Grand Gulf State Park

The Grand Gulf State Park is a pawrific geological preserve that sits on 322 acres of land located in Oregon County in Missouri. What's so interesting about this park is that is was formed from a collapsed dolomite cave system. To access this park, you should drive about six miles west of Thayer, off Highway W. 

This park offers several attractions, including one of the largest natural bridges in Missouri. In fact, the park also goes by the name ‘Little Grand Canyon,’ because the Grand Gulf was created after the ceiling of the giant cave collapsed. The Grand Gulf is almost a mile long and about 130 feet deep with sheer sides. These features can be accessed using boardwalks and trails that the park has built to allow visitors to partly descend into the chasm. 

Another interesting feature in the park is a watershed about 28 square miles long that feeds into the Grand Gulf. This watershed drains into a cave entrance at the eastern end of the gulf. The exit of this watershed has been shown to be at Mammoth Spring in Arkansas, about nine miles away, and takes between one and four days to get from the entrance to the gulf to the exit point in Mammoth Springs.

Besides these attractions, the Grand Gulf State Park also offers visitors plenty of hiking and picnicking opportunities. Some of the amenities include several picnic sites and hiking trails that overlook scenic views in the park. 

Dogs are also allowed into the Grand Gulf State Park, although dog owners should be aware that they will be restricted from certain areas of the park. For example, dogs are not allowed into park buildings and only a maximum of two dogs are allowed in a campsite. Furthermore, dogs must always remain leashed and the leash should not be more than ten feet long.

For a unique outdoor experience that can't be found anywhere else, the Grand Gulf State Park may be just what the Pup ordered!