Last updated: March 18, 2021
Place
Blue Spring-Current River
NPS Photo
Quick Facts
Amenities
5 listed
Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto, Picnic Table, Restroom, Toilet - Vault/Composting
Contributing a staggering 90 million gallons of water daily to the Current River, Blue Spring ranks 6th largest in the state of Missouri. Once called the “Spring of the Summer Sky”, it displays a vivid deep blue color that is attributed to its depth and mineral content. The color changes hue based on storm run-off and amount of available light penetrating its surface. At 310 feet it is the deepest spring in the state.
For perspective, the Statue of Liberty could be placed in the spring and only her torch would be visible above the surface. Early surveyors tried to measure the spring by tying an anvil to a rope and lowering it down into the spring’s depths. At a certain point, pressure caused the anvil to hover rather than sink further, so surveyors kept feeding vast amounts of rope and concluded the spring was bottomless. The 17-acre area around the spring is designated as a Missouri Natural Area for its outstanding biodiversity and aesthetic beauty.
This natural area is managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation, while the Current River and surrounding area are administered by the National Park Service, as part of Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
For perspective, the Statue of Liberty could be placed in the spring and only her torch would be visible above the surface. Early surveyors tried to measure the spring by tying an anvil to a rope and lowering it down into the spring’s depths. At a certain point, pressure caused the anvil to hover rather than sink further, so surveyors kept feeding vast amounts of rope and concluded the spring was bottomless. The 17-acre area around the spring is designated as a Missouri Natural Area for its outstanding biodiversity and aesthetic beauty.
This natural area is managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation, while the Current River and surrounding area are administered by the National Park Service, as part of Ozark National Scenic Riverways.