When’s the last time you pulled out your bucket list, checked off what you’ve done, and considered what else you’d like to do? With spring in full swing, now’s an ideal time to start working on your outdoor bucket list for 2020. You might even want to add these nine Missouri natural wonders, each of which is worthy of a visit.
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- Devil’s Icebox
Flickr/tonystl A double sinkhole that features an underground stream, Devil’s Icebox can be reached via the two-mile Spring Brook Loop Trail. Please note, that Devil’s Icebox is currently closed for the safety of the resident bats. However, you can still get a glimpse from outside of the cave.
- Johnson’s Shut-Ins
Flickr/Brad Kebodeaux Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park makes an ideal outdoor day or weekend getaway all year around. During the summer, however, you can swim in the natural water park, a fun way to cool down. The park also boasts hiking trails and spots for a leisurely picnic.
- Onondaga Cave State Park
Flickr/Timothy K. Hamilton Explore Onondaga Cave on a guided tour that’s brimming with natural beauty - from flowstones to stalagmites. After your tour, spend some time checking out the scenic beauty above ground, including the Meramec River. In fact, you can drink in sweeping views of the river and the landscape from the Vilander Bluff Natural Area.
- Current River
Wikipedia/Michael Gabler A simply beautiful body of the water, the Current River spans 184 miles through Missouri and into Arkansas. The Current River is an ideal spot for spending a warm day - kayaking, canoeing, or tubing down the water. You’ll find, in fact, several companies that rent kayaks, canoes, and tubes, and provide trips down the river.
- Elephant Rocks
Wikipedia/Fredlyfish4 The crown jewel of Elephant Rocks State Park, Elephant Rocks date back more than 1.5 billion years. Created naturally from granite, the massive structure looks like elephants in a circus standing in line. It’s a popular destination for both Missourians and tourists, with kiddos climbing the rocks and adults photographing them.
- Grand Gulf State Park
Missouri State Parks Right before you hit the Arkansas border, you’ll stumble upon Grand Gulf State Park. Also known as the Little Grand Canyon, it’s definitely a bucket list-worthy destination. Explore some of the 322-acre park, beginning with a hike along the Interpretive Loop Trail. The trail will lead you through the canyon, which boasts 130 foot walls on either side. You’ll also come across a natural bridge on the canyon floor.
- Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
Trip Advisor/management Spanning nearly 22,000 acres, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge has been a Missouri treasure since it opened in 1944. The refuge serves as a safe place for migrating birds and waterfowl. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to view the wildlife at the refuge, which also offers boating, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, berry picking, and horseback riding.
- Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area
Missouri Department of Conservation An outdoor bucket list certainly wouldn’t be complete without Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. Stretching over 4,400 acres, the conservation area boasts a magnificent scenic overlook, 17 wetland pools, and limestone bluffs. It’s an ideal spot to view local wildlife, including birds, and to see the stunning fall foliage.
- Big Spring
Wikipedia/Hillbilly2008 One of the biggest springs in Missouri and in the world, Big Spring’s a natural addition to any outdoor bucket list. The breathtaking spring, in fact, feeds into the Current River and boasts a cool temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also an estimated 80 feet deep.
What other Missouri natural wonders would you add to your 2020 outdoor bucket list? Let us know in the comments! You might also want to consider adding Devil’s Honeycomb, in Irondale, to your outdoor bucket list.
Flickr/tonystl
A double sinkhole that features an underground stream, Devil’s Icebox can be reached via the two-mile Spring Brook Loop Trail. Please note, that Devil’s Icebox is currently closed for the safety of the resident bats. However, you can still get a glimpse from outside of the cave.
Flickr/Brad Kebodeaux
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park makes an ideal outdoor day or weekend getaway all year around. During the summer, however, you can swim in the natural water park, a fun way to cool down. The park also boasts hiking trails and spots for a leisurely picnic.
Flickr/Timothy K. Hamilton
Explore Onondaga Cave on a guided tour that’s brimming with natural beauty - from flowstones to stalagmites. After your tour, spend some time checking out the scenic beauty above ground, including the Meramec River. In fact, you can drink in sweeping views of the river and the landscape from the Vilander Bluff Natural Area.
Wikipedia/Michael Gabler
A simply beautiful body of the water, the Current River spans 184 miles through Missouri and into Arkansas. The Current River is an ideal spot for spending a warm day - kayaking, canoeing, or tubing down the water. You’ll find, in fact, several companies that rent kayaks, canoes, and tubes, and provide trips down the river.
Wikipedia/Fredlyfish4
The crown jewel of Elephant Rocks State Park, Elephant Rocks date back more than 1.5 billion years. Created naturally from granite, the massive structure looks like elephants in a circus standing in line. It’s a popular destination for both Missourians and tourists, with kiddos climbing the rocks and adults photographing them.
Missouri State Parks
Right before you hit the Arkansas border, you’ll stumble upon Grand Gulf State Park. Also known as the Little Grand Canyon, it’s definitely a bucket list-worthy destination. Explore some of the 322-acre park, beginning with a hike along the Interpretive Loop Trail. The trail will lead you through the canyon, which boasts 130 foot walls on either side. You’ll also come across a natural bridge on the canyon floor.
Trip Advisor/management
Spanning nearly 22,000 acres, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge has been a Missouri treasure since it opened in 1944. The refuge serves as a safe place for migrating birds and waterfowl. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to view the wildlife at the refuge, which also offers boating, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, berry picking, and horseback riding.
Missouri Department of Conservation
An outdoor bucket list certainly wouldn’t be complete without Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. Stretching over 4,400 acres, the conservation area boasts a magnificent scenic overlook, 17 wetland pools, and limestone bluffs. It’s an ideal spot to view local wildlife, including birds, and to see the stunning fall foliage.
Wikipedia/Hillbilly2008
One of the biggest springs in Missouri and in the world, Big Spring’s a natural addition to any outdoor bucket list. The breathtaking spring, in fact, feeds into the Current River and boasts a cool temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also an estimated 80 feet deep.
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Address: Devils Icebox, Rock Bridge, MO 65203, USAAddress: Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, 148 Taum Sauk Trail, Middle Brook, MO 63656, USAAddress: Onondaga Cave State Park, 7556 Missouri H, Leasburg, MO 65535, USAAddress: Current River Township, MO 63935, USAAddress: Elephant Rocks State Park, Missouri 21, Belleview, MO, USAAddress: Grand Gulf State Park, State Highway W, Koshkonong, MO 65692, USAAddress: Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, 24279 MO-51, Puxico, MO 63960, USAAddress: Columbia, MO 65203, USAAddress: Big Spring, Carter Township, MO 63965, USA
