Mark Twain National Forest

Visitors to Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs District will find different landscapes from oak-hickory forests , shortleaf pine forests, and glades. Glades are open areas of native tall prairie grasses characterized by dry, shallow soils and limestone outcroppings. The unique blending of eastern forest and western desert habitats makes a home for such varied wildlife as the bald eagle and the roadrunner, armadillos and wild turkey, white-tailed deer and black bears. The sunlit balds and deep hollows, narrow ridgetops and steep slopes, secluded pastures and clear streams characteristic of the Ozarks are the trademark of the District. This is the landscape so eloquently described in Harold Bell Wright's famous book, The Shepherd of the Hills. Nearby vacation destinations -- Branson, Silver Dollar City, Bass Pro, and Table Rock Lake -- make the District one of Missouri's favorite playgrounds. If you drive through this area, you will be delighted at every turn by scenic views. Hike your way through the Forest and you will find solitude and tranquility. The beautiful North Fork River is the pride of Willow Springs Area. A total of nine major springs flow into the river; two of the largest, Big Springs and Blue Spring, contribute some 18 million gallons of cold, clear water every day. The river is popular with canoeists as well as anglers. The District contains three of seven Congressionally-designated Wilderness Areas; Devils Backbone, Hercules Glades, and Piney Creek Wildernesses. The District has the Forest’s only National Forest Scenic Byways; Blue Buck Knob, Glade Top Trail; and Sugar Camp.