Current River
Regions of the Ozarks & Ouachitas
Missouri Department of Conservation

Started back in 1937, the Missouri Dept of Conservation was formed by concerned citizens of the state who wanted to restore, conserve and regulate Missouri's over-exploited natural resources, specifically the fisheries, forests and wildlife populations. The Conservation Department administers over 975,000 acres within the state, with around 63% of those lands being forest covered.

Here, you will find an ever-growing collection of areas found within the Ozarks of Missouri. While many of these areas are forested acres, others include prairies, creek and river accesses, historic sites, fish hatcheries and Nature Center/Visitor Centers. Listed below, the areas are separated by region.

Click on each area for more info

    Southwest Region


  1. Barn Hollow Natural Area
  2. Bennett Spring Fish Hatchery
  3. Bicentennial Conservation Area
  4. Bois D'Arc Conservation Area
  5. Boston Ferry Conservation Area
  6. Buffalo Hills Natural Area
  7. Busiek State Forest & Wildlife Area
  8. Caney Mountain Conservation Area
  9. Chesapeake Fish Hatchery
  10. Compton Hollow Conservation Area
  11. Davis (Dean) Conservation Area
  12. Drury-Mincy Conservation Area
  13. Fort Crowder Conservation Area
  14. Grundy Memorial Wildlife Area
  15. Henning (Ruth & Paul) Conservation Area
  16. Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area
  17. Lead Mine Conservation Area
  18. Little Sac Woods Conservation Area
  19. Midvale Conservation Area
  20. Patrick Bridge Access
  21. Pilot Knob Conservation Area
  22. Pleasant Hope Conservation Area
  23. Rippee Conservation Area
  24. Roaring River Conservation Area
  25. Roaring River Fish Hatchery
  26. Shannon Ranch Conservation Area
  27. Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery
  28. Springfield Conservation Nature Center
  29. Talbot (Robert E.) Conservation Area
  30. Tingler Prairie Conservation Area
  31. Vanderhoef Memorial State Forest
  32. Wire Road Conservation Area
  33. Woods (Walter) Conservation Area

    34. Southeast Region


  34. Amidon Memorial Conservation Area
  35. Angeline Conservation Area
  36. Apple Creek Conservation Area
  37. Bootleg Access
  38. Cape Girardeau Conservation Campus Nature Center
  39. Cape Woods Conservation Area
  40. Castor River Conservation Area
  41. Gipsy Towersite
  42. Grassy Towersite
  43. Hickory Canyons Natural Area
  44. Hughes Mountain Natural Area
  45. Huzzah Conservation Area
  46. Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area
  47. Lake Girardeau Conservation Area
  48. Lon Sanders Canyon Conservation Area
  49. Miller Community Lake
  50. Millstream Gardens Conservation Area
  51. Montauk Fish Hatchery
  52. Peck Ranch Conservation Area
  53. Perry County Community Lake
  54. Pickle Springs Natural Area
  55. Rocky Creek Conservation Area
  56. University Forest Conservation Area
  57. Valley View Glades Natural Area
  58. Young Conservation Area

    59. Central Region


  59. Bagnell Dam Access
  60. Ben Branch Lake Conservation Area
  61. Big Buffalo Creek Conservation Area
  62. Camdenton Conservation Service Center
  63. Engleman Woods Natural Area
  64. Fiery Fork Conservation Area
  65. Gale (Larry R.) Access
  66. Harriman Hill Access
  67. Helds Island Access
  68. Honey Creek Access
  69. Long Ridge Conservation Area
  70. Lost Valley Fish Hatchery
  71. Mansfield (Alice Hart) Conservation Area
  72. Maramec Spring Fish Hatchery
  73. Meramec Conservation Area
  74. Osage-Tavern Access
  75. Painted Rock Conservation Area
  76. Prairie Home Conservation Area
  77. Runge Conservation Nature Center
  78. Scrivner Road Conservation Area