Hiking Through Cypress Knees

We were all smiles when we woke up at Trail of Tears State Park.

There were some great views.

I found a mound at Towosahgy State Historic Site, a former fortified village and civic-ceremonial center for the Mississippian peoples who lived in southern Missouri between A.D. 1000-1400. Their largest city was Cahokia, in IL.

Things got real swampy on the boardwalk at Big Oak Tree State Park. Towering hickory trees and oaks form a canopy that averages more than 120 feet and marshes transport visitors back to when southeast MO was “Swampeast Missouri.”

I've always been fascinated by these cypress knees. They are little knobby things that grow out off the trees when they are in swamps, and their function is unknown. 

I am certain that this will remain one of my favorite parks. Who knew there were swamps in Missouri?

Built in 1860, the stately Bootheel mansion at the Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site in New Madrid, MO has 15 rooms with nine fireplaces and retains much of its original furniture.

Stopped to smell the flowers at Morris State Park near Campbell, MO. The park preserves a section of Crowley's Ridge, a unique geologic feature of southeast Missouri.

I like to mix in some town walks after so much hiking around in the woods. Cape Girardeau is a little river town that reminded me of a St. Louis that hadn't been as successful.

They had a really cool river wall with cool murals on it.

The views were waiting for us back at Trail of Tears.

Rude Toads and Raccoon Creepies

Today after work we drove down to camp at the very cheery sounding Trail of Tears State Park.

This rude toad wasn’t looking at me when I was talking to him at Trail of Tears State Park near Cape Girardeau. The park is on the site where nine Cherokee Indian groups crossed the Mississippi River during a harsh winter in 1838. 

By the time we set up camp it was getting dark, so rather than walk around in the dark we went on a little drive around the grounds.

There were a ton of raccoons creeping around.