Elephant Rocks State Park: Home to Views, Trails, and... Elephants?

 I remember coming to Elephant Rocks State Park back when I was twelve years old with my parents, back in the *cough, cough* 80's... Marveling at the mammoth... er... Elephant sized pink granite boulders. Trying my hand at scaling those circus sized freaks, tracing carvings etched over 100 years ago by master masons with my fingers, gazing over the long abandoned quarry now filled with nearly a century's worth of rain, and exploring so much more. So returning as an adult was almost a homecoming, with the Elephants patiently waiting atop their weathered perch, welcoming me back to the park with a single question, "Are you ready to act like you're 12 again?" To their query, I answered quickly, "Yes", despite me putting on a couple of decades between visits.

Hike and climb among circus sized granite giants
Elephant Rocks State Park draws its name from the colossal pink granite boulders, the largest of which has been named Dumbo and is estimated to tip the scales at 680 tons! You will find an area where these boulders seem to march like a line of elephants upon a barren granite hill which graces the center of the park. If you'd like to get really technical here these pink colossi are perched on a tor, which is Gaelic for rocky hilltop, so if that comes up in a final Jeopardy! round remember who to share your winnings with. On top of the tor, shown in the picture to the left, you may find interesting pools of water, seemingly carved directly out of the granite. These pools are actually referred to as tinajitas and are caused by physical and chemical weathering of the stone, sometimes these tinajitas may be several feet in diameter and provide a home to tadpoles or the hiker's arch-nemesis, mosquito larvae. I have seen some truly beautiful pictures of these circular depressions, filled with water and reflecting their surroundings, but alas... When we visited the park each of the tinajitas we visited were as dry as a bone.

You may also notice many carvings upon the central tor and even on a few of the granite elephants that reside there. Many of the quarry workers would carve their names and date into the granite here when they received the rank of Master Stone Cutter and you will find many dates from the late 19th century, standing as silent testament to the achievements of the men who cut into their igneous bodies. You may also notice growths on some of the stone here as well, called lichens and mosses, generally you will find both of these in sunnier areas. The lichens and mosses found growing here are another piece of the puzzle that develops the unique pattern of weathering demonstrated upon the elephant rocks within the park.

Let your feet and fingers do the walking on the Braille Trail

It is around those stone circus attractions that you will find the first trail ever designed for outdoor lovers with visual or physical disabilities in Missouri, which is fondly referred to as the Braille Trail. The one mile long Braille Trail consists of a fully paved trail featuring signs with braille and regular text, you may even download a MP3 file from the Missouri Department of Conservation that provides audio for each of the interpretive signs along the trail. The Braille Trail loop (circular trail) is a fantastic way to explore the park and as you make your way along you will find spurs (offshoot trails) that lead to additional areas that you may explore, some of these spurs are handicapped accessible, but not all.

Explore the ruins and history of the old quarry
One such spur is the Engine House Ruins Trail, which is less than a half of a mile long and connects to the Braille Trail in two spots, so if you miss the first offshoot, you can catch the other.  Along this trail you will find the remains of the old Engine House, which was constructed here to repair and maintain the quarry's railroad engines. Here you can still find the old rails, now overgrown and sunken into the earth, that would have carried loads of granite from many of the local quarries to the larger railroads, such as the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad, which were located some miles to the east. The building itself is eerily beautiful with the seemingly random pattern of mortared junctions really showcasing the individual stones fashioned to create it. It feels like you could almost hear the hissing of the old steam engines that would visit here if you listened closely enough...

"Missouri Red" quarried here is still found in Missouri & beyond
As you continue through the park you'll also find a spectacular overlook that provides a beautiful vantage of the old quarry that existed within the park. It has filled with decades of rain water and its steep sides clearly show the scars of the industry that shaped the entire area around the park, even factoring into the name of the nearby city of Graniteville, where you can find quarries that are still running today. It is in areas like this that a man could find himself taking home nearly $5.00 a day by cutting seventy blocks a day in the 1890's. The "Missouri Red", the trade name given to the granite products quarried from this area, can be found right here in Missouri, within the paving stones of some old St. Louis streets, the piers of the Eads Bridge and in the columns of the Missouri Governor's mansion, the granite was also shipped throughout the United States. As you soak in the eagle eye view available here take notice of the beautiful black oak and shag bark hickory trees that grow in the granitic soil here at Elephant Rock State Park.

Look for old "Plug and Feather" tools
Traveling the Braille Trail around the over 131 acre state park, you'll notice large piles of granite scattered here and there. You will undoubtedly notice that many of these granite stones bear marks of an ancient technique for splitting the dense and tough stone called "plug and feather". The plug and feather technique has been used since the pyramid builders of ancient Egypt (and maybe even earlier). It is a brilliantly simple concept and requires only a few tools to pull off, a metal wedge (called a plug) and two metal shims (referred to as the feathers). A hole is drilled into the stone along a drawn line, which is where the stone cutter wishes the large block to split, then the feathers are inserted and the plug is then placed between the two feathers. Generally there will be multiple holes drilled and multiple pairings of feathers and plugs along the intended split line. At this point the stone mason will begin to strike each plug in succession moving down the intended split line, which causes the feathers to move outward from the center as the plug is driven, continuing to strike until the stone relents and fractures along the line. If you are careful and very observant you may even find some of the old feather and plugs that the quarry workers left behind in some of the holes! The picture to the right shows the fracture of the stone and unused holes as well where the masons looked to split the slab further. However, not all of the holes you find in these rock where placed there to split the stone, some are the results of core samples, taken to determine the quality of the granite.

Don't get lost in "The Maze"
One of the last spurs that you will find off of the Braille Trail is an area nicknamed "The Maze" where you can wander and explore a section of the trail that features scattered boulders that would beckon "Climb me..." if they could speak. I spent a good amount of time here, bouldering, leaping, wedging myself into crags and cracks and generally acting like my old twelve-year-old self, however my now older body would have a serious discussion with me the following morning, just to remind me of how old I truly am. You could easily spend the bulk of your hike here trying to summit each of the boulders, each of which seems to present you with a different brain teaser of what method to use to climb them. Also keep in mind, it can be dangerous climbing on rocks and leaping from place to place. Any water on the surface of these stones can easily cause you to loose footing and slip as well, that beautiful pink granite makes a pretty slick wet surface, so be careful!

Pay homage to those who served in WWI
As you begin or end your journey on the Braille Trail you may notice a poem carved into a large granite rock face. The carving is weathered and somewhat hard to read, but if you concentrate and focus you will find that these poetic words were carved to pay respect to those who did not come home from World War I in 1918, "In honor of our nation's brave that sleeps over the wave, they died that we be free no more war to be 1918."

Pro-Tips for Elephant Rocks State Park
Elephant Rocks State Park is an extremely unique and beautiful park, so don't be surprised to find other outdoor enthusiasts filling the park on the same day you arrive. The entire area is particularly beautiful in the fall as the leaves begin to change, the black oak and shag bark hickory put on quite a display of oranges, reds, and every shade between. Be sure to bring a camera, you'll certainly want to take some pictures with these behemoths and maybe even shoot a quick selfie on some of the scenic overlooks from the tor (remember what a tor is... and remember to cut me in on that final Jeopardy! question...). Let the kids (and the kids at heart) play, explore and just generally have fun... But be careful, the beautiful pink granite here becomes slick as snot with a bit of water and remember falls onto solid rock hurt and can easily break bones. Finally, bring a picnic lunch. There are a great deal of picnic areas at Elephant Rocks, be sure to take some time out to reconnect with your loved ones and just sit back, eat and talk about just how awesome Elephant Rocks State Park is. Happy trails and thank you for reading!


Directions


More Information:
Local Treks on facebook 
Missouri Department of Conservation: Elephant Rocks Webpage
MO State Parks: Elephant Rocks Webpage
MO State Parks: Teacher's Guide to Elephant Rocks
MO State Parks: Elephant Rocks State Park Trails
MO State Parks: General Information
  - Braille Trail Map (1 mile)
  - Engine House Ruin Map (0.40 mile)
Missouri State Parks.net: Elephant Rocks
Wikipedia: Plug and Feather

Millstream Gardens: Well Shut Me In!

More of my pictures from Millstream Gardens Atta'Way---->

Millstream Gardens is 916 acres of pure magic. The area holds wonders for nearly every outdoor enthusiast and boasts an appearance more reminiscent of the rushing rivers of Colorado than the rolling hills of Missouri. The wonder and natural beauty of Millstream Gardens and the Tiemann Shut-ins contained therein, beg you to take it slow, absorb in the natural majesty and savor every sound, especially the steady sound of rare Missouri whitewater, rushing through the smooth carved granite.

As you enter the Millstream Gardens Conservation Area, located just off of hwy 72 between Arcadia and Fredricktown, MO, you will come to a fork in the road. Turning left at the fork takes you to the "official" trail head for the Millstream Gardens trail. From the official trail head the hike runs for about one and a half miles through the woodlands and along the St. Francois River, connecting Millstream Gardens to the Silver Mines Recreation Area. This trail is not a loop trail, so once you've made the journey to the Silver Mines, you'll be heading on back on the same trail, making the trip a three mile trek.

Local Treks: Tiemann Shut-Ins

For hikers with small children and disabilities you will LOVE the beginning of this trail, which hosts a half to three quarters of a mile of paved trail, featuring benches nearly every 100-200 feet. The paved trail also features a very unique low wooden bridge, which crosses a shallow creek, zigging and zagging back and forth creating an interesting crossing. While walking along this portion of the trail, keep a keen eye out for wild blackberries, I spotted them nearly everywhere on a summer trip to the area. At the end of the pavement you will come to a large wooden patio, which provides a perfect vantage point to take in a particularly beautiful section of Tiemann Shut-Ins (pronounced Tee-Man, according to the locals we spoke with). Why is it called a shut-in? Well here's a real "Ozark" answer: The term shut in comes from the stream or river being "shut in" or confined within a deep channel. Forcing the St. Francois River into this channel creates some decent rapids, and that's why the kayaking crews LOVE this portion of the river.

Who's a happy boy?

You'll want to spend some time here for sure. The scenery is absolutely astounding and you may find yourself snapping far more pictures than you ever imagined right here at this spot. It is also a perfect spot to dip your toes into the St. Francis River, let the kids (or yourself) splash around in the chilly water, leap from boulder to boulder, take in a quick snack or just sit, and let the sounds of the rushing water simply sooth you. On my first visit to this area, I can assure you that if my border collie, Hyatt, could speak he would have asked to never leave this spot. He splashed from rock to rock and along the sandy shores with the largest smile to ever grace a canine's face. Those of you with dogs will need to take care however, your shoes may give you ample grip on the smooth igneous rocks that form the shut-ins, but your pooch's pads and nails will not, Hyatt slipped into the water frequently as he attempted to follow the same route as myself.

Heading East from the overlook you will find the beginning of the Millstream Gardens hiking trail, which is unpaved. As you make your way down the dirt path the trail you will find signs calling attention to landmarks such as Shark's Fin rock, a large angular rock, jutting up from St. Francis River, perhaps to take a bite or two out of some of the kayakers as they shoot the rapids. Other labeled points of interest you will find in this beginning section of the trail are Pine Rock Overlook and Double Drop Rapids. Pine Rock Overlooks provides a perfect perch to steal a few photos of the shut-ins as well. As you continue, ever eastward, you will begin to leave the Tiemann Shut-Ins area and enter the more heavily wooded portion of the trail.

I caught this bug nabbing a snack!

After the beauty of Tiemann Shut-Ins, don't fret! There is much to be found in the forested area of the trail as well, Millstream Gardens isn't all just pink igneous rock, river and shut-ins. As you continue your hike along the trail you will find majestic oak, hickory and shortleaf pine in the upland woods, complimented by ash, elm and maple trees near the banks of the St. Francois River. The steady sounds of the river can nearly always be heard through the hike; providing a perfect background accompaniment to the bird solos and chorus provided by the wind blowing through the canopy. I spotted beautiful wildflowers nearly everywhere and took a great deal of photos of each, then upon looking at them closer at home, noticed that nearly every single flower hosted some type of stinging or biting insect. I'm certainly glad I didn't go sticking my nose straight in them! Other wildlife to keep an eye out for is white-tailed deer, turkey and... snakes during the warm months.

The trail through the wooded area is relatively flat, with only a few hills that reside near the midway point of the hike. In the "hilly" areas, be careful of your footing as there is loose rock and occasional water trickling through or over the trail. When you find yourself approximately three quarters of a mile east from the Tiemann Shut-In patio, you may notice a lonely concrete foundation, just before the trail begins to follow the St. Francis once again. I scoured the area for any indication as to what the foundation may have been, but only confounded myself more, spotting three cylindrical concrete forms 15-20 yards to the east of the foundation on the north side of the trail. I've continued to look online and even ask locals around the area, but have yet to discover what the foundation may have been prior. The trail may seem to "split" here at the foundation, but the path that leads west is just a slight spur that will take you to a scenic little area of the river, that features a splendid view of a tall bluff that forces the St. Francis River to flow on its northern side.

From here the trail continues eastward to the Silver Mines and Mark Twain National Forest. As the trail nears the banks of the St. Francis be aware that you may have to make slight deviations from the path, as rising water sometimes pools in these areas or deposits branches, twigs, trees and other objects that may block your path. Don't be too wary though, you will not have to step more than a few yards from the clear trail in order to get around these small "trail-blockers". If you've brought a picnic lunch the large open field at the Silver Mines provides not only a wonderful place to take in the scenery and spot TONS of wildflowers, but also many picnic tables as well so that you may sit alongside the St. Francis River, take a reprieve and prepare for the wonderful return trip to Millstream.

In fact, upon your return to Millstream you may want to take the path that leads west from the Tiemann Shut-Ins overlook. This trail will lead you to another perfect picnic spot, this one featuring a vista over looking the St. Francis River, a picnic pavilion, and one of the most twisted pine trees I've ever seen, just check it out below!

Enjoy a picnic with a view of the river and one TWISTED pine!

As with any trip into the woods there are ticks in this area, so you may want to brush up on what keeps them at bay and how to remove one should it embed. And of course if you're taking children along, you may want  to check out some tips on how to take a GREAT Day Hike. Thanks for reading, be sure to leave a comment down below or check us out on facebook!

 
More Information:
Mill Streams Garden Conservation Area on mdconline
Millstream Gardens Area Map
My Flickr Gallery of Images
Local Treks on facebook
White Water and Rock Hounding: Silver Mines Recreational Area
Tiny. Tenacious. Terrible. Ticks. - How to keep those bloodsuckers at bay!
How To Take A GREAT Day Hike