Missouri Ozarks: Grand Gulf State Park

I have some more photos from my lovely wife, for they took another trip into Missouri, but only a short one this time:

"Today after church, Grandma Gaye took us to Grand Gulf in Missouri, 45 minutes away from Salem."

Here's the official information on Grand Gulf (and just click the photos to enlarge):


Grand Gulf is truly extraordinary -- a mile-long boxed-in canyon formed millions of years ago when a dolomite cave system collapsed. I visited the place before it was a state park, as it's only a few hundred yards from the Arkansas state line, and I hiked down into the sinkhole with my youngest brother John . . . about 200 feet down, roughly. The water that gushes down into that sinkhole emerges again at Mammoth Spring several miles away, but mixed with an enormous amount of other water. Speaking of which:

"We drove through Mammoth Spring, actually we made a stop there and had our picnic lunch."

Faithful readers will recall that my family and I made a trip to Mammoth Spring in February 2008, and the force of that spring's water can be seen in the second photo of my Ozark photoblog. But no need to wander down paths of nostalgia when we can lose ourselves in the present:

"Grand Gulf was a nice place to look out [into] and to hike [down into]. I took some pictures."

Yes, and here is a photo of the charming scenery:


Oops . . . that was our dynamic, intrepid duo. Here's the scenery:


Actually, that's merely some scenery . . . and note that the distances are deceiving and rather deeper than they may appear. Here's the stream, and if this is where I think it is, the bottom is about 200 feet down:


I believe that this is where the sinkhole is located, the lowest point, where I descended with my brother John (though this might be where the stream flows under a natural bridge). Sun-Ae, the kids, and my mother must have gone down, too:

"We went down on steps . . ."

And reached the bottom:


They there found a waterfall . . . a trickling, spring-fed waterfall, falling soft like sprinkling rain:


En-Uk kept his distance, but others 'bravely' checked out the tiny spring's source -- a foolhardy thing to do, in my opinion, for the spot is probably slippery with moss and moisture:


But soon, like Prufrock, it was time to turn back and ascend the stair:


This ascent proved too much for Grandma Gaye:

"[A]nd coming up, Gaye got breathless, and it was hot for her, so she felt bad."

But there was still a trail to travel:


After which, Grandma Gaye was enervated:

"Coming home, she had to lie down and rest."

In the car, presumably. Nevertheless, a good time was had:

"Anyway, it was a nice short trip."

Yes, it is a nice short trip close to home . . . even though my brother Tim and I couldn't find the place in February 2008!

Finally, a note from my daughter, who wishes I were there:

Dear daddy, this is Sa-Rah. I only have one thing to say.

S. (Save me!)
O. (Or you'll be...)
S. (Sorry!!)

Okay? Help me...!!

Love, Sa-Rah

P.S. I miss you and Korean food....

She neglected to tell me what I'm supposed to save her from . . . too much fun, maybe, or too much American food?