Conor Watkins' Ozark Mountain Experience

Field Trip Guide to the
Geology, Scenery, And History of The Salem Plateau of the Ozarks
–In The Buckhorn, Dixon, and Rolla Areas
For The Fall 2003 MVOR hosted by MSM Spelunkers at Shriners Club, Buckhorn, MO - Oct 3-5, 2003
By Conor Watkins, University of Missouri - Rolla

Stop 6: Mill Creek And Kaintuck Hollow

The Mill Creek Recreation area of the Mark Twain National Forest is home to several hollows, springs, caves, and natural bridges/tunnels.  Kaintuck Hollow is just one location within the area home to a variety of neat features.

Kaintuck Hollow is thought to have formed when a massive system of caverns collapsed long ago.  A remnant natural tunnel and caves support this theory.  As with much of Phelps County, this is a Karst area where groundwater has dissolved rock to form caves, sinkholes, valleys, springs, sinking creeks, and other features associated with Karst.  The Kaintuck Natural Tunnel is located directly off one of the loops of the trail.  A small spring on the upstream end of the tunnel keeps the floor of the tunnel wet in a few places.  The tunnel is approximately 175 feet long and has a small cave in one side.  Wilkins Spring is also on one loop of the trail.  This spring flows at an average rate of three millions gallons per day and feeds a small rise pool and a two acre lake.  This area is available for trout fishing.

The Kaintuck Natural Tunnel is thought to be a remnant of a once larger cave system.
Additional Pictures: One, Two, Three, & Four

Mill Creek provides a suitable habitat for trout is now a managed fishery.
Additional Picture

The contact of the Gasconade Formation (dolomites) and the Roubidoux Formation (sandstone) is also located in this area as well as much of the area around Rolla.  The Roubidoux Sandstone is particularly interesting because sand ripples are still preserved in the rock.  One can still see the cross bedding in the rock which indicates how the sand was deposited before being lithified (turned into rock).  Ancient mud cracks are still present in places.  Many of these features can be seen on the Kaintuck Trail.  One whole section of the trail is covered with ancient ripple marks towards the northern section.  As the sandstone weathers along the ridge tops, it forms huge stairs in places.   This makes for a thrilling mountain bike ride on parts of the trail.  Both the Roubidoux and Gasconade Formations are Ordovician in geologic age.  The Roubidoux is younger and located above the Gasconade.

Kaintuck is misspelling and mispronunciation of “Kentucky” and the area is named after a small town that used to be nearby.  A nearby church is named “Kentuck” which is another misspelling.  These strange spellings/pronunciations are due to the fact that many Ozarkers lacked a formal education when these areas were settled.

While in the area, one might also want to visit Wilkins and Yelton Springs.  Wilkins Spring flows year round and has a relatively constant flow rate averaging 3 million gallons a day.  Wilkins Spring was once located on a large ranch before it was bought by the National Forest Service.  A large and impressive house with a stone chimney was once located at the property.  It was built of native sandstone and walnut timbers from the ranch.  The Forest Service sold the house to a private individual from Licking, MO who carefully dismantled the house and rebuilt it on a new foundation.

Conor next to Yelton Spring.  Yelton is highly intermittent and varies depending
on weather conditions.
It is flowing near its average rate in this picture.

Yelton Spring with no water flowing.
Picture of nearby foundation
Pictures of nearby well casing: One & Two
It is not the best idea to throw trash down wells as shown here.

Soon after the Forest Service bought the land along Mill Creek, it was found that trout could survive in the cool spring-fed waters.  The creek was stocked with trout and soon became a trout management area.

Yelton Spring is a semi-permanent spring that flows most of the time but is dry in drought periods.  Not even a drop will flow and no evidence of water can be seen during such times.  The Yelton Spring usually flows with an average flow of 3-4 million gallons per day but can have tremendous high flows after prolonged periods of heavy rain.  In recent years, rainfall has been lower and Yelton Spring has been dry most of the time.  As with Wilkins Spring,  Yelton Spring was also once privately owned and had a residence nearby. An old well casing is still visible on the site.  This shallow well was installed to provide water when the spring was dry.  Dye tracing has indicated that both of these springs are overflow from the conduit feeding Boiling Spring on the Gasconade.

DIRECTIONS - To Mill Creek And Kaintuck Hollow:

From Rolla, take I-44 west five miles to exit 179.  This exit is labeled “Newburg/Doolittle.”  Turn left on Highway T and drive through the town of Doolittle and then Newburg.  Follow all speed limits very strictly.  Newburg is a small town with a zero tolerance policy and enjoys ticket revenues.  Once through Newburg, Highway T turns right and crosses the Piney River.  Soon after, Highway P branches off to the right.  Take this road about three miles to County Road 7550, which is off to the left just before you climb a large hill.  This road is easy to miss so keep a good lookout.  Travel two miles until the next crossroads at the Mill Creek Camping/Picnic area.  The road to the right (FS 1576) runs through Kaintuck Hollow to the natural bridge and much of the trail.  The road straight ahead parallels Mill Creek and leads to Wilkins and Yelton Spring.  To get to Wilkins and Yelton Spring, one can take Count Road 7550 until it ends at Hwy AA, a paved road.  Turn left and follow to a Forest Service marker on the left.  Wilkins Spring can be reached by taking this gravel road.  To get to Yelton Spring, continue on Hwy AA until it turns to gravel and branches.  Turn left on a road that may be marked as Stevenson Rd.  Follow for a short while until Yelton Spring, which is also on the left.  One may also completely bypass County Road 7550 by continuing on Hwy P to Hwy AA which branches off to the left.

(C) 2004 by Conor Watkins