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ABOVE
AND BELOW THE OZARKS
by Ed Crabtree
By
the time many of you are reading this
article, "The Ozarks Flaming Fall Revue,"
issue 2003, will be well under way. Each
year thousands of folks drive throughout
the Ozarks just to see the multitudes of
colors in Mother Nature's palette as she
"paints" the foliage of the region in
various shades of gold and crimson.
Following the road less traveled, the
visitor is awarded with breathtaking
vistas of the Ozarks Mountains, and many
vantage points along these routes,
revealing a view of rolling tree covered
hills and ridges marching off to the far
distant horizon.
While
the traditional automobile tour is highly
popular, a walking tour is certainly more
inspirational. Those seeking out unique
and interesting trails can find numerous
paths in the Ozarks upon which to walk and
see the bounties of Mother Nature's
handiwork. With many public and private
lands open to the visitor, there are
unlimited options available, one such
private tour can be found at Talking Rocks
Cavern.
When
most of us think of Talking Rocks, we
think of an underground tour through one
of Missouri's most beautiful and unique
caverns, but there is just as much to see
above ground. The historic cave system,
formerly known as Fairy Cave, is located
on a 400 acre privately owned preserve,
just south of Branson West on highway 13.
For years, the knowledgeable cave guides
have lead groups beneath the hills to see
the wonders of the Ozarks that have been
in the making since the dawn of time, but
now the wonderful folks at Talking Rocks
are sharing with us, the beauty of the
above ground natural features of the
property.
In
an effort to display the natural
attractions and yet educate their visitors
on the subject of Missouri's unique and
fragile ecosystems, they have created an
"Eco-tour" that explores the various
bio-systems on the property in addition to
the cavern that is the main attraction,
providing an over view of the natural
history, and the forces that created these
old Ozark mountains.
The
400 acres property is a virtual cornucopia
of geological phenomena, with 10 known
caverns, numerous sinkholes, a spring,
losing streams and other features common
to Missouri's Karst geology. The eco-tour
takes a look at these sub tereranian
drainage systems as well as passing by
examples of all of the surface bio systems
found in the United States. From the tour
of Powell Cave to viewing ridge top
glades, those folks taking the eco-tour
will see the beauty of the natural Ozarks
and learn how amazingly fragile these
diverse systems really are. After viewing
the Ozarks underground, then walking under
the forest canopy along trails that pass
by springs and other geological features,
the tour guide then takes you to the top
of a forty foot lookout tower to get a
bird's eye view of the Ozark's topography
above the tree tops, which promises to be
breathtaking when the leaves of the trees
are in their colorful fall glory.
Those
of us here at The Message Tree,
congratulate the staff at Talking Rocks
for their vision of sharing the beauty of
their little piece of the Ozarks with the
rest of the world and their efforts
educate the public as to how important it
is to preserve and protect our natural
heritage. So why not take a day off this
fall, drive out to Talking Rocks and
witness for yourself, the best of God's
natural handiwork, both below and
aboveground.
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A
panoramic view of the Ozark
Mountains can be seen from the
top of the tower on Talking Rocks
Eco-tour.
Photo
courtesty of Talking Rocks Cavern
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The
power and artistry of nature can
be overwhelming...
Beneath
the rolling hills of southwest
Missouri lies a treasure in
crystals and an adventure for
your entire family. Located amid
a 400 acre nature preserve,
Talking Rocks Cavern and Natural
Adventure Park is a treat for the
senses for young and old alike.
Guided 45 minute cave tours take
you down and around on an "up
close and personal" tour of one
of "Missouri's Most Beautiful
Caves".
From
your first glimpse of the awe
inspiring 100 foot tall Cathedral
built by nature, to the massive
crystal draperies that glow like
warm honey as light peeks
through...you will feel like you
just stepped into a whole new
world.
The
power and artistry of nature can
be overwhelming as you explore
this incredible cave. Tours are
led by knowledgeable guides that
really love sharing the cave and
all its secrets with our
guests.
Bring
your family, your camera, and
your sense of adventure and let
us supply the adventure. Above
ground or below, the people are
friendly, the view is gorgeous
and the memories will last
forever. Come spend a few hours
or spend the whole day, and see
for yourself!
For
more information on Talking Rocks
Cavern, see their website
at;
http://www.talkingrockscavern.com/
Or call
1-800-600-CAVE
THIS
SECTION FROM TALKING ROCKS
BROCHURE 2003
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