Magdefrau
08-06-2006, 03:00 PM
My last week of vacation was as fun as I hoped. We lefted late in the afternoon. Roaring River State Park in Missouri is two hours West North of Harrison, Arkansas. It lays on the East side of a large platto in the Ozark Mountains. The spring churns out 20 million gallons a day, cold, clear and fast. Some time ago before my mother inlaw senoir class visited the park in the forties the CCC built a trout farm there. The Missouri park system runs a world class resort here now. The RV sites are nice. No sewage or water hook ups. Most have electricity. Our TM did fine. Each morning I spent time carring water to the holding tank, then empty the sewage into a blue holding tank to carry to the dump sight. Three trips with the 7 gallon jug did fine for the water, Three trips with the 5 gallon sewage blue tank did it for that. Because of the distance to the dump statation I would carry the blue tank as we went to differant activities. To lessen this chore we took showers in the park's shower house, they are very clean. Each night the park service had a nature program at the ampertheater. Twice we when on hikes. Yes, it was hot, so we carried several bottles of water from the cooler. One afternoon we swam in their pool. That was very cooling. Each evening we engaged ourselves in a hot game of cards. Though simple these games were loud and very fun. Certainly, the day my son and I awoke at 5am to fish for trout was my best day. In all we caught eight trouts from the stream that wanders through this valley that makes up this park. Only five made it back to the camp. Each were roaster over the evening camp fire. The tag to fish was $10 for us both, the wife and daughter elected not to fish. I think they did girl stuff, we didnot ask. They were happly to miss the fishing thing. The park has a fancy lodge with restraunt and trout pro shop. Every evening the hatchery staff restock the stream with 2.5 trout for each tag sold the day before. I will tell my friends how the numbers work out the best, be there first thing, 6:30am, when the whisle blows. And do not be afraid to fish the fly only section. The fish are stocked evenly so the fly section has both more fish and bigger fish than the bait allowed section. Most fish are caught in the early morning indirect light. If luck misses your group go to the logde and eat a trout lunch. Because of all the fish there are a lot of racoons to be seen at night. Keep the food picked up in the car and camper. Wal-Mart is not far in Cassvile, so it is easy to get resupplied. We saw a horse trail operated by the park, however, my children elected not to ride horses. One evening my son and I waded in the stream. We rebuilt a rock wall across the banks. This was a fun thing that the kids seem to all end up at the water to do. Some had floating pool rafes that they shot the rappeds with, after taking some time to clear a path of stones. There was another TM at the park, they stop by and talked. All summer we have seem as many TM's as any other brand. At fourteen dollars a night it was a steal. The park gave us a free pass for another night so we staied an additional night. What a great time with the family. The long week long trips are over for untill next summer. But, my wife was planning a weekend trip latter this fall. I have spent time this weekend picking up and cleaning the TM. However I'm not putting it up yet!