Grand Gulf State Park (Missouri)

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The Grand Gulf State Park consists of a canyon with partially eingestürztem cave system, a rock bridge and a river with swallow holes. The 134 -acre State Park is located about 10 kilometers west of Thayer in 217 m altitude in Oregon County of the U.S. state of Missouri.

The limestone and dolomite rock of the old river cave system collapsed about 10,000 years ago over a length of over a kilometer, forming a 40 m deep, narrow gorge. The catchment area of ​​the Grand Gulf 51 km ² big and heavy rainfall can reach 30 m rise by then after a few weeks to reach the normal level of the water level in the gorge. In the gorge the water flows partially underground, forming a natural rock bridge that spans 61 m. Dyeing tests have shown that a majority of the water in the sip holes disappear in the gorge and caves 15 km southeast of Mammoth Spring Quelltopf of Mammoth Spring State Park again comes to light and can be detected there.

In 1971 the area was named a National Natural Landmark in 1984 and the State Park was established. Hiking trails lead over the rock bridge and through the woods along the edges of the canyon. A wooden viewing platform provides an overview of the gorge and over a wooden staircase on the steep walls, access to the bottom of the gorge was created. Overnight accommodations are not available in the park.