Day 134, Camp 33 - Roaring River State Park, Cassville, MO

2009/03/25 (5 nights @ $20 per nite)
Day 134, Camp 33
Roaring River State Park
Cassville, Missouri

ALL PHOTOS RELATED TO THIS BLOG
ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEW AT:
Picasa Web Albums - Phantom

We pulled out of the Winging Stair Mountains and headed North on Hwy 59, then East on 271 into Arkansas, then North on 540 up in Missouri. It was about 160 miles.
I wanted to stop and camp in Arkansas... just to say we did... We pulled into Devil's Den State Park... driving 17 mountain miles to get back in off the highway... looking for the registration office. The park was spread out all over mountainous hillsides... some sites right on the edge of the road... some with metal railings to keep you from falling down the mountain and into the river! It was busy with people, kids and lots of teenagers, hiking and going to see the caves. When we finally found the 'park office' the parking lot was so small it was packed and NO parking for any size of RV or trailer. We simply turned around and left. So much for Arkansas. I'm sure the state has much better things to offer. I heard about the Buffalo Scenic River and want to camp down it for several days some year.
Roaring River in Missouri was a decent State Park with 3 separate campgrounds and a fish hatchery. Brown and Rainbow Trout are released into the river every day and the place is very popular with fishermen! We met our friend Doug here... starting and ending our trip with a visit from him was a delight. He stayed 3 nights with us in the Bambi. It rained a couple days. There was a nice lodge / inn for good food and a great room with Wi-Fi. We spent one day touring into Arkansas to visit Eureka Springs... a fun little tourist town that reminded me of Saugatuck, MI. The shops were fun.
We hiked a few trails around the campsite. and there are also caves. Roaring River springs full grown... from a spring... ... flowing some 20 million gallons a day. The spring feeds the fish hatchery at the head water of the river.