Greer Spring, Second largest spring in Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri, US
Greer Spring is a large natural spring in the southern part of Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. The water flows out of the ground and travels along a short branch before joining the Eleven Point River.
Native American tribes used this water source for many centuries before European settlers arrived and built a mill along the branch fed by the spring. The land eventually came under federal protection as part of the national forest system.
The spring sits within a section of Mark Twain National Forest designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1970. Visitors standing near the water outlet can observe the rock formations that shape how the water pushes through the ground.
A trail starting from Highway 19 leads through the forest to a viewing area near the spring outlet, covering about 1 mile (1.6 km) with no steep sections. Early morning visits tend to offer the clearest view of the water and the most time without other visitors nearby.
The water coming out of the spring stays at a nearly constant temperature of around 57 degrees Fahrenheit (14 degrees Celsius) year-round, which makes it an unusual habitat for a coldwater crayfish species found in high numbers nowhere else in the region. This steady cold is also why the water looks so clear even in the middle of summer.
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