Big Spring, Ozark National Scenic Riverways

10/31/2026

🦌 October 31 and November 1, portions of the Big Spring area will be temporarily closed for a managed deer hunt.

🚧 The Big Spring Campground and Peavine Pavilion area will be inaccessible from noon on October 30 until the morning of November 2. Peavine Road and all hiking trails within the Big Spring area will also be closed on October 31 and November 1 for visitor safety. Please follow any posted signs.

🟢 Big Spring, the boat ramp, and the Big Spring Pavilion will remain open and can be reached via Highway 103.

Image: Big Spring is home to a variety of habitats, creating bountiful forage for deer and other wildlife. These closures are in place to ensure public safety and a quality experience. Credit: NPS / W. Marischen

10/31/2026

10/31/2026

We're a week away from the 2026 Hike to Honor Veterans on Saturday, November 7! This beautiful section of the Ozark Trail takes hikers from Rocky Falls to Stegall Mountain. The hike begins at 10:00 a.m. with a brief flag ceremony at Rocky Falls, followed by a 3-mile hike to the top of Stegall Mountain on the Ozark Trail.

The route passes through interesting landscapes while climbing approximately 600 feet in elevation. We'll stop for lunch at the glade atop Stegall Mountain before returning 3 miles back down to Rocky Falls. Bring a lunch or snack and plenty of water.

Rocky Creek has been exceptionally low lately, so if the rain predicted for next week doesn't raise the water level much, the creek crossing at the beginning and end of the hike will be easier than usual. Rocky Falls is located off State Highway NN in Shannon County.

Image: Ozark National Scenic Riverways honors and is thankful for our nation’s Veterans! Credit: NPS Photo / S. Heise

10/23/2026

10/21/2026

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MDC officials confirm northern snakehead fish in Oregon County’s Eleven Point River

10/21/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ek2DnXmi9/

☠ Piracy in the Ozarks? ☠

🏴 Stream piracy, that is! What is stream piracy? That's the name for one river or stream stealing, or "pirating," water from another, in this case through underground channels. Current River, with its many springs, steals quite a bit of water from other streams. You might say it's the Blackbeard of the Ozarks!

🏴 Big Spring is perhaps the most successful member of Current River's crew. It's the largest spring in terms of water output on the river, as well as largest in Missouri and the entire Ozark region, releasing a whopping 289 million gallons of water on an average day. Much of that water, it turns out, comes from the watershed of the Eleven Point River to the southwest. Dye trace studies show water pirated from several of the Eleven Point's tributaries, and even from the river itself.

🏴 Other members of this pirate crew include Montauk Spring, which takes from the Big Piney River, Welch Spring, which takes from the Meramec River, and Blue Spring (Current River), which takes from the Black River. In addition to water collected from the Current River's own watershed during the rainy months, water stolen by this pirate crew helps Current River maintain a steady, floatable course even in the dryest months!

Image: Dye traces of Big Spring's recharge area show major overlap with the Eleven Point River's watershed. Credit: NPS