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Sac River Basin - Recreation
Every year, millions of pounds
of trash are collected from our nation’s rivers, parks, and streets.
If you visit a state park, river, lake, campground,
or any other public places, remember to leave no trace of yourself by picking up all your trash.
- Access Points
- Caves
- Fishing
- Golf Courses
- Greenways Trails
- Historic Sites
- Museums
- Ozark Fairgrounds
- State Parks
- Zoos and Wildlife
Access Points & Conservation Areas
The Missouri Department of
Conservation has many “access points” throughout the state of Missouri.
An “access point” is a location for boat
launching into rivers or lakes. Access points
may also offer picnic facilities or fishing spots. The
following is a list of access points in the James River Basin:
Public areas in the Sac River Basin
Area |
Acres |
Activities |
Ownership |
| Antioch
Bridge Access |
83 |
Fishing, Hunting,
Boating (Turnback Creek frontage) |
MDC |
| Birdsong
CA |
430 |
Fishing, Hunting,
Camping |
MDC |
| Blackjack Access |
212 |
Fishing, Hunting,
Camping, Boating (Sac River and Brush Creek
frontage) |
MDC |
| Bluff Springs
CA |
415 |
Hunting, Fishing |
MDC |
| Bois D'Arc CA |
2,892 |
Hunting, Fishing,
Hiking, Shooting Range |
MDC |
| Bona Glade Natural
Area |
18 |
Hiking, Wildlife
Viewing, Nature Study |
MDC |
| Brush Creek
CA |
158 |
Hunting, Camping,
Hiking |
MDC |
| Chesapeake Fish Hatchery |
119 |
Hatchery Tours |
MDC |
| Fiddlers Ford Access |
50 |
Fishing, Hunting,
Camping, Boating (Turnback Creek frontage) |
MDC |
| Fellows
Lake |
820 |
Fishing, picnicking |
CU |
| Horse Creek Prairie CA |
80 |
Hunting |
MDC |
| Indigo Prairie CA |
40 |
Hunting, Fishing |
MDC |
| La
Petite Gemme Prairie CA |
37 |
Wildlife Viewing,
Nature Study |
MPF |
| Little Osage Prairie CA |
38 |
Hunting, Hiking,
Wildlife Viewing |
MDC |
| Little Sac Woods CA |
772 |
Hunting, Fishing,
Camping, Hiking (Little Sac River frontage) |
MDC |
| McDaniel
Lake |
300 |
|
CU |
| Monegaw Prairie CA |
270 |
Hunting, Fishing
|
MDC |
| Nathan Boone Home |
356 |
In development
|
MoDNR |
| Ozark Cavefish
National Wildlife Refuge |
40 |
Hiking, Wildlife
Viewing, Nature Study |
USFWS |
| Niawathe Prairie CA |
320 |
Wildlife Viewing,
Nature Study |
MDC/NC |
| Paris Springs Access |
208 |
Fishing, Hunting,
Camping, Boating (Turnback Creek frontage) |
MDC |
| Pawhuska Prairie |
76 |
Wildlife Viewing,
Nature Study |
MDC |
| Pennsylvania Prairie |
133 |
Hiking, Wildlife
Viewing |
MPF |
| Phenix Access |
155 |
Fishing, Hunting,
Boating (Clear Creek frontage) |
MDC |
| Pleasant Hope CA |
1,106 |
Hunting, Fishing,
Camping, Hiking, Shooting Range (un-manned) |
MDC |
| Rocky Barrens CA |
191 |
Hunting |
MDC |
| Sky Prairie CA |
200 |
Hunting |
MDC |
| Sloan
(Dr. O. E. & Eloise) CA |
320 |
Hunting, Fishing |
MDC |
| Stockton Reservoir |
41,472 |
Hunting, Fishing,
Camping |
USACE |
| Stony Point Prairie CA |
640 |
Hunting, Fishing |
MDC |
| Truman Reservoir |
162,495 |
Hunting, Fishing,
Camping |
USACE |
| Turkey Creek
CA |
160 |
Hunting, Camping |
MDC |
| Twenty-Five Mile Prairie CA |
220 |
Hunting, Fishing,
Hiking |
MDC |
Source: “Sac
River Watershed Inventory and Assessment”, Missouri Department of Conservation,
available at
http://www.conservation.mo.gov/fish/watershed.
1 - CA = Conservation Area,
NA = Natural Area
2 - MDC = Missouri Department of Conservation,
CU= City Utilities of Springfield, MPF = Missouri Prairie Foundation,
NC = The Nature Conservancy, USACE = U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Caves
Southwest Missouri is famous for its
underground caves and karst formations. Caves are important to water quality for a couple
of reasons. First, the rock material from
which caves are made allows water to pass through very quickly.
Pollution can quickly travel a great distance
underground through the networks among different cave systems. In addition, cave-dwelling
animals are typically very sensitive to toxic materials, and introduction of such
pollutants into their habitat could reduce their ability to live.
It is therefore very important to properly dispose
of toxic materials so they don’t reach cave systems.
Some caves within the Sac River Basin are big enough to enable tourists to
tour their depths by foot or even by vehicle. Many
caves are very small and can only be explored by professionals.
Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave is located at 7225 N. Crystal Cave
Lane and Greene County Highway H in Springfield, MO. Inside
the cave are many stalagmites, stalactites, a Cathedral room, and a formation called the Washington
Monument. http://www.wcnet.net/adc/crystal.htm.
Fantastic Caverns
Fantastic Caverns is a consistent 60° F all year round. A one-mile
long trail within the caverns can be traveled in a jeep-pulled tram.
Fantastic Caverns is located in northwest Springfield, MO at 4872 North
Farm Road 125.
http://www.fantastic-caverns.com/.
Fishing
Fishing licenses are required for
those 16 years old and above. Licenses can be purchased at many local bait shops, gas
stations, local Wal-mart stores, and Bass Pro Shops.
Fellows Lake
Fellows Lake is owned by Springfield City
Utilities. Many types of fish can be caught at
Fellows Lake including muskie, stocked at Fellows Lake in 1996 and 1999.
Data collected during the spring of 2003 indicated
that largemouth bass fishing at Fellows Lake should be fair to good in 2004.
This sampling showed that about 12% of the bass
population at the lake is longer than 15 inches. Fish
habitat, including brush and trees that have been planted in the lake provide breeding
grounds. Walleye, muskie, channel catfish,
crappie, redear sunfish, and bluegill are additional types of fish found in the Fellows
Lake.
http://www.gofishingmissouri.com/fellows.htm
There are fishing docks and a boat rental marina
located on Fellows Lake. To use your own boat
on Fellows Lake, you must have a boat permit from the city.
Boats on Fellows Lake can have up to 40 horsepower motors.
Stockton Lake
There are many things to do at Stockton Lake, including camping, boating, sailing, and
fishing. Stockton Lake is well known for its
black bass fishing, including spotted bass, small-mouth bass, and large-mouth bass.
While the lake is stocked with walleye, large-mouth
bass are caught the most frequently at the lake. Flathead
catfish, channel catfish, crappie, and bluegill can also be caught at Stockton Lake.
Golf Courses
Thousand Hill Golf Resort
http://www.springfieldmo.org/final/sub002.asp?ca=8&id=666
Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club
Bolivar, MO
Gene Pray Memorial Golf Course
El Dorado Springs, MO
Cedar Oak Lodge and Golf Course
Stockton, MO
Greenways Trails
There are two Ozark Greenways trails in the Sac River Basin. These trails
are all located northwest of Springfield. Ozark Greenways can be contacted through there Web Site at
http://www.ozarkgreenways.org/
Frisco Highline Trail
The Frisco Highline Trail runs along the old Frisco Railroad. It will eventually
be 35 miles long and connect Springfield
to Bolivar. Trailheads are located in Springfield,
Willard, and Walnut Grove. The Springfield
trailhead is located at the corner of Kearney Street and Eldon Road, west of the West
Bypass. The Willard trailhead is located on Jackson
Street in Willard, next to the Willard High School. The
Walnut Grove trailhead is located on BB Highway, just east of the traffic light in Walnut
Grove.
Sac River Trail
The Sac River Trail area contains 8 miles of trails in 300 acres of woods. Many people
bring their mountain bikes to this trail. To
begin the Sac River Trail, park at the trailhead which is located off of Highway 13, three
miles north of I-44. There is a brown
“Sac River Trail” sign directing you to turn west off of Highway 13.
http://www.ozarkgreenways.org/trails.html
Historic Sites
Nathan
Boone Homestead
State Historic Site
This historic site
features the one and a half story home built by the son of the famous
frontiersman, Daniel Boone. Colonel Nathan Boone built the home in 1837
and lived in the house until his death in 1856. The home is located at
7850 State Hwy. V, near
Ash Grove,
MO. You can visit the Missouri Department
of Natural Resources website at:
http://www.mostateparks.com/boonehome.htm.
Museums
Ella Carothers Dunnegan Gallery of Art
Located at 511 N. Pike St. in Bolivar, MO, this
art gallery displays works by both local and international artists.
The art gallery is open year around and is free to
the public.
Northward Museum/Polk County Historical Society
Located at the corner of Locust and N. Main
Street in Bolivar, MO, this museum spans three floors of the old school building.
The museum is open May 15 thru September 12, Monday
thru Saturday, from 1-4 pm. Prices are $2 for
adults, $1 for kids ages 6-12, and admission for kids under 6 years old is free.
Wayside Inn Museum
This museum is open from May through October. Admission is one dollar.
It is located at 117 W. Spring in El Dorado Springs, MO.
Ozarks Afro-American Heritage Museum
Located at 107 W. Main St. in Ash Grove, MO,
this museum is open year around and is open to the public.
Visit their website at http://www.oaahm.org.
General Sweeny’s Museum
Located at 5228 S. State Highway ZZ between Springfield
and Republic, MO, this Civil War museum is open from March to October and admission price
is about four dollars. You can visit their
website at http://www.civilwarmuseum.com.
 Ozark Fairgrounds
Located near the junction of
Interstate 44 and Missouri Hwy. 13 in northwest Springfield, the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
sponsors many events throughout the year. You
can visit their website at www.ozarkempirefair.com. http://www.route66railhaven.com/main23.html
State Parks
Stockton State Park
Stockton State Park is located at Stockton Lake, a
25,000 acre lake south of Stockton, MO, on Hwy. 215 in Cedar County. This park has a full-service marina for boat
rentals, a swimming beach, motels, duplexes, campsites, and a restaurant. Stockton Lake traditionally has winds ideal for
sailing, and is recognized as one of the nation’s top ten sailing lakes. In addition to sailing, motorized boats can also be
used on the lake for water sports and fishing. For
more information please visit: http://www.mostateparks.com/stockton.htm.
Camping
Stockton State Park
Dadeville, MO
417-276-4259
http://www.mostateparks.com/stockton.htm.
Caplinger Woods Campground & Country Store
417-276-6517
6647 S 1451 Road • Stockton, MO 65785
Arrowhead Point RV Park and Campground
El Dorado Springs
1-888-881-5720
Zoos and Wildlife
Dickerson Park Zoo
At Dickerson Park Zoo, exotic animals, as well as animals native to the area, can be
viewed in artificial habitats that mimic their natural surroundings. The Dickerson Park Zoo offers many special
activities throughout the year. From ostriches
and emus to warthogs and lions, there are many interesting things to see and do.
The Dickerson Park Zoo is located at 3043 North
Fort, near the fairgrounds in Springfield, MO. You
can visit their website at http://www.dickersonparkzoo.org/.
Exotic Animal Paradise
Located at 124 Jungle Drive off of I-44 between Springfield and Strafford, MO, Exotic
Animal Paradise offers over a nine-mile drive through its park where goats, donkeys,
llamas, and camels roam the grounds freely. The
park has a petting zoo and other animal exhibits. You
can visit their website at www.exoticanimalparadise.com.
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