Not Johnson Shut-ins

August 14, 2017August 3, 2017 / Dan Feeherty / Leave a comment

Not Johnson Shut-ins. That’s what I had to say when I showed a couple of photos I took of Tiemann Shut-ins to a few friends. Most St. Louisans know about the epic swimming hole that is Johnson Shut-ins but not many people know about the other geological wonders that are Missouri’s lesser known shut-ins. I’ve been to the beautiful pink granite shut-ins of Castor near Fredricktown MO but this was my first trip to Tiemann Shut-ins, which are part of Millstream Gardens Conservation area. Surprisingly, for being lesser known they are very easy to get to. The Shut-ins are right off the highway and down a well maintained dirt road. You can either take the short walk down the paved path or drive a little farther to a little overlook. We walked down the path through the clearing and were absolutely amazed by the size of the shut-ins. They just seemed to stretch on forever in both directions. I immediately jumped down and started shooting! The water flowing through the smooth gray granite and the size of the boulders are photography playground. This State never ceases to amaze me. There are always new and wonderful places just waiting to be explored. Apparently they even do some white water kayaking through these shut-ins in the spring. We are truly lucky to have the amazing waterways and geological wonders right in our own backyard.

Tiemann Shut-ins at Millstream Gardens

Missouri Adventures

August 3, 2017 / Dan Feeherty / Leave a comment

All the time I think…wow I really don’t spend enough time enjoying the many parks and natural areas in Missouri. So, this year I made a promise to myself to go camping every month this summer. It’s easy to say you’re going camping but it’s another thing to reserve the site and get everything prepared. So starting in March I started reserving different sites for a few trips this summer. I also, put all my camping gear in convenient & organized adventure containers. So, all I have to do is throw everything in the car and go. That is of course after buying the much needed canned beer. So far I’ve been camping at Johnson Shut-ins, where a few friends & I hiked the 13 mile stretch of the Ozark Trail The weather was absolutely perfect for this day long hike and the rugged granite terrain made that beer taste real damn good once we finished. June brought two camping trips, the first to Montauk State Park for some trout fishing and floating on the Current river. The following week we ventured to Sam A. Baker for a one night of camping and some day hiking in the park and at Tiemann Shut-ins on the way home. July brought us down to Round Spring campground within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. We were lucky enough to pick the hottest weekend of the year, which made for some not so pleasant sleeping but made for a refreshing and beautiful float from Pulltite to Round on the Current.

So far I must say every trip has been great, each one offered something unique and different and showcased some of Missouri’s great State & National Parks. Everything from Missouri’s highest waterfall, unique granite shut-ins, famous trout parks and beautiful rivers. There have been many other weekends this year where I’ve visited parks just for the day but camping weekends offer so much more. They give you time to unplug and remove yourself from the everyday bullshit of life. They give me the opportunity to become closer to friends and family and give me lasting memories from the hottest of nights to the coolest rivers. Given all this, I am sure not finished for the year. I already have plans to camp at Echo Bluff this month & Montauk in September. I’m already counting down the days to my next Missouri adventure.

Pictured below are some shots from the 13 mile section of the Ozark Trail between Johnson Shut-ins & Taum Sauk Mountain.

Mina Sauk Falls Taum Sauk Mountain

Johnson Shut-ins

Ozark Trail

Always Chasing Waterfalls

July 7, 2017 / Dan Feeherty / Leave a comment

Don Robinson State Park opened in January and I’ve been 3 times since. It’s only about 45 minutes from downtown St. Louis, so its perfect for a quick day hike. This park features unique geological features including a sandstone canyon. Each of these 3 visits offered something unique because of Missouri’s crazy spring weather. The first was a beautiful Saturday in February and the warmest visit out of the three. The second was a last minute trip because of some late snow and the final visit was after the record rains in May. I knew there would be plenty of small waterfalls so I grabbed my camera and went chasing waterfalls. This visit did not disappoint! The minute we hit the trail we heard the water pouring down the hills and over the rocks and small cliffs. I always say the best time to visit the parks is when the weather isn’t ideal. You may leave muddy and wet but It gives you the opportunity to be out there alone and the opportunity to capture some unique images. These visits are always more memorable than the 70 degree sunny days. So get out there during those cloudy & rainy days this and chase the waterfalls.

Don Robinson State Park