Cardareva State Forest

About Cardareva State Forest

Driving on rural highways in southeastern Missouri, you notice a lot of farmland. In the middle of this farmland in the East Prairie, the rest is still standing. Big Oak Tree State Park preserves the floodplains that once housed the early explorers of the state's breakwater region, and is known as an island of trees in a sea of agriculture.

The trees in this park are second to none in the state, with more than 1,000 species of trees and a total area of 1.5 million hectares.

Next to the trees, there are the wooded vines that thrive in the swampy land, and a promenade leads into the park, which offers access to a unique landscape in itself. An interpretation centre along the waterfront offers educational displays explaining the natural history of the parks.

The park is also a popular spot for bird watchers, as many of the birds are considered rare in the state, such as the Great Blue Egret, Blue Jay and Black-legged Frog.

Walking through the woods, visitors can take a look at Big Oak Tree State Park, one of the largest and most beautiful forests in the state. The Big Oak tree Forest in BigOak State Park is a remnant of an entire Missouri bothie that once covered an area of about 2,500 square miles.

A series of drainage channels facilitated the transformation of marshes, forests and agricultural land. A visit to the park will allow you to explore some of the most important habitats in the parks.

These include the Big Oak Tree Forest, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Big Oak Tree State Park is known as the Park of Champions, and several trees have the status of state champions due to their size. It is easy to find areas dominated by bare cypresses and areas dominated by oaks, as well as areas dominated by oaks. Family trees are measured in circumference, height, crown and spread, and due to their size some trees in the park are among the best in the world.

These numbers are inserted into a formula that generates a total score for each tree in the park, with a maximum score of 1,000 points for the tree and a minimum of 0.5.

These points are then used to determine which nominations are the biggest and best for each species. Currently, Big Oak Tree State Park has seven master trees and has been nominated over 1,000 times for its master tree in the past.

Two of the seven trees are national champions, and the national champion is 132 feet tall. The average height of the cocoa trees is 60 feet, but two of them are twice the average in New York State.

The cotton mouthnut, also known as the moccasin, has established itself in the park, as have many water snakes that are in and around the park. The animals that live in this park include deer, elk, elk, coyotes, foxes and many other species.

This park is an ideal location for many bird species and many migratory birds, including warblers, ducks and geese, can be observed during the walks in spring and autumn. Mississippi dragons can also be seen in summer, as can many other birds of prey such as owls, hawks, eagles and other bird species.

There are no entrance fees and the boat ramp is open year-round for controlled hunting and provides access to the river, stream, river and riverbank areas of Cardareva State Park and the lake.

Big Oak Lake offers 22 acres for fishing and is stocked with more than 1,000 pounds of trout, perch and other fish. The borrow pits surrounding the moat are also available for fishing and the borrow pits are equipped and open to the public for boat trips and fishing.

Ten picnic areas are scattered throughout the park and in each shelter there are two large grills with electricity and water. The accommodations are also available on the basis of the First - come, come - and - serve. Picnic shelters can be reserved for up to 30 days, but are not reserved and are only available for a limited number of days at a time for the duration of the day.

To make a reservation for a shelter, please call 573 - 748 - 5340 or contact the Cardareva State Forestry Information Office at (704) 574 - 547 - 3200.

The 1.5 km long footpath starts at one end of the picnic area and ends at the other end, and the brochure that is located by the wayside describes the various stops along the waterfront. The habitat will change from an oak forest to a cypress forest, from an oak to a deciduous forest that winds through the forest and passes two stately trees.

At this time the path leads down a flight of stairs and there is a rest area at the top of the stairs, just above the entrance to the park and just below the parking lot.

In summer, naturalists offer interpretative programs on various topics, guided tours of the park and educational activities for children and adults.

The Living History Day is one of the most popular events in the State Forest of Cardareva, which takes place on the second Saturday of September. In addition, it is possible to fulfill the requirements for the Junior Naturalist Badge.

There is music and discounts all day long, but no discounts for those who show up for the demonstration.