Most People Don’t Realize An Underground River Flows Right Through Arkansas
Whether waterfalls, bluffs, or forests, Arkansans are keen on knowing the best areas of natural beauty. You may be familiar with Mammoth Spring but did you know it connects to an underground river? This Arkansas anomaly makes for one trip that shouldn’t be missed.
Mammoth Spring is on the AR/MO state line, about 17 miles north of Hardy. It’s the largest spring in Arkansas (and 7th largest in the world).
Rainfall in southern Missouri is the spring’s main source of water. It seeps into the underground water table and flows into the main channel that becomes Mammoth Spring.
The spring of Mammoth Spring emerges 80 feet below the surface. Since the water stays a chilly 58° and flows at nearly 10 million gallons per hour, Mammoth Spring is the perfect spot for trout fishing and canoeing.
You can glimpse the underground river at Grand Gulf State Park in Missouri — just nine miles north of Mammoth Spring. Dubbed the 'Little Grand Canyon,' a collapsed cave reveals the underground channel.
Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
