Missouri’s Most Underrated Fairy Tale Forest You Need to Visit

Hidden deep within the utterly incredible Mark Twain National Forest is a little slice of paradise that's unlike any other part of the great state of Missouri. This entire state is surreal, unlike any other state in the union, but this little corner is comparable to something like Middle Earth. It's impossible to overstate the magnificence - and even the most breathtaking photos don't do it justice.

Welcome to Greer Spring. Greer Spring is more than just Missouri's second-largest spring - it's also home to some of the oldest-growth forests in the state.

You can access Greer Spring via its namesake Greer Spring Trail. It is one of the most incredibly beautiful places in Missouri. It truly looks and feels like something from a landscape painting or perhaps a world-class photographer's lens. The trail is just 1.7 miles long and is rated as moderately challenging. It is, by far, the best way to explore this incredible landscape if you ask me.

It's not just the beauty of this area that makes the landscape so incredible; it's also the unimaginable age and wisdom of the trees here. Here, you'll find hickory, oak, and maple trees exceeding more than 200 years of age - many of them are even older than 250 years. In fact, the entire forest in this area is thought to be anywhere from 150 to 250 years of age, and if that isn't one of the most mind-blowingly cool fun facts about Missouri, I don't know what is.

With an impressive daily flow of 220 million gallons of water, Greer Spring is Missouri's second-largest spring (behind aptly named Big Spring, which has a daily flow of 286 million gallons). All Missourians should visit the spring at least once, and if you're visiting, you need to try and make time to check it out - it's easily some of the most beautiful scenery in Missouri you can possibly experience.

If anyone ever asked you to describe the most fairy-tale perfect forest there is in all of Missouri, I wouldn't be shocked at all to learn that most folks would answer "Mark Twain National Forest." It's truly a jaw-dropping region with 1.4 million acres of amazing landscapes located in the southern half of the state; I truly cannot express enough just how beautiful this place is, and it truly feels like something from a dream more than a lil' ol' forest in Missourah.

For more information about the incredible hiking trail leading to this magical forest wonderland, check out the official Greer Spring Trail AllTrails listing. If you're planning to visit Missouri and hope to explore this region, stay at the adorable Comfort Green Hotel in Thayer, and you'll be close to just about everything.

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