Ozarks
Clifty Creek hides a natural bridge in Maries County
Clifty Creek Conservation Area gives Maries County a rugged natural-bridge hike, with a hand-built loop trail and a dolomite arch over a creek tributary.
Clifty Creek Conservation Area gives Maries County a small “wait, really?” outdoor story. A tributary of Clifty Creek cut through Gasconade dolomite and left a natural bridge with a span of about 40 feet.
The trip is not a roadside overlook. MDC describes a scenic 2.5-mile loop trail from the parking lot to the natural bridge and back. The trail was finished in 2008, with help from conservation partners and volunteers who built it by hand.
That makes the place more memorable than a plain hiking listing. The feature is geologic, but the access story is local and practical: a moderate trail, a creek hollow, and a natural arch reached by foot in the wooded part of the county.
For visitors, the useful detail is simple. Wear decent shoes, bring water, and check MDC before going because conservation-area rules can change with seasons, hunting, camping, and access needs.
Where to see it
- Clifty Creek Conservation Area
Use MDC for directions, trail rules, maps, hunting seasons, and current area details.
References
Where this fits: this note belongs to Maries County. See every local note for the county on its page.