The Park.....Echo Bluff State Park is named for the largest sheer bluff feature of the property. Just below this geologic wonder is Sinking Creek, a crystal-clear Ozarks stream that serves as the second-largest tributary to the Current River. The 430-acre park will offer year-round opportunities for families and groups to experience the splendor of the Missouri Ozarks and the Current River. Including RV/camper sites and walk-in tent sites, additional features of the new year-round state park include cabins with modern amenities, picnic and event shelters of various sizes, an amphitheater with tiered seating and a dramatic natural backdrop, and eight miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking adventures including natural and manmade features to challenge all skill levels.
The Trails......Painter Ridge Trail is a designed for both hikers and mountain bikers. Signed in a clockwise direction of travel, the trail includes two loops. The trail’s route weaves through ravines, along waterfalls and around bluffs where it offers scenic opportunities, including an excellent view of Sinking Creek. The trail is moderate hiking with normal obstacles.
The Event......We will meet at the posted coordinates at 1:00 pm for a safety meeting and introduction to the park. This is the place to begin our socializing! Stories, tips, pointers, and trackables! We will then walk one loop to the lodge and then a different loop back. This should take about 2 hours. We can then relocate to one of the pavilions near the day-use area and I will provide and cook BBQ hamburgers and hotdogs. If you would like to bring a side dish, feel free to do so! Please post in your log whether you are providing a side and if it will be a dinner dish or dessert. I will have prizes available for the longest and shortest distance traveled to the event, the cacher with the most and least years in, the cacher with the most and least caches found, and door prizes as well!