Autumn Colors At Pickle Springs in Missouri
by Peggy Franz
Title
Autumn Colors At Pickle Springs in Missouri
Artist
Peggy Franz
Medium
Photograph - Photography/ Fine Art
Description
Was Taken at Pickle Springs Missouri Conservation. Natural springs everywhere. Just beautiful place to go. Hidden secret!
Pickle Springs Natural Area is a deep, forested gorge consisting of geological formations and plants that are found in few other places. Visitors will find examples of a sandstone glade, talus, forest, savanna, as well as a number of rare species of plants and animals. The area is noted for its blooming wild azalea and wildflowers in the spring. According to local legend, the area is named after William Pickles, a settler from Illinois who owned the land until he was shot by a band of renegades during the Civil War. Pickle Springs and other area creeks flow into Pickle Creek, which in turn traverses into Hawn State Park.
Designated a National Natural Landmark, Pickle Springs Natural Area features a 2 mile hiking trail maintained by the East Ozark Audubon Society in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation. This two-mile journey has an estimated hiking time of 1 hour and takes hikers past waterfalls, rock shelters, a double arch (photo right), towering bluffs, canyons and amazing rock outcrops. Wooden bridges along the trail aid hikers past troublesome spots. The moist soil in the canyons and along the creeks allows the growth of many ferns and rare plants, including cinnamon fern, maidenhair fern, hay-scented fern and club moss. A variety of woodland songbirds can be seen from the trail. Fence lizards, five-lined skinks, box turtles and leopard frogs can be found among the rocks in the summer.
Uploaded
September 19th, 2012
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