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| Lake of the Ozarks Chapter of Missouri Master Naturalists are "Home" in a Wilderness Area
The practical definition of wilderness is simple: no roads, no structures, no vehicles, no machinery including chainsaws. The list of allowed activities include: hiking, hunting, backpacking, horseback riding, canoeing/kayaking, fishing, and camping. In Missouri we are fortunate to have 8 outstanding wilderness areas. Seven of the areas are part of the Mark Twain National Forest and one area (Mingo) is part of the US Fish and Wildlife Refuge. The Forest Service has maps and trail descriptions on their web site. www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/mtnf/specialplaces.
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| There are 8 Wilderness Areas in Missouri
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1944 under the authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act as a nesting and wintering area for waterfowl and other migratory birds supported and recognized by the Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area. The refuge supports bird species and habitats that are of conservation priority. It is also for the preservation of bottomland hardwood forest and contains 21,592 acres and lies in a basin formed in an ancient abandoned channel of the Mississippi River.
Mingo Swamp reminds us of how southeast Missouri was covered by cypress-tupelo swamps 200+ years ago. It is located in Stoddard County north of Puxico on Highway 51. Our group stayed at Lake Wappapella State Park for the weekend which is about a 45 minute drive to Mingo.
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| First stop - Visitor's Center.
On this weekend, Mingo was hosting family friendly activities at the Visitor's Center from 9 AM to 2 PM that included an Original Duckumentary movie, Guided Boardwalk Hikes with a refuge volunteer, Owl Program to learn about the Owls of Mingo and even dissect an owl pellet, The Monarch: A Butterfly Beyond Borders movie, and finally Watkins Wildlife Rehab Program learning about wildlife rehabilitation and meet a resident animal from Watkins Wildlife Rehab.
Our group of 28 Naturalists scattered into smaller groups. I went on the Boardwalk Hike and saw most of the Rehab Program. Because of this special event, canoe rental was free! Many in our group brought their own kayaks but I left mine at home this trip because I didn't know what I was getting into and the canoe opportunity was a way for me to keep up my skills which are a lot more work than a kayak, I believe, because you have two people instead of one to coordinate the efforts. I also had the opportunity to be the "driving force" for a member of our group that had little to no experience.
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| My canoe partner for this trip, Kay, and frequent kayak companion for many trips, Kathy, check out the map for the Boardwalk Hike. |
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| Boardwalk Trail
I think the Boardwalk Trail was a couple miles including the spurs off the main trail. It was fun to go in different groups as we would meet up and hear about what they saw and then backtrack so as to not miss anything interesting. Some areas were solid ground and some were not…best to stay on the walkway especially with all the fallen leaves covering up what may be underneath!
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One of the spur areas off the main trail has a bridge over an old drainage ditch.
Jodi and Bill's campsite at Wappapella State Park for a good breakfast before we left and late supper at the end of a long day.
After the hike and/or programs, everyone eventually ended up at the covered pavilion near the Visitor's Center for lunch. Jodi and Bill were the ones that organized this trip and had done a great job keeping everyone included and informed and fed. We all split the costs for the meals we had together and several people brought food to share. Some of the food included biscuits & gravy, sandwiches, elk sausage & cheese, Sloppy-Joe's, and large quantities of cookies, chips, dump cakes, and I'm sure I missed some because one can only eat so much! Breakfast was over a campfire at Bill and Jodi's campsite before we left for Mingo and again for a late supper when we got back. They even had a pot of soup ready as everyone came into the camp group Friday night! I'm guessing they've done this a few times. I hinted after the weekend was over that now we have one down and 7 more wilderness areas to go...I think it may be in the works!
We had time after lunch to check out most of the Rehab Program before we had to meet up with Peter, our US Fish and Wildlife guide in the swamp. We all stayed relatively close together and Peter would gather us when he had something interesting to tell us. Since there was no current, paddling was constant unless you wanted to be still…which is probably not the best idea in a swamp for very long!
Below are some of the highlights of photos I took while paddling the canoe with Kay. Many more photos didn't come out as it was drizzly and too dark in areas. A few are from my friend, Amelia, who shared some photos she took of me. At the end of this article, I have a musical album you can click on to see more photos.
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| The Naturalists on on their way through the swamp - photo from Amelia |
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| I'm the one in the denim hat up front - photo from Amelia |
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| Misty Swamp - notice the cypress trees many of which have turned a rusty red color along with the regular evergreen. |
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| Most of the water is covered with vegetation so one cannot see where you are going and it closes up right behind you. The swamps at Mingo are sometimes referred to as "black water." |
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| One of the wider areas of the swamp but still cannot see into the water but a few inches.
A couple of times, some creature rose up from the water enough to make our canoe move. I'm thinking it was an alligator gar or another large fish…the water being so murky that identification even at a few inches was difficult. This was the first time I had ever seen Bryozoans, better known as Moss Animals. I saw many of these interesting creatures. Some were as big as a basketball! They hung around near the surface under fallen trees. One time, some in our group spotted a poisonous water moccasin that was looking quite frisky. A couple of brave individuals keep their kayaks between everyone else and this snake until we all passed safely.
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| Cypress Trees |
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| Portage
One area was so full of fallen trees from either side and debris that portage was necessary. We all lined up to take turns having our empty watercraft maneuvered through a tight spot after we got out and stayed on shore. A couple of people stayed on shore the whole time and helped others until they could could get back into their watercraft all cleared from the debris. It was one of those times that patience competed with the feeling that staying still in one place too long was not the best idea!
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| Close-up of my hand in the vegetation on top of the water while I'm in the canoe. The whole experience was very organic! |
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| About 3 hours later we have reached the place where we had put in. I'm exhausted and ready to go back to camp! |
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| Our guide, Peter, empties his boots after helping everyone safely on shore.
What happens at the Swamp stays at the Swamp! Everything but the lovely organic aroma that comes from anything wet that we take back with us.
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| Cabin, sweet, cabin…no roughing it for me and Kay and several other "campers."
There are 8 cabins at Wappapella State Park that have all the comforts that are so very much appreciated! My primitive camping days ended at the turn of the new century after 30 years of appreciating nature from that perspective! There were also a few "camper cabins" that several used that just have electricity and few furnishings. They have to get water and restrooms/showers like the tent campers. Before we all got settled for the night, we spent the evening again at Jodi and Bill's campsite for a campfire cookout. A couple of people didn't go on the paddle trip and had everything ready when we got back. That was very much appreciated! Lots of desserts, beverages, and even some "glow sticks" were passed around for fun and everyone had a great time as long as they could stay awake on our last night together.
The next day everyone was on their own for breakfast and however long they wanted to stay in the area. Check out was 11 AM and that was long enough to get it together after sleeping late. We did hike along the water and in the woods close by to get the full experience of the changing colors and falling leaves. Our cabins were on a peninsula so the water was on three sides with a spectacular view all around!
But then there was the 4+ hour drive back home which is through Mark Twain National Forest along Highway 60. We stopped at the Current River in Van Buren for a nice lunch at the Float Stream Restaurant. It was on Main Street and a short walk to the river front….
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| Van Buren view of the Current River just off Main Street |
Just one more thing I want to share and that's something from one of my favorite actors (Jack Nicholson) in one of the best classic movies of my generation. The lead characters are sitting around a campfire reflecting on how fears drive some people to react negatively to others. The music in the album above is from that movie "Ballad of Easy Rider" by The Byrds. Here are the words that stayed with me and a clip from the movie, Easy Rider...
LiveLeak.com - Easy Rider-Jack Nicholson Opines on Freedom
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=197_1372893793#A7txfLTs0QuZ08cs.03
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"Oh no. What you represent to them is
freedom."
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"I mean it's really hard to be free when
you're bought and sold in the marketplace."
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"Of course, don't ever tell anybody they're
not free. Cuz they're gonna get real busy killing and maiming to prove
that they are."
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"Oh, yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and
talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a
free individual, it's gonna scare 'em."
"Swamp."
I believe this to mean that like the swamp and all that it represents, we would be better stewards of the land God has given us if we respect all life and whatever it needs to exist. Just because it is different than what we see as familiar and acceptable to us and marketable doesn't mean it has any less rights to exist. If we can't accept something different…just leave it alone and don't do anything to keep it from existing. This is real freedom. This is respect. This is "Swamp."
