# Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways

> From St. Louis to the granite boulders of Elephant Rocks, the Shut-Ins and Missouri’s highest point, then along the Current River and Jacks Fork from Akers…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-477-missouri-ozark-riverways/

**At a glance:** 7-day road trip of about 520 km (323 mi) with 14 stops, from St. Louis to Noblett Lake. About 5 h 46 min of driving in total. Best time to go: May and September–October. No toll roads expected for a car. From St. Louis to the granite boulders of Elephant Rocks, the Shut-Ins and Missouri’s highest point, then along the Current River and Jacks Fork from Akers via Round Spring and Alley Spring to Big Spring, and on to the collapsed cave system of Grand Gulf: around 820 kilometres of spring water, canoes and oak forest.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 520 km (323 mi) |
| Driving | 5 h 46 min |
| Suggested days | 7 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | St. Louis → Noblett Lake |
| States | MO |
| Best time to go | May and September–October |
| Tolls and vignettes | None expected |
| Updated | October 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-477-missouri-ozark-riverways.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Driving in the US: The Rules European Visitors Most Often Get Wrong at the Wheel](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-driving-rules-visitors/), [Fuel, Tolls and Distances: Practical US Driving Math for Motorhome and Camper Travelers](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-fuel-tolls-distances/), [US national parks: entry fees, passes and reservations in plain terms](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-national-park-passes/)

*From St. Louis to the granite boulders of Elephant Rocks, the Shut-Ins and Missouri’s highest point, then along the Current River and Jacks Fork from Akers via Round Spring and Alley Spring to Big Spring, and on to the collapsed cave system of Grand Gulf: around 820 kilometres of spring water, canoes and oak forest.*

## The spirit of the route

The Missouri Ozarks are not a mountain range but an ancient, deeply dissected plateau: limestone full of caves, sinkholes and springs, topped by oak and pine forest stretching to the horizon. In the far east rise the oldest rocks in the Midwest, pink granite and rhyolite, washed round into elephants and rock chutes. Further west, water takes centre stage. The Current River and Jacks Fork run clear as glass over gravel beds, fed by springs that well up blue from rock basins. From the sliding door in the morning you see mist over the river, a red mill on a spring branch, canoes pulled up on the gravel bar. In the evening there are fireflies in the bankside grass, the calls of whip-poor-wills, a campfire somewhere by the water. On weekdays the river belongs to the kingfishers; on summer weekends it turns into a street party. If you put in early and take the back roads, you will find the Ozarks as quiet as they were a hundred years ago.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: St. Louis to Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park (approx. 180 km)

- **The drive:** St. Louis is just the starting point: head south on the I-55 or directly on the MO-21 through Jefferson County; from Hillsboro the road becomes two-lane and winding, with crests and wooded stretches through the mining district around Potosi. At Graniteville, Elephant Rocks sits right on the MO-21. Continue into the Arcadia Valley to Pilot Knob and Ironton, then take Route N through wooded hills to the Shut-Ins. Driving time around 2.5–3 hours. Do your big shop and fill up in the St. Louis area or in Potosi; choice in the Arcadia Valley is limited.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Elephant Rocks State Park: huge, rounded, weathered granite boulders of rock more than a billion years old, lined up like a caravan of elephants. The short, paved Braille Trail is accessible and has signs in Braille; next to it are old quarries whose red granite went into buildings in St. Louis. Day use only, busy at weekends – arrive early.
  - Fort Davidson State Historic Site in Pilot Knob: earthworks of a Civil War fort fought over in 1864; small museum, parking also for larger vehicles.
  - Johnson’s Shut-Ins: the East Fork of the Black River squeezes through rhyolite chutes, forming pools, slides and small falls. Reachable on boardwalks; next to them is the scar torn through the forest in 2005 when the Taum Sauk reservoir dam failed – today an interpretive trail on geology. Swimming is closed when the water is high.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park Campground: rebuilt after the 2005 flood, several loops with basic, electric and full-hookup sites, walk-in tent sites and an equestrian loop, shower houses, dump station. Reservations via mostateparks.com; book early for summer and autumn weekends. In winter the water is turned off in parts of the campground – check seasonal operation beforehand. Missouri State Parks charge no entrance fee.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the state parks overnight stays are only allowed on the campgrounds; the car parks at Elephant Rocks and the Shut-Ins close in the evening. The nearest legal free camping: dispersed camping in the Mark Twain National Forest (Potosi/Fredericktown District) west and south of the Arcadia Valley, unless signed otherwise, for a maximum of 14 days.
- **Insider tip for campers:** On hot summer days the Shut-Ins are so popular that the day-use car park can be full by midday – as a campground guest, go before 10 a.m. or in the late afternoon. Bring water shoes: the rock is slippery, and injuries on the slides and edges are common. If you already know the Shut-Ins and Elephant Rocks from the CampingSpirit guide to the Missouri River and Katy Trail, you can save a day here.

### Stage 2: Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park to Taum Sauk Mountain State Park (approx. 50 km)

- **The drive:** A short stage: take Route N back towards Ironton and the MO-21 and Route CC up to Taum Sauk Mountain. The access road to the summit area is narrow and steep at the end, but paved; drive slowly in large motorhomes – at the top you can only turn around in the car park. Driving time under an hour; the day belongs to hiking.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Taum Sauk Mountain: at around 540 metres (1772 ft) the highest point in Missouri. From the car park a short paved path leads to the summit marker in the woods – there is hardly any view there, but there is one from the overlook on the access road across the hills of the St. Francois Mountains.
  - Mina Sauk Falls: the loop trail from the summit car park (around 5 kilometres, rocky, steep) leads to Missouri’s highest waterfall, which drops over rhyolite ledges. It only carries much water after rain – in late summer it is often a trickle. A side trail leads to Devil’s Tollgate, a narrow rock passage on the Ozark Trail.
  - Ozark Trail, Taum Sauk Section: the long-distance trail links Taum Sauk Mountain with the Shut-Ins and is considered one of the finest sections in Missouri; for day hikers, sections starting from the summit are worthwhile.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Taum Sauk Mountain State Park Campground: small, basic campground in the woods near the summit with non-hookup sites and toilets; check the water supply beforehand. Suitable for short vehicles, tight for long motorhomes and trailer rigs. Check reservations and season on mostateparks.com. If you need electricity, stay another night at Johnson’s Shut-Ins.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** On Taum Sauk Mountain overnight stays outside the campground are prohibited. Along the Ozark Trail tent camping is largely permitted for hikers (rules depend on the landowner: state park, conservation area, national forest); with a vehicle only on national forest land, unless signed otherwise.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Plan the hike to Mina Sauk Falls after a rainy day – then it is doubly worthwhile. Sturdy shoes, water and tick protection are a must: the trail is rocky, and the clearings (glades) are hot in summer. Fill up with water in Ironton or at the campground in Johnson’s Shut-Ins before driving up.

### Stage 3: Taum Sauk Mountain State Park to Akers (Current River) (approx. 175 km)

- **The drive:** Via Ironton, take the MO-21 north to the MO-32 and follow it west through sparsely populated forest and mining country to Salem; then take the MO-19 south into the Riverways. Akers lies on a winding side road west of the MO-19 on the Current River. Two-lane country roads with lots of crests and bends, hardly any shoulder, logging trucks. Driving time around 2.5 hours. Salem is the last town with a large supermarket before the river area.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Montauk State Park west of the MO-19: the Current River rises here from several springs; trout hatchery, a mill from 1896 and a fishing area where the trout season opens every year on 1 March. Large campground with several loops as an alternative.
  - Welch Spring: reachable upstream from Akers (short trail or by canoe), beside a powerful spring stands the ruin of a health resort where a doctor in the 1940s hoped to cure lung patients with cool cave air.
  - Devils Well: a side road near Akers takes you to a sinkhole whose shaft lets you look down onto an underground lake – one of the largest known cave lakes in Missouri.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Akers Campground (Ozark National Scenic Riverways): small NPS campground on the river near the ranger station and canoe rental, family sites on a “first come, first served” basis; the group sites (via recreation.gov) are for tents only, motorhomes are not allowed there. For larger vehicles and a guaranteed reservation, Pulltite (next stage) or Montauk State Park are better: sites with and without electricity, shower houses, dump station, reservations via mostateparks.com. In the Riverways: a maximum of 14 days in 30 days at the same campground, check-out by 12 noon, quiet hours 10 p.m.–6 a.m., including generators.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the Mark Twain National Forest around Salem and along the MO-19 dispersed camping is allowed unless signed otherwise (14 days). Basic Forest Service campgrounds nearby include Loggers Lake east of the MO-19; access is on gravel, unsuitable for long vehicles. On NPS land in the Riverways overnight stays are only allowed on campgrounds; gravel-bar camping is exclusively for paddlers arriving by boat.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Akers ferry across the Current River (Route K) is a small cable ferry for a few cars and unsuitable for large motorhomes and trailer rigs; it is out of service at times during high water and after damage. With a camper, always plan your route via the MO-19. Mobile coverage in the river valleys is patchy – save maps offline.

### Stage 4: Akers to Round Spring (approx. 40 km)

- **The drive:** A paddling day: the classic is the Akers–Pulltite stretch, around 16 kilometres (10 miles) of clear, calm water with gentle riffles, 4–6 hours depending on the water level. The outfitters at the access points shuttle boats and drivers there and back. Afterwards, drive the camper via the MO-19 and Route EE to Pulltite or straight on to Round Spring on the MO-19; the road sweeps in long bends over wooded ridges. Driving time under an hour.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Cave Spring: a spring emerges from a cave right on the river between Akers and Pulltite; you can paddle a little way into the cave mouth by canoe – no helmet needed, watch out for oncoming boats.
  - Pulltite Spring and Cabin: a short trail from Pulltite leads to a spring at the foot of a rock wall and an old log cabin from the settler era.
  - Round Spring: the spring lies in a collapsed cave dome spanned by a natural rock arch; nearby, in some summers, the NPS offers guided lantern tours through Round Spring Cave – whether and when is listed on nps.gov/ozar.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Round Spring Campground: NPS campground on the MO-19 on the Current River, non-hookup sites and a few with electricity, shower house, shop and canoe rental nearby. Pulltite Campground: in a river bend, quieter, no dump station. Both can be reserved in season via recreation.gov, and are partly first come, first served out of season. Pulltite lies low in the floodplain and was badly damaged by floods, with the ranger station and shower house under water up to the roof – check before you travel whether the campground and which facilities are open.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Gravel-bar camping is only allowed for paddlers on a multi-day trip; minimum distances from campgrounds and other groups and a maximum number of nights apply – details in the camping regulations on nps.gov/ozar. Driving vehicles onto gravel bars is prohibited. Alternative for vehicles: dispersed camping in the Mark Twain National Forest away from the river access points.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Put in on a weekday: on summer Saturdays Akers–Pulltite and Pulltite–Round Spring are positively jammed with canoes, rafts and tubes, with music and queues at the riffles. If you want peace and quiet, paddle in May, June or September and start before 9 a.m. Root wads and fallen trees lying across the river (strainers) are the biggest danger – avoid the outside of bends and never get caught between your boat and an obstacle.

### Stage 5: Round Spring to Alley Spring (approx. 40 km)

- **The drive:** Take the MO-19 south to Eminence, the hub of river tourism on the Jacks Fork, then the MO-106 around 10 kilometres west to Alley Spring. The MO-19 is winding with climbs, and easy to drive for trailer rigs with brakes. Driving time around 45 minutes; detour to Echo Bluff State Park north of Eminence. Eminence has a petrol station, a small supermarket and several canoe outfitters.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Alley Spring Mill: the red mill from 1894 stands above a deep-blue spring pool from which millions of litres of water flow into the Jacks Fork every day – the most photographed sight in the Ozarks, at its best in the morning light. The mill is staffed by rangers in summer; alcohol is banned in the mill area.
  - Jacks Fork: the tributary is narrower and rockier than the Current River, with high bluffs. Between Alley Spring and Eminence (around 10 kilometres) it can be paddled even at low water; the upper Jacks Fork with Jam Up Cave is only worthwhile in spring at higher water levels.
  - Echo Bluff State Park: a newer state park on Sinking Creek with a rock face, hiking trails and a lodge; quieter than the river access points.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Alley Spring Campground: large NPS campground on the Jacks Fork opposite the mill, non-hookup sites and some with electricity (no water hookup), shower house, dump station, canoe rental. Reservable via recreation.gov. Alternative with full hookups: Echo Bluff State Park Campground, reservations via mostateparks.com. At Two Rivers at the confluence (Route V east of Eminence) there is another NPS campground, where cluster sites can be reserved.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Around Eminence lie large areas of the Mark Twain National Forest (Eleven Point–Winona District) where dispersed camping is allowed unless signed otherwise; forest roads are gravel and slippery when wet. In Eminence itself and at the river access points, overnight stays outside the campgrounds are prohibited.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Alley Spring and Round Spring campgrounds lie in the floodplain. When there are thunderstorm warnings, don’t park in the part close to the river, keep your vehicle ready to leave and follow the rangers’ announcements: the Jacks Fork can rise by several metres within hours after heavy rain. Never drive over low-water bridges and fords on side roads when there is water on the road.

### Stage 6: Alley Spring to Big Spring (approx. 120 km)

- **The drive:** Via Eminence, take the MO-106 east, then Routes H and NN to Rocky Falls; continue south on side roads to the US-60 and follow it east via Winona to Van Buren on the Current River, from where the MO-103 takes you around 6 kilometres to Big Spring. The lettered routes are narrow and winding, but paved. Driving time around 2.5 hours. Van Buren has a supermarket, petrol stations and a launderette.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Rocky Falls: a creek tumbles over a broad, pink rhyolite wall into a swimming hole – impressive after rain, shallower in high summer. Small car park, difficult with large vehicles at weekends. Nearby is the ruin of Klepzig Mill on a shut-in creek.
  - Wild horses of Shannon County: small herds roam free in the area between Eminence and Rocky Falls (for example around Broadfoot and the Shawnee Creek area) and are protected by federal law. Keep your distance and don’t feed them.
  - Big Spring: one of the largest springs in North America, bursting from the foot of a rock wall at hundreds of millions of litres a day and immediately forming a river of its own. Beside it are buildings of stone and timber put up by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Big Spring Campground: NPS campground in the woods near the Current River with several loops, non-hookup sites and, in one loop, sites with electricity (30/50 A, no water or sewer hookup at the site), shower houses, dump station and water fill-up at the entrance; reservable via recreation.gov. Individual loops may be closed at times – check the current status on nps.gov/ozar and recreation.gov. Alternative: Peck Ranch Conservation Area with basic spots for primitive camping without water.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the adjoining parts of the Mark Twain National Forest near Van Buren and Winona dispersed camping is allowed unless signed otherwise. Conservation areas of the Missouri Department of Conservation only allow camping at expressly designated spots; rules are in the atlas for each area on mdc.mo.gov.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Peck Ranch Conservation Area near Winona: elk were reintroduced here from 2011, and you can often see them at dusk on a signposted gravel driving loop. The loop is closed at certain times (calving season, hunts) – check with the MDC beforehand. Fill up with fuel and water in Van Buren before Big Spring.

### Stage 7: Big Spring to Mark Twain National Forest (Noblett Lake) (approx. 220 km)

- **The drive:** Via Van Buren, take the US-60 west to Winona, then the MO-19 south across the Eleven Point River to Alton and on to Thayer; Grand Gulf lies around 10 kilometres west of Thayer on Route W. Then take the US-63 north to West Plains and on to Willow Springs, from there the MO-76 west and via the MO-181 and Route AP into the forest to Noblett Lake. Between Winona and Alton the MO-19 is winding and hilly; the rest is well-built highway. Driving time around 3.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Greer Spring on the MO-19 north of Alton (Mark Twain National Forest): a steep forest trail of around 1.6 kilometres leads to one of the largest springs in Missouri, which emerges in a gorge of rock and moss and doubles the flow of the Eleven Point River. Allow for the uphill walk back.
  - Grand Gulf State Park: the “Little Grand Canyon” of the Ozarks is a collapsed cave system with sheer walls and a natural bridge; the water disappears underground and resurfaces in Arkansas at Mammoth Spring. Viewing platforms and a loop trail, day use only, no campground.
  - West Plains: the county seat of the region, with large supermarkets, repair shops and petrol stations – good for a supply stop, not for a long stay.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Noblett Lake Recreation Area (Mark Twain National Forest) south-west of Willow Springs: the former campground is now a day-use area on a forest lake with toilets, a pavilion and a loop trail; overnight stays are only possible as primitive (dispersed) camping at the old Sugar Hill loop opposite the trailhead, with no drinking water and no hookups – bring water, and check the current status on the Mark Twain National Forest website. Alternative with a proper campground, closer to the route: Greer Crossing on the Eleven Point River right on the MO-19, basic, no electricity, with toilets and seasonal drinking water.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the Mark Twain National Forest dispersed camping is allowed unless there is a closure or signage to the contrary: a maximum of 14 days, don’t drive onto meadows, keep your distance from water and trailheads, campfires only when there is no burn ban. The Forest Service’s Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) shows which forest roads you may drive on.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Grand Gulf lies just a few kilometres from the state line: if you want to continue into Arkansas, you will find the next leg in the CampingSpirit guide to the Ozarks and Ouachitas of Arkansas; Mammoth Spring State Park just across the line is a good stopover. Back to St. Louis it is around 4 hours from Willow Springs via the US-63 to Rolla and the I-44; Lake of the Ozarks and the Katy Trail are covered in the CampingSpirit guide to the Missouri River and Katy Trail.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Missouri has no statewide ban on sleeping in your vehicle, but cities and towns regulate it themselves, and in state parks, at river access points and trailheads it is prohibited outside the campgrounds. Legal free camping is practically only available in the Mark Twain National Forest (dispersed camping, a maximum of 14 days, unless signed otherwise).
- Ozark National Scenic Riverways: overnight stays only on the campgrounds; a maximum of 14 days in 30 days at the same campground, don’t leave equipment unattended for more than 24 hours, don’t hold sites for others. Gravel-bar camping only for paddlers with a boat, with a limited number of nights. Rangers carry out frequent checks on summer weekends.
- Reservations: the NPS campgrounds Pulltite, Round Spring, Alley Spring, Big Spring as well as the group sites at Akers and the cluster sites at Two Rivers via recreation.gov; all other NPS campgrounds on a “first come, first served” basis. Missouri State Parks (Johnson’s Shut-Ins, Taum Sauk, Montauk, Echo Bluff) via mostateparks.com. For summer weekends and holidays (Memorial Day, 4 July, Labor Day) book months in advance.
- Fees: there is no entrance fee for the Riverways or the Missouri State Parks, only camping fees.
- The rivers repeatedly flood badly; afterwards individual campgrounds and access points often stay closed or only partly open for a long time. Check the current status on nps.gov/ozar and recreation.gov.
- Apps: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt and Recreation.gov; for water levels and river closures, the NPS Riverways website and the USGS gauges. Park4Night is hardly used here.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Dump stations: at the state park campgrounds (Johnson’s Shut-Ins, Montauk, Echo Bluff) and at larger NPS campgrounds such as Alley Spring and Big Spring, not at Pulltite; in winter water and dump stations are partly turned off.
- Drinking water: at the campground taps; never drink spring or river water untreated, however crystal clear it looks – karst water is quickly contaminated via sinkholes.
- Empty grey water and chemical toilets only at dump stations. In karst country, anything that seeps into the ground reaches the springs within days.
- Propane: petrol stations, DIY stores and farm supply stores in Salem, Eminence, Van Buren and West Plains fill US cylinders; European cylinders are generally not refilled.
- Electricity: state park campgrounds offer 30 A, some 50 A; NPS campgrounds have electricity on only some of the pitches. Generators fall silent in the Riverways from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Shopping and fuel: large supermarkets in Salem, West Plains and the St. Louis area; smaller shops in Eminence and Van Buren. There are long stretches without a petrol station between the river access points.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits: interstates in Missouri up to 70 mph, other highways mostly 55–65 mph, the narrow “lettered routes” (Route K, EE, H, NN …) often lower and with tight bends – watch the signs. Missouri has no road tolls.
- Mobile phones while driving: Missouri has had a hands-free law since 2023, with fines since 2025; use your phone hands-free only.
- Alcohol on the river: alcohol is not banned outright on the Current River and Jacks Fork, but glass and Styrofoam are prohibited on and along the river; the outfitters at the access points only sell drinks in cans or plastic. Alcohol is banned at Alley Mill and in NPS buildings. In 2007 the park administration also banned kegs and drinking devices such as beer bongs; the alcohol rules in detail are set out in the Superintendent’s Compendium on nps.gov/ozar. Boats and tubes must not be tied together. Operating a boat under the influence is an offence in Missouri from 0.08 per cent blood alcohol (0.8 per mille), and rangers carry out checks on summer weekends.
- On the water: one life jacket per person on board; children under seven must wear one at all times. Jumping from trees and rope swings is prohibited, and dogs in the boat must not be leashed or tied. On some sections motorboats with limited horsepower are permitted; river closures during high water are binding.
- Flash floods: the rivers respond extremely quickly to thunderstorms, especially in spring and autumn. During flood warnings the NPS closes river sections and access points; campgrounds in the floodplain may be evacuated. Never drive through flooded roads or over low-water bridges – the most common cause of flood deaths in Missouri is a car swept away by the current.
- Ticks and chiggers: the lone star tick and other ticks are extremely common from April to October; they transmit ehrlichiosis, Heartland and Bourbon virus and trigger alpha-gal syndrome (meat allergy). Chiggers cause itching for days. Check yourself daily and treat clothing with permethrin. There are also copperheads and, near the water, cottonmouths – take care when reaching into rock crevices and driftwood.
- Emergency: 911. There is often no mobile coverage in the river valleys; the shops and outfitter stations usually have a landline or Wi-Fi.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Water shoes with firm soles: for the rhyolite chutes of the Shut-Ins, the gravel bars and getting in and out when paddling.
- A waterproof dry bag and a mesh bag for rubbish: capsizes at root wads are common, and anything you lose in the river pollutes the spring water.
- Permethrin spray for clothing, repellent with DEET or picaridin and tick tweezers: ticks and chiggers are the real plague of the Ozarks.
- A weather radio or severe weather app with National Weather Service alerts: thunderstorms and flash floods often come at night, and there is no signal in the valley.
- Offline maps and the Motor Vehicle Use Map of the Mark Twain National Forest: essential with no signal and lots of similar gravel roads.
- A small cool box without Styrofoam and drinks in cans: glass and Styrofoam are prohibited on the river.

_As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [National Park Service – Ozark National Scenic Riverways: Park Regulations](https://www.nps.gov/ozar/planyourvisit/park-regulations.htm)
- [National Park Service – Ozark Riverways: Flood damage and closures (news release, Nov. 2024)](https://www.nps.gov/ozar/learn/news/2024-11-07-flood.htm)
- [National Park Service – Ozark Riverways: Winter Visitor Information](https://www.nps.gov/ozar/winter-visitor-information.htm)
- [National Park Service – Akers Ferry expected to be closed until mid-June (news release, 2018)](https://www.nps.gov/ozar/learn/news/akers-ferry-expected-to-be-closed-until-mid-june.htm)
- [Recreation.gov – Big Spring Campground](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234044)
- [Recreation.gov – Akers Group Campground](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234442)
- [USDA Forest Service – Mark Twain National Forest: Noblett Lake Recreation Area](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/marktwain/recreation/noblett-lake-recreation-area)
- [Recreation.gov – Noblett Lake](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233935)
- [Missouri Department of Conservation – Peck Ranch refuge area closes temporarily for elk calving](https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/refuge-mdc-peck-ranch-area-close-temporarily-elk-calving)
- [Missouri Department of Conservation – Peck Ranch CA closed intermittently for managed deer hunts](https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/peck-ranch-ca-closed-intermittently-managed-deer-hunts-firearms-deer-season)
- [St. Louis Public Radio – New rules limit booze on two popular rivers (2007)](https://www.stlpr.org/other/2007-03-13/new-rules-limit-booze-on-two-popular-rivers)
- [KSHB – Enforcement of Missouri hands-free law starts Jan. 1, 2025](https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/transportation/enforcement-of-missouri-hands-free-law-starts-jan-1-2025)

## Which stops are on the route from St. Louis to Noblett Lake?

1. **St. Louis** (MO)
2. **Elephant Rocks State Park** (Belleview, MO): Huge rounded granite boulders lined up like a circus parade, with a paved trail suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. Kids love climbing the smaller rocks.
3. **Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park** (Middle Brook, MO): The Black River squeezes through volcanic rock, forming chutes and pools that make a natural water park. Summer weekends can reach capacity; come early.
4. **Taum Sauk Mountain** (MO)
5. **Akers** (MO)
6. **Round Spring** (Eminence, MO): A spring rising in a collapsed cave basin by the Current River, part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. There is a campground and a river access.
7. **Alley Spring Mill** (MO)
8. **Eminence** (MO)
9. **Rocky Falls** (Eminence, MO): A cascade over pink volcanic rock into a wide plunge pool, popular for a summer swim. The last stretch of road is gravel.
10. **Van Buren** (MO)
11. **Big Spring** (Van Buren, MO): One of the largest springs in the US, pouring out of a bluff base into the Current River. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the stone cabins and dining lodge nearby.
12. **Grand Gulf State Park** (MO)
13. **West Plains** (MO)
14. **Noblett Lake** (MO)

## When is the best time for the route from St. Louis to Noblett Lake?

The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. Hot in July–August. Cold, short days in January. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways?**
7-day road trip of about 520 km (323 mi) with 14 stops, from St. Louis to Noblett Lake. About 5 h 46 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways?**
We suggest 7 days: about 5 h 46 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways start and end?**
It starts in St. Louis and ends in Noblett Lake.

**Which states does Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways pass through?**
Missouri.

**Where can you camp along Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways?**
OpenStreetMap lists 76 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Wild Boar Ridge Campground, Twin Rivers Landing and Loggers Lake Campground.