Big Spring, Current River and Echo Bluff

We spent two weekends in August exploring Missouri’s river country. The first we spent at Big Spring, where we spent the weekend exploring springs and mills, earning junior ranger badges, and playing in the Current River. The second weekend we stayed at Echo Bluff, where we spent the entire weekend in the State Park, biking, floating, and playing at the great playground. ​

The Current River was hit with a 1000 year flood in spring 2017. The flood level was eight feet above the prior highest flood level, set in 1904. Flooding destroyed 55 houses and 32 businesses in Van Buren alone, a small community of 800. The flood crested May 1. By May 3 the flooding had fully receded and rebuilding of the community started. The flooding destroyed most of the structures in Big Spring, including the bathhouses and pavilion. 

Rebuilding of Big Spring Campground hasn’t started as of our visit. Portapotties have been set up in place of the bathhouses. The lodge is closed. Structures built by the CCC gone. However the campground is open. We had a huge electric only site with large shade trees. 

We started our tour with a visit to Big Spring. Big Spring is one of the largest springs in the world, dumping 13,000 liters of water per day into the Current River. The 58 degree water dissolves 175 tons of limestone per day, turning the water aquamarine, bluer than a swimming pool. An easy hike take you up close and around the spring. 

We paid a visit to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Park Headquarters. The rivers and spring that make up the Ozark National Scenic Riverways was the first NPS site to protect a riverway. The Ranger gave us junior ranger and junior ranger fire management booklets and offered recommendations of sites to see and where to access the river to cool off. 

Based on the recommendation, we drove to Alley Spring and Alley Spring Mill, featured on a 2017 quarter. The contrast of the aquamarine spring water as a backdrop to the bright red mill and the bright green of The Ozark forest is a stunning site. A number of trails, including a walk around the spring and the resulting stream, are a great way to explore Alley Spring. 

Next stop for us was a swim in the Current River. We were able to walk just a short distance from our campsite to the river. The stretch of river awaiting us was perfect: a slow, deep pool that transitioned into a short stretch of rapids. There was also a small pool were the kids found tadpoles and crawdads. We spend hours floating, swimming, and relaxing near the cool water. 

As Big Spring is an NPS site, we took part in Ranger programs. We attended an evening program about the return of elk to the Ozarks. Sunday morning the kids joined a Ranger for a color hike, were they search for all of the colors in nature. Over the weekend they also earned a junior ranger badge as well as a junior ranger fire management badge, a program only offered at four sites and educating us on preventing wildfire. 

Two weeks later we returned to the region to visit Echo Bluff State Park. Echo Bluff has a bid of a controversial history as it was established in 2016, after the land was seized in a drug case and sold to Missouri in 2010. Missouri invested $52 million dollars in the site, building the lodge, campground, cabins, playground, trails, roads, and a $5 million bridge over Sinking Creek. The price tag is evident  and every component of the park is beautiful. 

The campground, named Timbuktu Campground, has two sections. Section one is 48 RV sites with water and electric, or water, electric, and sewer. Section two is 23 primitive ‘hike-in’ wooded sites; the park provides wagons for those hiking in. We stay in section one on a full hookup site. The bathhouse has four private shower stalls. Park staff told us that not a tree was cut down to build the campground, however there is no shade in the campground and the only trees are newly planted. All amenities of the State Park are a short walk or bike ride from the campground; we kept the Cricket hitched up all weekend. 

Saturday morning we walked up to the lodge for breakfast. Betty Lea Lodge is beautiful, with a two story fireplace in the center of the lobby. Around the lodge are two, three, and four bedroom cabins. The lodge also offers guest rooms. We enjoyed the breakfast buffet at Creekside Grill and returned for dinner. 

The kids enjoyed the playground that seemed inspired by the terrain. The playground had a slide built into the hillside, climbing rocks and ropes, a log house, raft swing, discovery garden, and a splash pad that feeds a waterfall. 

The Park also has a 3.25 mile mountain bike loop that starts just outside the campground. The loop starts with a steep series of switch-backs climbing up the bluffs but is a beautiful trail.

After biking, playing, and eating, it was time to relax in the Sinking Creek. We accessed the creek from the campground and loaded down the creek to Echo Bluff behind the lodge, about a twenty minute float. The creek was smaller than Current River, but still a nice float. 

The Missouri Ozarks is a beautiful park of the country. The Current River, it’s spring, tributaries, and the surrounding wilderness are well worth a visit and a float. We enjoyed it so much, we just may return during the off-season this winter! ​