PICLE SPRINGS TRAIL OFFERS TRIP THROUGH TIME

For hikers who have little time mixed with great expectations, Pickle Springs Natural Area is one of the best answers Missouri can offer.

Pickle Springs is a hilly, two-mile loop of a trail near Farmington that samples several wonderful sights. The state Department of Conservation bills it as "the trail through time," because its geological features are so old, but the low-lying ferns and the stark sandstone bluffs give contrasts of the ageless beauty of nature.

The area's namesake, William Pickles, was a settler who lived in the area from 1848 until sometime in the 1860s, the Conservation Department says. The springs most likely drew him, because their continual flow helped others who came later to survive drier periods.

Although the initial pond the springs flow into have noticeably receded over the summer, the drought hasn't beaten it. Tadpoles, water bugs and an occasional hiker's dog still enjoy the pond.

The springs and pond are near the trail's end. Rocks of unique shapes and sizes lead the way.

Following the Conservation Department's 16-page guidebooks, which are available at the trail head, the first significant geological feature is called "the slot." Formed as sandstone and slowly separated by water and time, it offers a path with pock-marked rock walls and shelves extending a few hundred feet.

These holes, or pockets, in the rocks, which are prevalent all along the trail, result from the uneven distribution of minerals in forming the sandstone here, the Conservation Department says. Some spots erode faster than others.

Normally, the holes might offer nice handholds for a rock climber, but climbing at Pickle Springs is discouraged.

Farther along the trail are hoodoos, which is another way of saying rock pillars. They are formed as fractured sandstone erodes away, almost sculpting shapes like the "cauliflower rocks" at Pickle Springs.

Piles of massive boulders form another part of the trail called "the keyhole," but the space isn't too small to walk through.

As the up-and-down trail bottoms out, it leads to Pickle and Bone creeks. They both support an interesting variety of ferns and trees.

Spirit Canyon is walled by layers of sandstone climbing up like shelves, one flat against another. Near the base, water drips, sustaining a moist bed of moss and temperatures generally cooler than surrounding areas.

The wide panoramic view at Dome Rock seems like part of another state. Pine scents the air along the sheer bluff, which offers plenty of space for walking around after being constricted to the winding trail.

For those who want to stay in the area longer than the hour or so it takes to walk the trail, Hawn State Park is just down the road, north on Highway 32. Camping and picnicking facilities are available there.

IF YOU WANT TO GO:

WHAT: Pickle Springs Natural Area

WHERE: It's 1.7 miles from the Route AA intersection with state Highway 32. The drive from Cape Girardeau is about 75 minutes by Interstate 55.

WHEN: Open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.