Ozarks (Rural)
Big Spring is one of the country's largest springs
Big Spring is the county's signature natural feature and the practical anchor for visitors, but it sits inside a national park unit with its own management, so it is not an ordinary roadside park.
Just south of Van Buren, you’ll find Big Spring. It pushes out a huge, steady flow of cold water into the Current River. People often call it one of the largest springs in the United States. Big Spring is a karst spring. That means the water travels underground through dolomite, a kind of rock that slowly dissolves over time. Because of this, the water stays clear and cold all year. Its flow is so big that it is measured in millions of gallons a day. Big Spring sits inside the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, which is a National Park Service unit. So the federal government runs it, with its own access roads, day-use areas, and rules. It is not a county or state park. The simple tip: treat your Big Spring trip like a national-park visit. Before you go, check the latest National Park Service guidance for access, camping, and any seasonal closures.
Where to see it
- Big Spring
Use the National Park Service for access, hours, camping, and closure information.
References
More from Carter County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 15, 2026.