Benjamin and I at the top of Taum Sauk Mountain
                 Taum Sauk Mountain Photo Album

With the start of a new year, I decided the time had come for a new adventure to another highpoint.  After kicking several ideas around, Taum Sauk Mountain in Missouri, at an elevation of 1772 ft. (41st highest), became my next target.  This worked out wonderfully for two reasons.

My son had been talking about playing in snow all December, and since I live on the Mississippi Coast, he does not have great odds of seeing it at home.  However, while out with a few people on New Year’s Eve, the weather forecast showed that Winter Storm Hercules threatened much of Missouri with snow.  The second reason this trip proved to be the right one is that my folks were able to go on another trip (they may be getting the bug..), and really, the more the merrier.

While on the way to our destination, my mom and dad got to take care of an achievement that they had ever accomplished, visiting the State of Illinois.

This provided one of the funnier moments of the trip as after we crossed the state line at Cape Girardeau, we had not only a sheriff from Missouri to pull up as I took pictures at the state line, but an Illinois state trooper did the same.  Who knew that taking pictures around 9 pm at a state line sign would cause so much interest?

My mom, dad, and Benjamin standing at the Illinois state line.

After getting to our hotel in Farmington, we settled in for the night, hoping to see snow the next morning.  Having lived in Mississippi my whole life, I’ve learned to be scarred when expecting snow.  So many nights, I went to bed looking out the window and never seeing a snow flake.  I braced my son for that same disappointment the next morning, but when he ran to the window the next day, snow covered the ground.

The drive to Taum Sauk State Park had quite a few points of interest that I would have loved to have visited along the way, but unfortunately, this would be a one-day up and next-day back trip.

Once getting into the park, reaching the highpoint does not pose much of a challenge.  The trail to the highpoint lasts about half a mile, and it is paved the whole way.  Beyond the highpoint lies the Mina Sauk Falls, which can be fantastic.  However, with temperatures around 14 degrees, and my son having already enjoyed time in the snow and becoming colder by the moment, the falls would have to wait until another trip.

We appeared to be the first people (due to the lack of tracks) to make the trek to the highpoint that morning.  Something about that seems cool to me.  Also, watching my son play in the snow provided a bunch of joy. He enjoyed it before he started getting a bit too cold.

While this proved to be a very fast trip to one spot in the area, everything about the region screamed that a return trip is in order. With different trails, creeks, and waterfalls, I’m sure Taum Sauk makes for an awesome summer weekend.