What to See in Mark Twain National Forest - Top Sights and Attractions

Tourist attraction in Stone County, Missouri. Talking Rocks Cavern is a cavern system located in Stone County, just west of Reeds Spring, in Branson West, in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is privately owned by Herschend Family Entertainment, and operated by Adventure Creations Inc. as a public entertainment/educational attraction.

Guided cave tours are offered at regular intervals throughout each day. Tours take approximately one hour and lead to the floor of the cave, by way of 150 steps going down and 115 steps coming up. There are numerous formations to be viewed up close, including "cave bacon", "curtain", stalagmites, and stalactites. The vertical nature of the cave allows the growth of a formation called "The Cathedral", which is a flowstone and drapery mineral deposit that is approximately 90' tall, and 50' in diameter. The temperature in the cave remains an average 63 degrees throughout the year.

The entrance to the cave is accessed through an entrance inside the Rock and Gift Shop. As there is no outside access, there are no bats living in this cave. There are other living creatures that typically are found in caves, including cave salamanders. Talking Rocks Cavern is considered a living cave, because with the presence of water, the formations continue to grow.

During extremely rainy weather, the cave may be wetter than usual. It rarely floods or interrupts tours.

There are many activities offered at this property, some of them are free. There is an indoor and an outdoor SpeleoBox crawl maze that simulates crawling through a cave. There is a modern children's play area, featuring a large tube slide. There is an oversized outdoor Checkerboard. A 9-hole miniature golf course is available and gemstone sluicing is popular, as well as two nature trails that lead to a 100' lookout tower that offers a panoramic view of the Ozark countryside. The Rock and Gift Shop offers a wide variety of gemstones, fossils, and gift items.

School and Church groups are offered a group rate, and can choose to participate in a SpeleoLab - a cave science program.

Talking Rocks Cavern is open year-round - closing only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. When inclement weather creates hazardous roads in the area, the cave may close for safety purposes.^[2]

National forest in Belleview, Missouri. The United States Congress designated the Bell Mountain Wilderness in 1980. The wilderness area now has a total of 9,027 acres. Bell Mountain is located within the Potosi-Fredericktown Ranger District of the Mark Twain National Forest, south of Potosi, Missouri in the United States. The wilderness lies in the Saint Francois Mountains and it was named after its highest point, Bell Mountain. The namesake Bell Mountain has the name of Henry Bell, a pioneer settler. The Bell Mountain Wilderness is one of eight wilderness areas protected and preserved in Missouri. The area is popular for hiking as there are 12 miles of trail, including a section of the Ozark Trail.

Bell Mountain Wilderness is part of a large parks-and-wilderness area which includes Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, and several conservation areas.^[3]

Hiking area in Oregon County, Missouri. The Irish Wilderness is a 16,227-acre wilderness area in the U.S. State of Missouri. The U.S. Congress designated it a wilderness in 1984. The Irish Wilderness is located within the Eleven Point Ranger District of the Mark Twain National Forest, 10 miles northeast of Alton, Missouri. The Irish Wilderness is one of eight wilderness areas protected and preserved in Missouri.

Hiking and horseback riding are popular on the White's Creek Trail, an 18.6 miles trail throughout the wilderness. Attractions include White's Creek Cave (temporarily gated to protect endangered bats), Fiddler and Bliss Springs, traces of old tramway railroads, and overlooks of the Eleven Point River. The karst topography of the area creates very scenic views along this trail. Wildlife present include black bear, mountain lion, whitetail deer, timber rattlesnakes, turkey, and bald eagles.^[6]

Reservoir in Missouri. Lake Wappapello is a reservoir on the St. Francis River, formed by Wappapello Dam. Created in 1941, this 8,400-acre lake is located 120 miles south of St. Louis, Missouri. The reservoir lies mostly in Wayne County, but its southernmost reaches extend into northern Butler County, both in Missouri. Both the dam and reservoir are owned and operated for the public by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Its primary purpose is flood control, although it has been developed as a recreational area with ample opportunities to boat, fish, swim or camp. The fish population of the lake include white bass, largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill. Lake Wappapello State Park is composed of territory on the southwestern side of the lake.^[8]