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Joel’s Journal
By Joel Raeber
 Photo: Alley Spring Mill. (Photo, courtesy, www.nps.gov; photographer, Cathy Crowley.)
The Ozark National Scenic River stretches for 134 miles along the Current and Jack’s Fork Rivers in southern Missouri. The park offers canoeing and rafting on the spring-fed rivers, fishing (trout and smallmouth bass), sightseeing and hiking along the Ozark Trail.
Campgrounds are located at Round Springs, Pull Tight, Alley Springs, Two Rivers and Big Springs. These are National Park Service campgrounds, so services are limited. There is no electric or water at most, but there are showers at some of the campgrounds
The campgrounds are well maintained. Many sites are small, so large RVs may have difficulty everywhere, except the Alley Springs and Big Springs campgrounds. Round Springs campground is the most centrally located.
The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is a very popular park, particularly in summer when crowds from both St Louis and Kansas City flock in for canoeing. The park does take camping reservations, which are advised from Memorial Day to Labor Day. If you plan on canoeing, you should make those reservations early, too, because there are limits on the number of canoes allowed on the river during peak times.
 Canoeing is by far the most popular activity along the riverways. The Upper Current River (from Montauk State Park, where the river begins, to Two Rivers campground, where the Current and Jacks Fork rivers join) is the swiftest and most scenic part of the park. It is the best for canoeing. Towering limestone cliffs, deep river pools, and hardwood forests make for an enjoyable floating experience. Below Two Rivers campground and the confluence with the Jack’s Fork River, the Lower Current is wider, deeper and slower.
There are numerous large springs located along the rivers, including Montauk Spring at the headwaters, Pull Tight Spring, Welch Spring, Round Spring, Alley Spring, Blue Spring and Big Spring. All are accessible from the river by canoe, and many also have road access. There are also numerous caves located along the river for exploring.
The park headquarters is located at Big Spring, near Van Buren, Mo., one of the largest springs in the country, which gushes 278 million gallons of cold spring water every day. In addition to the major springs, there are countless other smaller springs adding cold water to the rivers along their courses, keeping both rivers cool throughout most of the summer.
Canoeing
Photo: Courtesy, Joel Raeber
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If you have a favorite campground, RV park or other area you’d like to give your two cents on, email it to mike@rvfreewheelin.com
and get your 15 minutes of fame that Andy Warhol promised you. Photos are always appreciated.
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