Southern Missouri's guide to entertainment, travel, and community
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Southern Missouri's guide to entertainment, travel, and community |
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BENNETT
SPRING by Val Stockton Beware the First of March. If you are typically an early riser, you might find yourself waiting longer in line at the local convenience store for the morning paper or that first cup of coffee. Traffic might seem heavier than usual. That is because hundreds of anglers young and old will rise before the sun, braced for whatever Mother Nature has in store, and head to Bennett Spring State Park to claim a spot for opening day of trout season. Opening day can attract as many as 4,000 fishermen to Bennett Spring, eager for that first catch of the season. But March 1st is simply the opening round. Peak summer weekends see as many as 2,500 anglers descend on the 3,100-acre state park located along the Niangua River, 15 miles west of Lebanon. Nearly 180,000 fishing tags will have been sold when trout season closes on October 31st. With almost one million visitors annually, Bennett Spring is one of
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Missouri’s most popular state parks and boasts more than just fishing. It is a family destination that offers camping, hiking, canoeing, and other outdoor opportunities year-round. A Long History Native Americans first realized the natural bounty of the area, which they called “The Eye of the Sacred One.” A favorite spot for hunting and fishing, Missouri’s fourth largest spring eventually attracted the attention of settlers. In 1837, an Illinois homesteader named James Brice passed through the area in search of land and set down roots when he discovered the abundance of wildlife. Brice established the first gristmill on the site in 1846. The mill was destroyed in a flood, but Brice’s son-in-law, Peter Bennett, went on to build several more mills at the confluence of the spring and the Niangua River over the years. Fire and flood claimed each of the mills in turn, but the spring had already grown a reputation as an outdoorsman’s paradise by the time of the last mill’s demise in the 1930s. Visitors to the Bennett Mill took up the habit of camping, hunting, and fishing on the site to pass time while waiting for their turn at the mill. In 1900, the spring was stocked with 40,000 rainbow trout, and a private fish hatchery was built on the site in 1923. The state of Missouri purchased the spring and the surrounding area in 1924 to create one of the first state parks. During the Great Depression, the federal government’s Civilian Conservation Corps built the cabins, shelters, rustic dining lodge, arched bridge, and many of the roads and trails that give the park its character. Today, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources maintains the state park, while the state Department of Conservation manages the hatchery. Nature on Display Bennett Spring’s most obvious attraction is its natural beauty. The Niangua River cuts through the park, punctuated by a waterfall popular with fishermen and the spring itself which pumps 100,000,000 gallons of water a day into the river. The stream is surrounded by wooded hillsides that offer an up-close look at the Ozarks for meanderers and seasoned nature-lovers alike. Hikers can enjoy 12 miles of nature trails winding through the hills. Besides providing access to bluff tops and scenic views of the spring, Bennett Spring’s seven hiking trails showcase an extensive oak and hickory forest, a dazzling variety of wildflowers, and an array of wildlife that call the park home, including beaver, muskrats, deer, turkey, mink, and great blue herons. The 7.5-mile Nature Tunnel Trail is a four-hour trek featuring a 100-yard walk-through of a collapsed cave. Less strenuous walks include the Savanna Ridge Trail at 2.5-miles, the mile long Whistle Trail, the Bridge Trail at .75-miles, and the Bluff and Oak-Hickory Trails at .25-miles each. The Bennett Spring Nature Interpretive Center draws about 25,000 visitors each year. Built by the Department of Natural Resources in 1969, the center showcases area flora and fauna through mounted displays, a live aquarium, and informative programs like guided nature walks, spring wildflower hikes, fall foliage hikes and a variety of other presentations. Visitors can also trace the history and development of the area. The center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Stay a While The Bennett Spring area is a popular camping destination for many. The park hosts nearly 200 campsites ranging from basic to full hookup. Cabins are available as well. Plans for 2004 include major campground renovations and the installation of a new sewer system. Amenities include modern restrooms, showers, coin-operated laundries and a fully stocked store. Private campgrounds surrounding the park provide more than 1,000 additional campsites. Recreational opportunities abound for the entire family. Cool off in the summer at the park swimming pool, open from noon to 7 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Two picnic shelters are available by reservation for large gatherings. Young children can enjoy four playgrounds spread throughout the park or feed the fish at the hatchery. Guided tours of the hatchery are available as well. The 1930s dining lodge— accented with stone walls, beamed ceilings, and hand-wrought iron chandeliers— is the ideal setting for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Another favorite pastime is a trip down the nearby Niangua River. The so-called “float trips” proceed at a more leisurely pace than a white-water adventure, providing an opportunity for relaxation and enjoyment of the beautiful surroundings. Canoes and rafts are available for rent from area outfitters. The season typically runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Fishing at Bennett Spring is not limited to trout season. A catch-and-release or “no-creel” season runs from November to February, allowing dedicated anglers to hone their skills in the winter. A Missouri fishing license is required year-round. During trout season, a daily trout permit is also needed in order to keep the fish you catch. The daily limit for trout is five fish, only one of which can be a brown trout. Brown trout smaller than 18-inches must be released. No limits are set on the size of rainbow trout. Within Bennett Spring State Park, several zones with lure restrictions have also been established. Each year the spring is stocked with 360,000-pounds of trout from the park’s hatchery.
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