The Rebirth Of A Once Washed Away missouri State Park
Following A Terrible Destruction Of Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, A New & Improved Campsite Was Rebuilt To Include RV Sites & 50 Amp Hookups
Sometimes good things come from great disasters. Such is the case at Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, one of the most popular parks in the Missouri system. And campers and day visitors are reaping the rewards.
“In 2005, the reservoir above the park breached and 1.3 billion gallons of water came down,” Jeff Ayers, Natural Resource Manager at the park, tells The Buzz. “It destroyed pretty much everything.” The park’s campground, fortunately empty on that December day, was washed away. No lives were lost in what is locally referred to as “The Scour,” although the family of a ranger living onsite escaped by a miracle, found alive amid the rubble.
The Shut-Ins, a series of natural pools and waterfalls enjoyed by generations of locals, was buried. “There was lots of sediment, rock, rebar and concrete filling the whole area,” Ayers said.
The operator of the failed reservoir, AmerenUE, settled with the state and $103 million was earmarked for the clearing and rebuilding of the park’s infrastructure. It took four years to clear the Shut-Ins, but now, according to Ayers, they are back to normal. “It’s no different from in the past,” he says.
Ayers explains that the term shut-ins is basically another word for gorge. “The East Black River here is forced through a section of billion-year-old volcanic rock. Erosion smoothed the rock and formed a series of natural waterslides, potholes and little waterfalls,” he says. “None of the other state parks has anything like it. It’s unique.”
People have been coming to the Shut-Ins to cool off on hot summer days since the area was privately owned by the Johnson family, who moved here in the 1820s. Ayers says that visitors really picked up after the Shut-Ins became a state park in 1955. “We get 2500 to 3000 people a day on summer weekends,” he says. “We’re just close enough to St. Louis, about 2 hours drive, to get a big day use crowd.”
While the water features are the park’s major attraction, Johnson’s Shut-Ins has other interesting natural features as well, including a rare seep forest and fen. The 9-acre wetland, home of unique species including the Closed Bottle Gentian and Silky Willow, as buried in the Scour, but, Ayers says, has been cleared of rubble and is making a comeback.
The Scour itself, a broad swath of bare ground carved out by the flooding waters, has become an attraction in itself. “The water cut 30 to 40 feet deep in places, exposing the bedrock,” Ayers says. “We get a lot of geology groups going up into the Scour to see minerals you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to see on the surface.”
Another legacy of the 2005 disaster is the new Black River Center, a 10,000 sf visitor center that includes information about the reservoir breach and the area’s natural resources including trails and other features at Johnson’s Shut-Ins and adjacent Taum Sauk Mountain State Park. The two parks share the same management.
“Taum Sauk Mountain is the highest point in the state, at 1,772 feet,” Ayers says. “Lots of people come to climb it and enjoy the views.”
The Taum Sauk and Johnson’s Shut-Ins parks are connected by the Ozark Trail, a 200-mile route through southeastern Missouri designed for both hikers and equestrians. According to the Ozark Trail Association, the Taum Sauk Section is among the most popular, thanks to unique geological features such as Mina Sauk Falls and the Devil's Tollgate, not to mention the appeal of swimming in the Shut-Ins.
Jeff Ayers says that people camping at the Shut-Ins can take advantage of the unusual number state attractions close by. “Elephant Rocks State Park, a day use area, is just 12 miles away,” he says. “It has a 1-mile accessible loop trail past some really neat rock formations.”
The Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site, about 15 miles away, explores the history of the Civil War in Missouri, Ayers says. Other nearby state parks range from the Missouri Mines State Historic Site, telling the story of local lead mining, to St. Joe State Park, with miles of off-road vehicle trails.
The new campground at Johnson’s Shut-Ins makes a great home base for exploring the region, Ayers says. After being destroyed in the Scour, the facility has been completely rebuilt in a new location. “We held some public meetings and people said they weren’t comfortable with the camp being directly under the reservoir, in case of another breach,” he says. “So we moved it to a safer spot.”
The new and expanded campground can boast modern amenities including concrete pads and 50 amp hookups. “We have a loop of campsites for equestrian campers, in addition to full and partial hookups sites, walk-in sites and camper cabins - all brand new,” Ayers says.
“The settlement money paid for the new campground and visitor center, as well as all-new trails and overlooks, many accessible, and interpretive signage throughout the park,” he says. “Thanks go the 2005 disaster, we have lots of features that other state parks will never have.”
Renee Wright
A graduate of Franconia College in Social Psychology, Renee has worked as Travel Editor for Charlotte Magazine and has written three travel guidebooks for Countryman Press among other writing assignments. She enjoys food and camping.
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Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, where the wilderness qualities and geology of the State Park and the surrounding St. Francois Mountains make it a special place to visit. Its rugged character provides the perfect backdrop for camping, hiking & picnicking.