Ozark National Scenic Riverways
A long, living river park protecting the Current and Jacks Fork, enormous springs, caves, mills, gravel bars, and Ozark communities.
Artwork inspired by Lennis Broadfoot
Ozark National Scenic Riverways is a corridor rather than one gated park. Its clear spring-fed rivers run past Alley Spring, Big Spring, Round Spring, Blue Spring, historic structures, caves, bluffs, campgrounds, and many independently accessed gravel bars.
A float trip is only one way to understand it. Short walks to springs and mills work for a first visit, while paddlers must match distance, water level, weather, shuttle logistics, and skill. Summer weekends can be crowded and noisy; shoulder seasons reveal a different river.
- Established
- 1964
- Rivers
- Current + Jacks Fork
- Allow
- Half-day to several days
Quick guide
- Core comparison
- Alley Spring mill ↔ Big Spring
- Second-look plan
- Clear gravel-bed rivers
Ozark National Scenic Riverways: route and water
- Route
- Choose one district; driving between major springs takes longer than the map suggests.
- Water
- Check river levels, closures, weather, and vessel rules immediately before launch.
- Cold
- Spring water remains cold even when summer air is hot.
- Stewardship
- Pack out trash and use established gravel-bar and camping practices.
Good to know
Big Spring is among the world’s largest springs, but the park’s defining achievement is protecting two connected river corridors rather than a single scenic landmark.
Notice these
- Alley Spring mill
- Big Spring
- Clear gravel-bed rivers
- Ozark bluffs