At Cover Prairie Conservation Area, a pronounced karst field with numerous sinkholes shapes the landscape. Carman Springs offers a different setting: ten miles of high-quality Ozark streams run through narrow valleys with steep slopes. There are also sandstone and dolomite bluffs, ranging from shallow overhangs to 60-foot-high rock walls. The landscape contrasts in its features: sinkholes take center stage at Cover Prairie, while streams, valleys, and rock walls define Carman Springs.
Hiking Trails and Nature Watching
Tingler Prairie has three hiking loops: the Prairie Trail, the 0.5-mile Sinkhole Pond Trail, and the 1-mile Woodland Trail. Sinkhole Pond Trail is half as long as Woodland Trail; the Prairie Trail adds a third option alongside the two trails with stated distances. Tingler Prairie’s sinkhole ponds provide habitat for amphibians and dragonflies. Dean Davis Conservation Area has a 1-mile hiking trail and an archery range. Upland game species such as rabbits, quail, deer, turkeys, and squirrels live there.
Georgia White Walking Park has a 2.4-mile paved trail in the center of town. It is more than twice as long as the trail at Dean Davis. Its length, surface, and central location give you concrete points of reference for comparing the two trails. Willow Springs Walking Trail is located at 812 E Main.
Waterways in Howell County
The Eleven Point River offers a geographic point of reference: it rises near the town of Willow Springs in northeastern Howell County. White Ranch Conservation Area covers 6,614 acres in Howell County. The main area has White Ranch Lake and a gravel boat ramp; fishing is available on the South Fork of the Spring River and in the impoundment at Trail #4. Fishing opportunities are therefore spread across a river stretch and an impoundment. Check facility conditions before setting out.
The Carrick W. Davidson - Robert G. Paris Wildlife Area presents a different picture of ponds: it includes a two-acre pond and three smaller ponds. The area was managed for wildlife conservation, especially quail. Along with the habitats around Tingler Prairie’s sinkhole ponds, this illustrates the difference between specific pond measurements and the groups of animals supported there: Tingler Prairie is home to amphibians and dragonflies, while the area’s past management at Carrick focused particularly on quail.
Culture in West Plains
The theater at West Plains Civic Center offers a broad range of events, with touring comedians, magicians, and singers from various genres, as well as ballet and stage productions. It seats up to 450 people. The program combines performances by individual artists with different types of stage productions, while the capacity offers a concrete measure of the theater’s size.
Harlin Museum is also in West Plains, at 405 Worcester Ave., West Plains, MO 65775. The museum and theater offer two different cultural experiences in town: a museum visit and a varied stage program.
Discover more destinations: West Plains, Willow Springs, Mountain View, Putnam County, Daviess, Andrew County, Bates County, Audrain.
For the overview of the wider region: Missouri.
