SierraScape Spring 2021
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BY LOUISE BULLOCK
Outings
Co-Chair
I invite you to follow the example of Robert Frost and explore some less traveled areas of Missouri. The creeks and the waterfalls are now flowing full force and the Spring ephemeral wildflowers are beginning to show themselves in all their colorful glory.
Now is the perfect time to give the trails in our state parks a little rest from their overuse this past year by people looking for a socially distant outdoor activity. The tread on numerous trails has become degraded and widened, roots are now exposed and erosion is developing. These trails are pleading for a "time out" to heal. They have been "loved to death", particularly the ones closest to metropolitan areas. Do the trails and yourself a favor - treat yourself to adventures in new territories.
You might try one of the conservation areas (C.A.s) administered by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). MDC administers hundreds of parcels in all regions of the state totaling nearly 1 million acres. You can locate these properties at nature.mdc.mo.gov.
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| Paddy Creek Wilderness. Photo by Louise Bullock |
Here are several to get you started all within a couple hours of metropolitan St. Louis:
- Engelmann Woods Natural Area
- Valley View Glades Natural Area
- Maramec Spring Park (The James Foundation)
- Millstream Gardens C.A.
- Little Indian Creek C.A.
- Amidon Memorial C.A.
- Buford Mountain C.A.
- Hughes Mountain Natural Area
Other less traveled destinations include National Wilderness Areas. These lands, protected by the Wilderness Act of 1964, are defined as areas "where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." In keeping with this definition, signage is limited and trails are not always evident, so proficient map and compass skills are required. Missouri's eight National Wilderness Areas, most located in Mark Twain National Forest, are the following: