Last Saturday, Tim and I took a drive through 7!!! 7!!! Ozark counties!  We needed to get away and just see water falling out of rocks at Falling Spring Mill.  Alley Spring Mill was on the way, so I took him to see that as well, even though Cole and I had gone last year and taken some great pictures.  Tim also wanted to take me on his daily drive see the site in Texas County that he had been working at through the month of April.  It was a fantastic, scenic drive which I will outline for you.  I have always loved car rides and I would love to share my favorite scenic drives here on the blog with you so you can hop in your favorite car and get out there too.

One of the best parts of the trip was along Hwy H, East of Niangua through Wright and Texas Counties.  There were a few spots to pull off and attempt to take in the view, but the trees along the side of the road have been allowed to grow too high for satisfactory Ozark Highland viewing.  Nevertheless, the drive was curvy, fun and gorgeous.  It would be even better in the fall or on a motorcycle or both.  Taking Hwy 17 out of Houston in Texas County and meeting up with Hwy 106 through Shannon County to Alley Spring Mill Park was also beautiful with tall pines lining both sides of the road all the way to the park.

Traveling south on Hwy 19 into the very edge of Oregon county is like entering Bigfoot territory.  No cell service and all green.  The county road 3164 makes a loop around the Falling Spring Mill site, meeting up with 156 and then turning into 3170 to make the jaunt back to Hwy 19.  156 was more like a goat path than a real road and parts of the whole loop are probably underwater when it rains a lot.  Signs of the road becoming part of a river were very much evident in the cut away look of the edges of the road and the standing water. 

We took the easy way back home, traveling through Howell and Webster Counties on Hwy 60 to get back to Dallas County and home. We passed your everyday, run of the mill rolling farmland until we reached this church in Dallas County outside of Elkland.  What a stunning building in the gathering storm.  This area is full of adventure and beauty any time of the year, so get out into the Ozark hills, have some fun and support small businesses while you’re out!

Check out the Facebook page How to do the Ozarks and Instagram htdto2020 for more pictures and places to visit!