Grand vistas can be seen a short 45-minute drive from Poplar Bluff when visiting one of Missouri’s first state parks.
Big Spring is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, which is run by the National Park Service.
At one time in history, Big Spring was a state park and actually one of Missouri’s first state parks from 1924-1969, when the people of the state donated the park to the National Park Service.
Big Spring is located in Van Buren, at the end of Highway 103. There is access to a campground, picnic areas, trails, and cabins.
Big Spring is at times considered America’s biggest spring; however, it is in competition with Idaho’s Snake River Spring and Florida’s Silver Spring, according to the park service. Depending on rainfall, any of these three could be the biggest on a given day.
Big Spring has an average daily flow of 286 million gallons of water and underground passages carry water as far as 45 miles away. Some studies have shown that the water carries dissolved limestone giving the spring it’s emerald green blue color.
The area is wheelchair accessible and a walkway that leads to the mouth of the spring.