail index and descriptions will help you select the best trail for your ride.
For your safety, always be prepared when riding off-road. |
| Picnicking: |
| How about "dining out" this weekend . . . . in a shady forest or beside a sparkling lake? Someplace where the stress of your work life can float away on the breeze? Want a place with clean air, away from the hustle and bustle of the city? Pack a picnic and head for Mark Twain National Forest! Whether it's a quiet picnic for two, or a family reunion for dozens, you'll find picnic areas sure to suit your needs in a variety of areas. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| Fishing:
Within the Mark Twain National Forest, you will find almost every kind of fishing experience imaginable -- except deep sea and surf! The Forest is full of lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers that are home to many kinds of fish. You may try your hand at many different fishing techniques, depending upon where you go and what kind of fish you seek.
Although the Forest Service manages fishing habitats in the National Forest, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) regulates and manages sport fishing on National Forest lands.
Everyone who fishes must have the appropriate Lifetime, Annual, or Daily Fishing Permit, or must qualify for an exemption.
Learn the rules concerning which fish are in season and make it your business to know length, take, and possession limits.
For more information on the rules and regulations to be followed, contact a Conservation Officer at Missouri Department of Conservation or obtain a copy of the Missouri Wildlife Code.
Hunting:
Although the Forest Service manages game habitats in the National Forest, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) regulates and manages sport hunting on National Forest lands. Everyone who hunts must have the appropriate State of Missouri permit, or must qualify for an exemption. Learn the rules concerning game seasons and make it your business to know?bag and possession limits. For more information on the rules and regulations to be followed, contact a Conservation Officer or obtain a copy of the Missouri Wildlife Code.
Several hunting areas on Mark Twain National Forest offer "barrier-free" access for hunters who use wheelchairs or who have limited mobility. |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Related Links: |
| Trail name - Trail name Ranger District Chadwick Ava 125 miles Sutton Bluff Salem 20 miles Council Bluff Potosi 14 miles Blair Creek Salem 26 miles John J. Audubon Fredericktown 12 mi Current River Eleven Point 9 ... | | Ozark Hiking in Missouri, the North Fork River, Mark Twain National Forest, and ROLF - Ozark Hiking in Missouri, the North Fork River, Mark Twain National Forest, and ROLF. | | ... Outfitters for the North Fork River, Missouri Ozarks; adjacent to the Mark Twain Natio - The ROLF, Outfitters for the North Fork River, Missouri Ozarks; adjacent to the Mark Twain National Forest: trout fishing, flyfishing, lodging, camping, missouri canoeing, hiking, and more. | | Mark Twain National Forest Vacation Adventure - Vacation adventures for SouthEast Missouri- Mark Twain National Forest. ... TN TX UT VT VA WA DC WV WI WY Overview - Mark Twain National Forest Mark Twain National Forest Forest Supervisor ... | | Missouri Public Lands: Mark Twain National Forest - Missouri Public Lands: Mark Twain National Forest ... Email: Mailroom_R9_Mark_Twain@fs.fed.us INFORMATIONAL LINKS Mark Twain National Forest Mark Twain National Forest On-line Reservations ... | | Mark Twain National Forest - Mark Twain National Forest Places Barry County Bollinger County Boone County Callaway County Carter County Christian County ... Pages Areas within Mark Twain National Forest Bald Hill Glade Big ... | | Mark Twain National Forest - Mark Twain National Forest and Mining Mark Twain National Forest from the Kansas City Star Debate continues over plans to search ... land is within the Mark Twain National Forest, which the U.S ... | | Current River Area Vocation Technical School - LINKS - Mark Twain National Forest - Current River Area Vocational Technical School. "Where We Learn To Earn" Mark Twain National Forest LINKS. Mark Twain National Forest is an outdoorsman's dream, these Congressionally designated... | | WHMC-Rolla -- R485 -- Infotmation Sheet - R485 -- MARK TWAIN NATIONAL FOREST, HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS, ca. 1900-1985 -- INFORMATION SHEET Information Sheet R485 Mark Twain National Forest (Mo.). Historical photographs, ca. 1900-1985. 719 ... | | Protecting Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest - The Thomas Hart Benton Group, part of the Sierra Club's Ozark Chapter, serves western Missouri and ... > Protecting Missouri?s Mark Twain National Forest Current Issues Protecting Missouri?s Mark ... |
| Directions: |
| From Rolla, several State highways provide access to the forest. State highway 32/72 bisects the forest west to east and intersects with other highways providing north and south access. |
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