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Sunklands Conservation Area

Driving Directions

Sunklands Conservation Area is eight miles north of Highway 17 on Route K, then one mile down Route KB. Watch for an area sign at the junction of Route KB and MDC Trail 360. The area can also be accessed by driving north of Eminence on Highway 19, then one mile west on County Road 19-324. Watch for the area sign.

Highlights

This is a predominantly forest area with savanna and glades. Facilities/features: Sunklands Natural Area, numerous small streams, and permanent stream (Current River).

About This Area

Few regions today preserve the wild and natural beauty of the Ozarks as well as Sunklands. Sunklands Conservation Area combined the former Sunklands-Burr Oak Basin Natural Area and Skunk Pond, Hartshorn, and Shannondale conservation areas with Kerr-McGee land.

Sunklands is valuable for its array of native plant and animal species. The area is the only known habitat in Missouri for monkshood, a showy purple wildflower.

Several upland ponds or sinkholes contain water and form a marshy area. The wetlands are rare and important homes to salamanders and other amphibians that require a fish-free habitat.

General Information

Region: Ozark

Counties: Shannon

For more information call: 573-226-3616

Status: Owned by MDC

Additional Information: Area Manager can be contacted at the Eminence Work Office. Normal office hours are 8:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday. A map of the Lower Ozarks which includes Sunklands CA is available at the Eminence Work Office on Hwy. 19 north of Eminence.

Activities
Activity (Activity Explanations)	Comments (Population Definition)
Bird Watching	Forest interior species. Get the Missouri Audubon Conservation Area Bird List.
Camping - Primitive Area	No amenities provided.
Camping - Walk-in/Float-in/Backpack	Seasonal closures may apply.
Fishing - Bass	Good population. Current River
Fishing - Goggle-eye	Fair population. In the Current River
Fishing - Other	Good population. Suckers in the Current River.
Fishing - Trout	Fair population. Barren Fork below Twin Springs (Blue Ribbon Area)
Hiking	No designated trails, but good hiking opportunities along interior access trails and service roads.
Hunting-Deer	Good population.
Hunting-Dove	Fair population. Variable opportunity in open fields and managed fields. Check with area manager.
Hunting-Quail	Fair population. Variable opportunities in managed fields, glades and woodlands. Check with area manager.
Hunting-Rabbit	Fair population.
Hunting-Squirrel	Good population.
Hunting-Turkey	Good population.

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Conservation Department Facilities
Facility Item	Name	Count	Comments
Fire Tower	Hartshorn Fire Tower	1
Fire Tower	Shannondale Fire Tower	1
Parking Lot		4	The southeast parking lot located 1.5 miles north of Ink, MO on County Road 325. To access west parking lot, take Hwy. K to County Road K-B and parking lot is located .2 miles east on MDC road 360. The east parking lot is located one mile west of Hwy. 19 on County Road 324.The Harrison Tract parking lot is .5 mile from Hwy. CC on County Road 19-258.

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Features
Feature Item	Name	Count	Size	Comments
Designated Natural Area	Sunklands Natural Area	1	5746.00 acres	Additional natural area acres include: 36 acres owned by Frank B. Powell Lumber Co., Rolla; 63 acres owned by The Nature Conservancy; and 450 acres owned by the National Park Service. (Total designated natural area acreage = 6,295). For more information, visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/natareas/p122-1.htm.
Fishless Pond		31	5.00 acres
Spring	Twin Springs	1	7109485.71 # gallons per day	11 CFS/day
Stream - Intermittent	Low Gap Hollow	1	0.50 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Conway Hollow	1	0.70 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Brushy Hollow	1	0.30 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Broad Shoal Hollow	1	0.60 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Jones Hollow	1	0.90 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Wilhite Hollow	1	1.40 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Fillchew Hollow	1	0.10 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Dugan Hollow	1	0.10 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Sugar Tree Hollow	1	0.60 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Patterson Hollow	1	0.40 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Patton Hollow	1	0.50 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Little Field Hollow	1	1.40 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Mill Hollow	1	0.80 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Sugarcamp Hollow	1	0.20 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Hay Creek	1	0.70 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Sumac Valley	1	1.80 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Lewis Hollow	1	3.00 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Hieronymus Hollow	1	2.10 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Boyds Creek	1	5.20 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Pigeon Roost Hollow	1	1.30 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Wallace Hollow	1	0.90 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Carr Hollow	1	1.50 miles
Stream - Intermittent	McHenry Hollow	1	2.20 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Logfield Hollow	1	1.10 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Ink Hollow	1	0.30 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Wolf Hollow	1	3.00 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Fishtrap Hollow	1	0.30 miles
Stream - Intermittent	River Hollow	1	0.50 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Footlog Hollow	1	1.40 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Big Hollow	1	0.20 miles
Stream - Intermittent		34	38.00 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Grassy Hollow	1	1.50 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Click Hollow	1	0.90 miles
Stream - Intermittent	Stick Shoal Hollow	1	0.60 miles
Stream - Intermittent	George Hollow	1	1.20 miles
Stream - Permanent	Sinking Creek	1	0.29 miles
Stream - Permanent	Current River	1	2.60 miles
Stream - Permanent	Barren Fork	1	1.45 miles	Blue Ribbon Trout Stream. Two access points. Upper near Twin Springs, Highway 19 north of Eminence, East 3 miles on Highway A, South on County Road AD at Chrisco Cemetary. Lower area on the Harrison Tract 1/2 mile from Hwy. CC on County Road 258.