Designated a National Natural Landmark, Pickle Springs Natural Area features a 2 mile hiking trail maintained by the East Ozark Audubon Society in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation. This two-mile journey has an estimated hiking time of 1 hour and takes hikers past waterfalls, rock shelters, a double arch (photo right), towering bluffs, canyons and amazing rock outcrops. Wooden bridges along the trail aid hikers past troublesome spots. The moist soil in the canyons and along the creeks allows the growth of many ferns and rare plants, including cinnamon fern, maidenhair fern, hay-scented fern and club moss. A variety of woodland songbirds can be seen from the trail. Fence lizards, five-lined skinks, box turtles and leopard frogs can be found among the rocks in the summer.
Getting There
Pickle Springs Natural Area is located on Dorlac Road. Follow MO-32 west of Sainte Genevieve from the junction at I-55 past Hawn State Park to County Road AA. Follow AA about 1 mile to Dorlac Road and then about 1/2 mile along this gravel road to the parking lot at the trailhead.
Isn't it against park policy to climb the boulders? It has been a while since I've been there (and been tempted), but I remember the signs and maps discouraging climbing on the nature trail.
That said, there is good bouldering not too far from there...
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