Always so nice going for a hike and enjoy the outdoors. My kids and dog have always enjoyed it…read morethere also. The natural arch is there if you go the right direction. Haha

This was a fun outing. We spent two or three hours here on this hike with kids 3-6, parents, and…read moregrandparents and we all were able to walk the trail. However, it is steep and narrow in places and you do go down quite a distance to the creek and you have to ascend back to the parking lot. It might be too much if you're not sure-footed. There no bathroom facilities, (at least in April) so stop at the gas station a few miles before. The bridge itself is large and we were able to walk under it to the other side. The creek was very low while we were there. The water was very clear, you could easily see the bottom of the river bed. Since the creek was low, there was a lot of exposed river rock that the kids thoroughly enjoyed picking up and throwing into the water. They had a fantastic time and slept all the way back home in the car.

I had found these two ancient bridges, a throwback to a simpler time, years ago on a historic…read morebridge website. Realizing that they were the same ones I had seen pictures that a friend had posed his Shelby Mustangs on I had to go. The first visit was probably a decade ago and I brought brought my kids. We drive over the fiirst, but walked out onto the second as my truck exceeded the 3 ton weight limit. We threw rocks at the ice below and had a great time. Today was a warmer day and my wife and I finally got to go. Same thing as before walked onto the second as the weight limit is still the same. Being near 70° it was a great day to go for a walk.

When you have an extra hour or so in the Lake of the Ozarks, check out the Swinging Bridges. This…read moreis a completely free activity for all ages. Make sure to take pictures as well as a video. Your friends and family will not believe you traveled over these unusual bridges. The larger of the two bridges is known at the Grand Auglaize Swinging Bridge. It is a metal wire suspension bridge built in 1922 by Joseph A. Dice. The length of the structure is 500 feet. The main length span (wooden plank section) is 414 feet long. One of the scary factors is the Bridge is only 12 feet wide. The second smaller bridge is known at the Mill Creek Bridge. It was built in 1925 and is 135 feet in length. This Bridge is 11.1 feet wide. Take time out and explore these truly "hidden" treasures.

Located on the Historic Route 66, there Devil's Elbow Bridge brings in tourist and road trips…read morelooking for history and scenic sights. It is located practically in the middle of nowhere, over the big Piney River, and offers a great photo opportunity. Heads up: lots of winding, hilly roads to get there so not for those easily car sick. It's a steel truss beside that was built in 1923 and the bluff views surrounding it are one of Missouri's 7 Scenic Wonders.

formerly the best and the brightest this Population Center of the USA marker is fading fast and…read morewill soon lose any remaining trace of relevance. It is hard to believe that up until ten years ago this was the place to be for central tendencies. Just a short ride down from Rolla and MST and here you were at the center of US all, today not so much. The medallion and the monument are still in place as are the flag pole and benches but the spinny red light has been turned off and the foot traffic approaches zero as the marker enters the long line of has beens :-( Steeleville and De Soto are still findable in Missouri as are Masacoutah, Centralia, and Onley -which counted only 48 states in 1950- in Illinois...

Sept 2015, We went on a road trip from Nashville Tn to visit some state parks and historical sites…read morein Missouri. We stopped at Dillard Mill State Historical Site. Tony, Noel and I with Sammi parked in the parking lot and walked down the pathway to the start of the trail to the Mill. At first you kind of walk through the woods but then it opens up to a large field like area with a lake with a creek running into it and there is the large old mill. We went into the mill and looked around for FREE which was really nice. History: The Dillard Mill State Historic Site is a privately owned, state-administered property on Huzzah Creek in Crawford County, Missouri that preserves a water-powered gristmill.[4] The 132-acre (53 ha) site has been operated as a state historic site by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources under a lease agreement with the L-A-D Foundation since 1975.[5] The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015 A mill was built on Huzzah Creek in 1853 by Francis Wisdom and it was known as the Wisdom Mill. It was destroyed by fire in 1895. The property changed hands, and a new mill, the Mische Mill, was built in 1908. The Mische Mill used an underwater turbine rather than the old waterwheel, and the owners altered the course of the stream and the bluff at the site. The mill was in operation until 1956. It was renamed the Dillard Mill in 1975 when the state took over management of the property. It was dedicated as a historic site in 1977. Restoration of the mill was completed in 1980

This mill is just overabout 100 years old. It sits in a quiet and pretty remote part of Huzzah…read morecreek between Cherryville and Viburnum. The site in its entirety is much larger than I expected, with lots of picnic tables throughout, also an old country store you can walk through. A trail of about a half mile is required to get to the mill from the parking lot. This would be kind of a struggle for the elderly, I'd think. The best part of this mill is it seems to be just about in working condition, despite it's age. It was essentially put out of business when Pillsbury bought all the flour mills out. Occasionally, they'll turn a control wheel and get al the machinery working. They did it in the middle of our tour and it was very impressive. If you are a fan of machinery and "how things work" you won't want to miss this. The tour provides some interesting anectdotes and is definitely worth the $4 price. On a hot day, though, you might not want to spend a half an hour inside the building. Overall, I give it 3 and a half stars. It's not such a beautiful place that I'll be excited to send all my friends, but if you're like me and enjoy visiting these kinds of historic structures, I rate it worth seeing.

Worth the visit. Parking is usually available and great way to learn something while in the area.read more

An adorable, rustic log cabin in the midst of a modern-day subdivision, the Bacon Log Cabin is…read moreworth a trip. The cabin is open May-October on the 1st & 3rd Sundays from 1pm-4pm and maintained by the Old Trails Historical Society. 2015 marks the 180th anniversary of the cabin, which was built by William Douglas Bacon. Unfortunately, the structure contains little to no actual bacon (boo) but it has been restored as a pioneer cabin. The stone fireplace is original as are the logs, beams, and some fireplace bricks. The cabin houses period furnishings and a museum display of West St. Louis County historical memorabilia. The docent, Irene, was highly knowledgeable and extremely spry for 86. In addition to giving tours, she helped fund the preservation of the root cellar on the property, cans her own raspberry preserves, and quilts. I felt as though I had taken a step back in time to a simpler, but definitely not easier, way of living. There were a lot of things to take in during the walk through the cabin, including a kitchen, bedroom, working gun above the mantelpiece. In June 2015, the Forget Me Not Garden Club dedicated a Blue Star Memorial byway marker, honoring service men and women, that can be found near the front entrance. The dedication that members of this historical society have shown to restoring this structure and open it to public viewing is inspiring. A must see, underrated historical attraction for anyone with an interest in historic houses and Americana.

Brought my son after seeing someone comment about it online. Great way to spend a few hours…read more Ranger/site tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable. Recommend this for anyone but especially nice spot for kids.

What a interesting and educational museum. Have a 15 min video. Stones that glowed and equipment…read moreroom. U want walk around outside or on a trail for see the mining buildings. Has plenty of parking and 10 min drive from our camping grounds. They usually have a gift shop but it was closed. Great place to spend a hr or so. Girl working it was super nice and helpful with questions and paperwork.

The flowers were beautiful. The location was perfect being close to train station. One of the…read moreprettier sights seen after tornado.

I will admit, I've never been IN the mansion. But the garden is one of my favorite places in…read moreJefferson City. On warm days, it's nice to take a walk around the Capitol, watch the trains, look at the fountains and picnic at the Governor's garden. The caretakers plant seasonal items and my personal favorite is the lily pond. There is a stone walk way that is lined with benches. Quite a romanitc scene.