Johnson's Shut-Ins returns to life after dam break

MIDDLEBROOK, Mo. -- Bill Bryan paused on a hiking trail in Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. Below him, the clear water of the East Fork of the Black River rushed through a maze of boulders and craggy rock formations.

It was a stretch where the river was truly "shut in" by volcanic rocks -- a place of beauty and serenity on a crisp winter day.

"In the summer, this stretch can be filled with people," said Bryan, director of Missouri State Parks. "But in the winter, you can have it to yourself.

"On days like this, you can find solitude as soon as you shut your car door. That's why I enjoy hiking so much at this time of the year."

But Bryan was especially appreciative of the scenery at one of Missouri's greatest natural wonders.

Not long ago, this jewel of a state park more closely resembled a disaster area than a hiker's paradise.

When the dam at nearby Taum Sauk Reservoir broke in December 2005, it sent 1.3 billion gallons of water rushing down Proffitt Mountain.

That torrent carried tons of boulders, trees and debris down the mountain and took a direct hit on the park. The current, which was so strong that boulders were swept along on top of the water, scoured everything in its path and left the park in ruins.

"These shut-ins were literally filled," Bryan said. "You could only see the peaks of these rocks.

"It was very sad."

But from that low point emerged a true success story. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which oversees Missouri's state parks, embarked on a major recovery effort to bring Johnson's Shut-Ins back.

Hiking trails were cleared, campgrounds were relocated, a new visitors center was constructed and, perhaps most impressive, the shut-ins were restored to their former beauty.

"Clearing the shut-ins was very labor intensive," Bryan said. "The stream bed was just filled with big boulders, rubble and debris. Divers would go down and put bolts in the boulders, then chains were attached, and helicopters would fly them out.

"But a lot of the shut-ins area was cleared by hand. It was a huge job, but look at this area now.

"Just knowing what it took to bring this park back, it makes me appreciate it all the more."

At the heart of that "new" state park are seven hiking trails, ranging from one-quarter of a mile to 10 miles. There also is a large stretch of the Ozark Trail that passes through the park.

Recently Bryan enjoyed that revival from ground level. He put on his hiking boots and headed for the backcountry.

He started on the Scour Trail, a section where the floodwater had raged down a hillside and carved out a valley, exposing an expanse of volcanic rock.

"We decided to leave this areas as it was, because that's part of the park's history now," Bryan said.

The scour channel exposed rocks dating back 1.4 billion years and revealed how some of the oldest mountains in the world were formed, Bryan said.

Bryan wove his way through the maze of rocks and boulders until the path joined with a portion of the Ozark Trail. He followed switchbacks along a trail that meandered through an oak-hickory forest until he came to the banks of the East Fork of the Black River. There, he paused in the postcard beauty to admire the crystal-clear water with reflections of the St. Francois Mountains shimmering on its surface.

"In the winter, you can see forever," he said. "There are some obvious advantages to hiking at this time of the year-- you don't have the chiggers or ticks, there aren't a lot of people around so you can enjoy the solitude, and you can see a lot of wildlife.

"When we hiked here right before Christmas, we saw deer and turkeys right from the trail."

Bryan forded the river at one of its low points, then continued up a trail that took him to the top of a ridge. The path led him past rock formations and hollows, and provided scenic vistas along the way.

When it started to descend, Bryan could hear the roar of water rushing through the shut-ins below.

Before long, the valley with the shut-ins could be seen and Bryan scrambled down the bank and began exploring the channel from a unique perspective.

He hopped from rock to rock in the stream bed, pausing to take photos as the water rushed by at his feet.

By the time the sun started to sink behind the mountains, Bryan was reflecting on another great day in the Missouri outdoors.

"After all it took to bring this park back," he said, "I never take this place for granted."

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kansascity.com/