Fun Things for Nature Lovers

1. Trail of Tears State Park in Cape Girardeau County

The 3,415-acre park is a memorial to the Cherokee Indians who lost their lives in a forced relocation, as well as a place for visitors to participate in a variety of outdoor adventures including hiking, backpacking, camping, fishing and picnicking.

2. Float the current river, Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Van Buren, Mo.

The river is a great way to cool off on a summer day. Visitors can tube or canoe this crystal-clear river through some of Southeast Missouri's most scenic land.

Mingo National Wildlife Refuge

3. Mingo National Wildlife Refuge in Puxico, Mo., was established in 1944 as a resting and wintering area for migratory waterfowl and other birds. The 21,592-acre refuge contains approximately 15,000 acres of bottomland hardwood forest, 3,500 acres of marsh and water, 506 acres of cropland, 704 acres of seasonally flooded impoundments and 474 acres of grassy openings.

Trail of Tears (Southeast Missourian file photo)

Wappapello Lake (Stock art)

4. Lake Wappapello State Park in Williamsville, Mo. The 1,854-acre state park offers camping, fishing, lodging, picnicking, swimming and hiking, equestrian, mountain biking and backpacking trails.

Cape La Croix Trail

5. Cape La Croix Trail runs throughout Cape Girardeau, beginning near the intersection of Lexington and Kingshighway and is great for walking and biking.

6. Mississippi River Valley tour of rural community throughout Southeast Missouri. Good food, folk music, crafts, good food, camping, living history, museum tours, good food, and the beauty of the Missouri countryside are all part of this self-conducted driving tour held on Sun, April 25.

7. Land between the lakes at Golden Pond, Ky., offers biking, camping and other forms of recreation, as well as an elk and bison prairie and a planetarium.

8. Tower Rock in Perry County is a majestic landmark of limestone rock that towers more than 90 feet above the Mississippi River bed. The water is turbulent as it passes around the rock which as prompted centuries of legends and the respect and fear of rivermen.

9. Otter Slough in Stoddard County on Route ZZ. 4,866 acres managed primarily for species associated with wetlands. Migratory waterfowl, herons, egrets and many kinds of shorebirds are found here. Also seen at Otter Slough are mink, otter and other water-loving animals.

Trout fishing at Rotary Lake (Southeast Missourian file photo)

10. Fish for trout at Rotary Lake - During the winter, the city of Jackson stocks the lake and allows the public to enjoy trout fishing. Great excuse to spend time outdoors, even during the colder months.

11. Johnson's Shut-ins State Park in Reynolds County, from Highway 21 to Route N; eight miles north of Lesterville. Johnson's Shut-Ins Campground, which is being built in the Goggins Mountain area of the park after its destruction in a 2005 flood, is scheduled to be completed by spring 2010. The new campground includes basic, electric, sewer/electric/water, equestrian and walk-in campsites plus camper cabins.

12. Ben Cash Conservation Area in Dunklin County is a 1,300-acre wildlife area on the St. Francis River, and is one of the few remaining vestiges of bottomland hardwood trees. It also contains an extremely diversified floral community.

Big Spring National Park

13. Big Spring National Park, three miles outside Van Buren, Mo., is the largest spring in the state, and one of the largest in the world. On an average day, some 278 million gallons of water gush forth from subterranean passages, swelling the nearby Current River.

Cape Girardeau Nature Center (Southeast Missourian file photo)

14. The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center at 2289 County Park Drive, Cape Girardeau, showcases the rich cultural history and diverse natural resources of Southeast Missouri. Indoors, the nature center features hands-on exhibits for all ages, including the Corbin Collection of American Indian artifacts, freshwater aquariums, wildlife viewing areas, classrooms and an auditorium. Outdoors, explore the White Oak Trace, which has two miles of trails winding through stands of poplar and oak trees, sinkholes and a small man-made swamp.

15. Located in Dunklin County near Kennett, Mo., the 1,066 acres at Little River Conservation Area provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. The wetlands attract many migratory birds, making it great for bird watching and photography.

16. Peck Ranch Conservation Area is in northwest Carter County and eastern Shannon County, north of Fremont. The area consists of 23,048 acres of rugged, forested hills and hollows.

Artesian wells in Bollinger County (Southeast Missourian file photo)

17. The Artesian wells in Bollinger County, Mo., that spew fresh water throughout the year are located in the Mark Twain National Forest near Marquand and next to Highway 34, just to the west of Woodland School between Marble Hill and Glenallen.

18. Explore the beautiful cave formations and the silent beauty of the underground world at Round Spring Cavern in Eminence, Mo.

19. Bonne Terre Mine, a national historic site in Bonne Terre, Mo., is the world's largest freshwater dive resort. The mine is listed as one of America's Top 10 Greatest Adventures by National Geographic. Boat tours and walking tours available.

20. Crab Orchard Lake, located west of Marion, Ill. Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest refuges in the Great Lakes/Big Rivers Region. Established in 1947, the 43,890-acre refuge includes three man-made lakes totaling 8,700 acres.

Bonus pick: Huzzah Valley, Missouri's most complete family resort, 970 E. Hwy 8, Steelville, Mo., 65565