Southern Missouri mountain views (Branson, Salem: best, area, place)

[Wes59]

Thank you very much for the ideas. We may need the speed of a NASCAR driver to cover this area in a few days, but sure sounds like fun.

[brushrunner]

Originally Posted by Wes59

Where is that near? Beautiful stuff...

Gainesville. Actually it was Caney Mountain, they have very Good roads through the area with Great Views.


brushrunner

[brushrunner]

Rail Ride out of Branson





Table Rock State Park





brushrunner

[elkotronics]

I like the pictures, Brushrunner. Beautiful area!

[Wes59]

We ran a loose planned route of our Missouri drive, and it should be a doozy. I plan to try and hit most of the roads y'all have mentioned and at least get close to the towns too. I figure I have Wednesday- Friday to get that done, and start back for Houston on Saturday morning. Tell me if you have better ideas. We are looking for the scenic wow factor.

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by Wes59

We ran a loose planned route of our Missouri drive, and it should be a doozy. I plan to try and hit most of the roads y'all have mentioned and at least get close to the towns too. I figure I have Wednesday- Friday to get that done, and start back for Houston on Saturday morning. Tell me if you have better ideas. We are looking for the scenic wow factor.

If you're headed over toward Poplar Bluff you absolutely have to stop in at Big Spring. It is beautiful and your route takes you right by it.

[SunGrins]

Originally Posted by Wes59

We ran a loose planned route of our Missouri drive, and it should be a doozy. I plan to try and hit most of the roads y'all have mentioned and at least get close to the towns too. I figure I have Wednesday- Friday to get that done, and start back for Houston on Saturday morning. Tell me if you have better ideas. We are looking for the scenic wow factor.

An alternate plan would be to go west off of US 67 on Hwy 72 at Fredericktown (Millstream Gardens shut-ins might be worth a stop on the St. Francis River). Turn north on Hwy 21 at Arcadia and you will pass the battlefield at Pilot Knob and Elephant Rocks. This will probably connect to your original route but bypassing Farmington.

[Wes59]

Originally Posted by SunGrins

An alternate plan would be to go west off of US 67 on Hwy 72 at Fredericktown (Millstream Gardens shut-ins might be worth a stop on the St. Francis River). Turn north on Hwy 21 at Arcadia and you will pass the battlefield at Pilot Knob and Elephant Rocks. This will probably connect to your original route but bypassing Farmington.

Sounds good. What is Millstream Gardens? Sounds like a good place to drag a camera. I'm not planning on going into too many towns except the hotel in Branson Tuesday night. I'm just figured it was a way of pointing myself with the Garmin.

[countryboy73]

You can shave some miles by turning south on 19 at Salem, and taking it to Thayer. Then take 63 north to West Plains, and take CC to Dora. From there take 181 south to Gainesville. You cross the North Fork of the White River between West Plains and Dora, nice park on the river there. Zanoni mill is along 181 at Zanoni, and you pass Caney Mountain and the Devil's Backbone wilderness along the way, too. On 19 between Salem and Alton, you pass Round Spring, Current River State Park, Alley Spring(a short side trip on 106), Falling Springs(another very short side trip), and Greer Spring(a half-mile walk in the woods to see 4 million gallons of water a day rushing out of a cave and creating a rushing stream). Alley Spring, Falling Springs, and Zanoni Spring all have old mills on site and make great pictures. You miss the St. Francois River area this way, but it cuts off miles and allows time for stopping at a few neat places. the route you show really doesn't do southern MO justice, you have to hit a few twisty back roads to see what matters. The St. Francois area could use a weekend all by itself, with Johnson Shut-ins, Elephant Rocks SP, and the river itself. I would take a trip there in the fall, that is the best time to see that area. And plan a weekend for it. The more remote areas of the Ozarks are full of springs, caves and streams, you could spend a lot of time seeing all of it. The route I gave you hits a lot of the high points and gets you out of the car some if you want. Hope it helps.

[Wes59]

Originally Posted by countryboy73

You can shave some miles by turning south on 19 at Salem, and taking it to Thayer. Then take 63 north to West Plains, and take CC to Dora. From there take 181 south to Gainesville. You cross the North Fork of the White River between West Plains and Dora, nice park on the river there. Zanoni mill is along 181 at Zanoni, and you pass Caney Mountain and the Devil's Backbone wilderness along the way, too. On 19 between Salem and Alton, you pass Round Spring, Current River State Park, Alley Spring(a short side trip on 106), Falling Springs(another very short side trip), and Greer Spring(a half-mile walk in the woods to see 4 million gallons of water a day rushing out of a cave and creating a rushing stream). Alley Spring, Falling Springs, and Zanoni Spring all have old mills on site and make great pictures. You miss the St. Francois River area this way, but it cuts off miles and allows time for stopping at a few neat places. the route you show really doesn't do southern MO justice, you have to hit a few twisty back roads to see what matters. The St. Francois area could use a weekend all by itself, with Johnson Shut-ins, Elephant Rocks SP, and the river itself. I would take a trip there in the fall, that is the best time to see that area. And plan a weekend for it. The more remote areas of the Ozarks are full of springs, caves and streams, you could spend a lot of time seeing all of it. The route I gave you hits a lot of the high points and gets you out of the car some if you want. Hope it helps.

Ha! That's why I LOVE this forum...