What is quintessential Missouri? That’s the question my wife and I asked ourselves. My son, who lives in Los Angeles, was bringing his girlfriend for a visit. She had never been to Missouri, other than just driving through. Of course there’s St.Louis and Kansas City and Missouri’s music town, Branson. And how can one leave out Hannibal, the hometown of Mark Twain? But if you love the outdoors, there’s nothing better than the Ozarks. And an part of the Ozarks are springs and caves. So we decided on a day trip to Maramec Springs near St. James and Onondaga Cave near Leasburg.
Maramec Springs
Missouri has 19 springs that each have an average water volume of at least 30 cubic feet per second. Maramec Springs is the 5th largest with an output of 153 cu ft/sec. That may not mean a lot to you. Another way to describe that output is that the spring puts out around 100 million gallons daily.
But Maramec Springs is more than just a hole in the ground with water coming out of it. The spring is one of the sources for the Meramec River. The stream emitted from the spring also contains a trout park, one of four in Missouri (Montauk, Bennett Springs, and Roaring River being the others). So if you are a fisherman, this is a great place for you. If fishing is not your favorite pastime, the spring is still an interesting place to observe the fish in various stages of growth in the divided sections of the stream.
Maramec Springs also has a rich history as the park contains the ruins of the Maramec Iron Works. Iron was produced here from 1827 to 1891 using the force from the water as power for the production process. In particular, during the Civil War the iron was used for cannon balls and gunships built in St. Louis.
The park is also great for family recreation. There are overnight camping sites and numerous picnic tables and shelters for a day or more of fun. The James Foundation runs Maramec Springs as a private park.
Onodaga Cave
Missouri is a cave state having more caves than any state other than Tennessee. So why did we choose Onondaga? Initially, the most compelling reason is that it’s a cave with which I am the most familiar. My childhood home is approximately 20 miles from Onondaga and I toured it several times including elementary school field trips. However, I have been in several other commercial Missouri caves. Additionally, as a hobby when I was a teenager, my brother and loved to spelunk the numerous non-commercial caves close to where we lived. Using those experiences as a basis, in my humble opinion, I think Onondaga is the most beautiful cave in Missouri. I therefore recommend it every chance I get.
Onondaga has a long history. The biggest event in its history is when the state of Missouri purchased the cave from owner Lester Dill and made it a state park. As with a lot of commercial parks, Mr.Dill had a tendency to sensationalize things, e.g., he claimed the cave was “discovered by Daniel Boone”, to attract customers. When Missouri took over, the emphasis changed to that of conservation. Tours are now available only 6 months of the year. Special precautions are also taken to help protect the species that are particular to caves.
Maramec Springs and Onondaga Cave are within 30 miles of each other. This makes it ideal to see both on a day trip. Missouri has a lot of springs and caves. On your next adventure, check out a few. These two are a great example of what Missouri has to offer.