We took a short camping trip to Echo Bluff State Park located near Eminence, MO in early July 2023. We only stayed for two nights, but we packed a lot in! While we were there, we explored Sinking Creek in Echo Bluff State Park, canoed on the Current River, visited Alley Spring and Mill, got ice cream from the Dairy Shack in Eminence, and took a guided cave tour of Round Spring Cave. To read more about Echo Bluff State Park check out the Echo Bluff blog post: Echo Bluff State Park – Miles of Yellow Lines. It’s one of our favorite Missouri state parks! To read more about Ozark National Scenic Riverways, check out its blog post here: Ozark National Scenic Riverways – Miles of Yellow Lines.
Sinking Creek
Sinking Creek is located within Echo Bluff State Park. We found a great place to explore the creek near the campground. The evening we arrived, we walked down to the creek with our dog, Bailey. It was a little warm, so she enjoyed cooling off in the water. The following afternoon, we returned with our inner tubes and floated down the creek all the way to the lodge. There were a few shallow areas that required hopping out of the tube and walking a short distance. The water was refreshing and incredibly clear!
Current River
Just days before our trip, we arranged a canoe trip on the Current River with Carr’s Canoe Rental. We booked a 19-mile trip from Akers to Round Spring. They picked us up right from our campsite at Echo Bluff and then dropped us back off at the end of the day. We chose a canoe so we could bring Bailey along. We’d never been on the Current River before, but we’re already excited to go back!
The river was refreshingly cool and most of it was crystal clear. We passed a few springs and a cave along the way. There were also plenty of places to get out and stretch and take a dip in the water. We stopped for a quick break at Pulltite (about halfway) where there are restrooms, a visitor’s center, and a campground.
Alley Spring and Mill
One of our favorite stops in Ozark National Scenic Riverways is Alley Spring and Mill. The bright blue waters of the spring contrast nicely with the red grist mill. The spring itself is impressive, creating a small creek/stream that flows past the mill. There are a few short trails around the spring and then there is a longer (~1.3 miles) trail that goes up the hill behind the mill and comes back down through the forest. If you’re in the area, it’s worth a stop!
Round Spring
We’ve popped into the Round Spring area on various occasions, but we had never toured the cave there. At the time of our visit (July 2023) tours were at 10:00, 12:00, and 2:00. They were limited to 15 people and tickets must be purchased from within the park (no advanced reservations). It was a cool tour (great for a hot day) and only a short drive from Echo Bluff. Round Spring is part of Ozark National Scenic Riverways, so it is run by the National Park Service. If you’d like to read more details about the tour, here’s a link to the Round Spring Cave page on the NPS website: Round Spring and Round Spring Cave – Ozark National Scenic Riverways (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).
