@@waterrocketlab151 oh nice! Haven’t been there either. Sounds like it’s worth checking out. Elephant Rocks is probably the most prominent rock formations to play around at. Not really a hike though. It’s more of a state park, but still fun.
Love this trail. Low effort high reward. We like to take the family to devils honeycomb, elephant rock, and pilot knob all on the same day with a break at the Caledonia mercantile for ice cream and treats.
My mom lived in a tiny small home back in the late 40's. A house my grandfather built. Go down the back side of the mountain, cross a small river/stream and in those houses, next to Irondale. My mom used to climb that all the time and play with friends. They called it "Big Rock" back then. I haven't visited in a very long time. I fly-fished a few of those streams.
I visited a couple years ago, it’s quite an unusual place and worth the visit. The diversity of animals for such a small area is stunning. From what I recall I immediately heard then saw a golden-winged warbler in the scrubby area adjacent to the parking lot. Scorpion, eastern fence lizard, black racer, and a vivid southern (Osage) copperhead coiled In a pile of rocks up on top, Southern leopard frogs were also croaking in a wet trickle on the hillside. For anyone interested in geology, the rhyolite formations and barrens are a must see.
I love this place. Very unusual. The view from the top is one of the most spectacular in missouri. We also saw the big walking lizards. Can't remember the name
