Attractions at Treehouse Cabins and surrounding area

Missouri Attractions

World class hiking, fly fishing, bird watching, star gazing, float trips and hunting are just a few of the many attractions at Treehouse Cabins. There is plenty to see and do within walking distance of your lodging.

Or take a short drive to many attractions close by, like the Mark Twain National Forest, or several of Missouri’s Grist Mills. The Grand Gulf National Park and Mammoth Springs, Arkansas are also places you will want to visit on a day’s outing. Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum is approximately an hours drive from Treehouse Cabins.

Are you an Antique collector? There are several places in and around West Plains about 30 miles from Treehouse Cabins that host some of the best antiques in the country.

The West Plains Civic Center is also close by where you might enjoy some of their venues.

Click on the links below or scroll down for more information on specific attractions.

Grist Mills / Fly Fishing / World Class Hiking / Mark Twain National Forest / Caney Mountain / Grand Gulf National Park / Mammoth Spring / Laura Ingalls Wilder Home / Antique Shops / West Plains Civic Center

Ozark Grist Mills

Early white settlers of the Missouri Ozarks, familiar with the water powered grist and sawmills in Europe, harnessed the power of Ozark springs and rivers to grind their grain. These grist mills not only provided a necessary service for the community to prosper, but also generally served as the center of society in many Ozark communities. Sometimes these centers evolved into county seats.

Often springs were chosen over rivers, as they are somewhat more predictable and easier to dam. Not only did the spring need to provide adequate power to harness, but other key factors such as the location to settlers, ease of accessibility by wagons, and protection from floods was necessary.

Enjoy visiting the following Grist Mills:

Dawt Mill – Approx 30 minutes – Website
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Hammond Mill -Approx 1 hr 15 min.
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Hodgson Mill – Approx 20 minutes – Website
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Missouri Fly Fishing ~ Trout

The North Fork River is ranked in the Top 100 trout streams in the United States. Trout Fishing on the North Fork River is open ALL YEAR with many lodging options available. Choose from one of our secluded Treehouse cabins, bring your RV or check out our campsites.

While trout are not native to Missouri, Rainbow trout were introduced in Missouri waters in 1882 and are restricted to a few areas of the Ozarks.

The North Fork of the White River not only sustains trout, but is one of the few waters in the Ozarks that supports a naturally reproducing population of wild Rainbow trout. Fly fishing enthusiasts from all over enjoy the tranquility.

Click here for more information

World Class Hiking

You’ll enjoy a gorgeous view of the North Fork River from Inspiration Point, a 3/4 mile hike from your accommodations. The trail is well marked and at a gentle enough incline for almost anyone to make the trip.

With 500 acres of private land, you’ll find plenty of Ozark hiking opportunities and adventures.

Please note: we do not offer Horseback Riding at THC.

However, there are thousands of acres close by in the Mark Twain National Forest where you can enjoy horseback riding. Also check out Rockbridge Stables approximately 25 miles from us.

Mark Twain National Forest

Just a short drive from Treehouse Cabins you’ll find great hiking in the Mark Twain National Forest. There are two popular hiking trails. The Devils Backbone Wilderness offers 13 miles of marked trails featuring awesome panoramic cliff views of the North Fork River. As you hike the trail, you’ll pass Blue Spring, one of the major springs that feeds the North Fork River.

Horseback Riding is allowed here.

The Ridge Runner hiking trail is 22 miles long and extends from Noblett Lake in the north to the North Fork Recreation Area to the south. Two hiking loops will lead you by some of Missouri’s best topography. 334 species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds can be found in the area.

For a great short hike, Ball Pond Hollow is close by. This is an off-trail trek, but offers some great sites along the way.

Caney Mountain

This area was one of the last strongholds for the wild turkey in Missouri and was part of a wildlife refuge established by the Conservation Department in 1940 during the early years of the wild turkey restoration program. The area lies near the center of what is known geologically as the Gainesville monadnock group, a series of high conical peaks that rise above the surrounding landscape.

The knobs, steep ridges and deep valleys of this natural area offer visitors a chance to walk through a landscape similar to what the early explorer H.R. Schoolcraft might have seen in 1818. On south and west facing slopes you will see large open dolomite glades, known locally as “balds”. On these glades are stunning wildflower displays including cobea beard tongue, yellow coneflower, narrow-leaf gayfeather, and palafoxia. (Approx. 37 miles from Treehouse Cabins)
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Grand Gulf National Park

Some people call Grand Gulf State Park the “Little Grand Canyon.” Some just call it “breathtaking.” The park is one of the natural wonders of the Ozarks, presenting the most spectacular collapsed cave system in the Ozarks. The “Grand Gulf” stretches for more than a mile between 130 foot high walls. Visitors can view the gulf from trails on top or from the floor where they can walk under the natural bridge, which spans 250 feet with a 75-foot high opening. There is no official trail leading to the bottom so visitors should use extreme caution when attempting to access the bottom. Interpretive trails detail the formation of the gulf. Approx 1 hour 30 minutes. Website | Map it

Mammoth Spring

Mammoth Spring is Arkansas’s largest spring and the second largest spring in the Ozark Mountains. A National Natural Landmark, the spring flows nine million gallons of water hourly. Forming a scenic 10-acre lake, it then flows south as the Spring River, a popular Ozark trout and float stream. Located near the spring, the park’s 1886 Frisco depot will take you back in time to an early 1900s train station. Parked just outside the train station is a Frisco caboose to explore, too.

Here at the picturesque park, remnants of a mill and hydroelectric plant also reflect Mammoth Spring’s history.

Park facilities include an information center that also serves as an Arkansas Welcome Center. Exhibits here share the story of the area’s history and natural resources. Nearby are picnic sites, a trail, ball field, and children’s playground. Approx 1 hour 30 minutes. Website | Map it

Laura Ingler Wilder Home & Museum

In a log cabin near Pepin, Wisconsin, on February 7, 1867 Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born. Her parents were Charles Phillip Ingalls and Caroline Quiner Ingalls. They possessed a pioneering spirit that urged them ever westward, to lands of promise and hope.

The Museum exhibits include artifacts spanning over a century of the lives of the pioneering history described in the “Little House” books.

The life, writings and career of Rose Wilder Lane are also featured in a section of the museum. Recreations of rooms from Rose’s homes, her desks, her manuscripts, and souvenirs from her world travels are also displayed.
Approx 1 hour 26 minutes. Website | Map it

Antiques

For a nostalgic journey to earlier times, shoppers can visit the many antique and specialty shops in West Plains.

Gather your family and friends and plan on spending an entire weekend browsing through charming stores brimming with treasures just waiting to be discovered! Approx 30 miles.

Website | Map West Plains

West Plains Civic Center

The West Plains Civic Center is a popular facility for everything from concerts to circuses, stage shows to athletic events and conferences to conventions. Because of its ideal location, the West Plains Civic Center serves the cultural and entertainment needs of south central Missouri and north central Arkansas. Easily accessible by major highways, the center draws audiences from a survey area of 120,000 people in a 60-mile radius of West Plains. When booking your events in the Ozarks, we encourage you to set your sights on the West Plains Civic Center.

Approx 30 miles. Website | Map West Plains