This Epic Mountain In Missouri Will Drop Your Jaw
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Stephanie Butler
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Located in southern Washington County, Hughes Mountain and the Hughes Mountain State Natural Area covers 462 acres and reaches an elevation of just over 1,200 feet. Hughes Mountain is in the St. Francois Mountains range of The Ozarks, just south of the Big River. It is best known for the geological wonder nicknamed Devil’s Honeycomb, which can be found on the mountain’s highest point.
The Hughes Mountain area was originally settled by John Hughes and his family around 1810. The mountain was named after this family yet remained public land until 1861 when it was purchased by Mahlon Hughes, John Hughes’ son.
It remained in the Hughes family until it was purchased by the Missouri Conservation Commission in 1982. It was at that time that it became designated a State Natural Area.
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Wanderers access Hughes Mountain State Natural Area by a 1.4 mile linear/loop trail. The trail head is located in a small parking area on Highway M, three miles east of Irondale.
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The natural area is made of up about 2/3 forest land containing three types of forests, and about 1/3 glades. The glades are natural openings on western or southern slopes and are covered with native grasses and wildflowers.
Following the trail will lead you to an outcrop of Precambrian columnar jointed rhyolite, a geographic wonder nicknamed the "Devil’s Honeycomb."
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The granite and rhyolite rocks of these mountains formed 1.485 billion years ago during the Proterozoic Eon when the area was volcanically active. Extrusive rhyolite fractured into vertical joints when it cooled, and polygonal columns were created.
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This collection of columns on Hughes Mountain have from four to six sides and are up to three feet tall. They are named the Devil’s Honeycomb because when they are viewed from above they resemble a honeycomb.
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Hughes Mountain Natural Area is 11 miles south of Potosi on Route 21, then five miles east on Route M. The parking lot is on south side of road, 200 yards east of Cedar Creek Road (CR 541).
Let’s wander up the Devil’s Honeycomb Trail, courtesy of this video by High-powered Planet…
Let’s wander up the Devil’s Honeycomb Trail, courtesy of this video by High-powered Planet…
Have you seen the Devil’s Honeycomb in person? Would you like to? While Hughes may not be Missouri’s most popular mountain, it is definitely very special and the Devil’s Honeycomb is a natural geological wonder.
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