Alley Springs and Jacks Fork River

I always enjoy coming to Alley Springs.  It's so pretty.  But when I was last here in 2013, it was flooding and we were required to evacuate the campground.  Today, the water levels are in the normal range, even with all the rains this spring and flooding in Texas and Oklahoma, it hasn't reached Missouri (at least this part).

Alley Springs Mill

The Dairy Shak in town is always busy.  They got our business several times while we were in the area.  Hamburgers to hot dogs to ice cream.  They have it all.

This is Blue Springs and it is aptly named.  The water is so blue-green, it is amazing.  But this was my first time to see the spring.  

Below is what the trail looked like this year, May 2015.

This is what the trail looked like in May 2013.  Needless to say, we did not hike the trail back then.

Another indication of how badly it flooded in 2013.  Below is what the parking lot near Blue Springs looked like this May 2015.

Those are the same signs below as above.  Notice only a little of the signs are above water.  This was in May 2013.

Another place I love to go in the area is Rocky Falls.  Usually it is quite crowded with people, but it was cool and not many were around the day we were there.  

Back in 2013, again, the falls were so full, they wouldn't let anyone get near them because of the danger they posed.

And we did kayak the Jacks Fork River.  One of my favorites.  

  Usually we see the Great Blue Heron, but today, I saw this Green Heron.

Max caught me getting ready to shoot through one of the small set of riffles on the river.

We have passed this place before on our kayak trips, but today we went there after our kayak trip for a beer.  We had planned to grab a bite to eat too, but the kitchen had just closed.

No life jackets and they had problems downriver.  Notice this couple in the canoe have no life jackets on.  Well, down the river we found him on the shore with the canoe, trying to salvage their few belongings which had not been tied down.  She was still missing and we hadn't seen her as we came down the river.  A little worried, we stayed until she showed up.  She had ended up on the other side of the river when they tipped over, but she did grab the paddle.  Now she had to reenter the water and try to swim across and she wasn't a swimmer.  Luckily, she made it safely across, no harm done other than a little scared.   

The rest of the float down the river we kept scooping their beer cans out of the water.  Did you know that unopened cans of beer float?  I didn't, but now I do.