Mammoth Spring

Useful Information

Location:	Mammoth Spring. Adjacent to US Highway 63, only 150 m south of the Missouri border. (36.497213, -91.535075)
Open:	Park: All year daily 8-dusk. Visitor Center: All year daily 8-17. Museum: All year Wed-Sun, Hol . Closed 01-JAN, Thanksgiving, 24-DEC, 25-DEC. [2022]
Fee:	Park: free. Museum: Adults USD 2.50, Children (6-12) USD 1.50, Family (2+*) USD 9. [2022]
Classification:	Karst Spring
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	Yavg=9 m³/s, T=14 °C.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Mammoth Spring State Park, P.O. Box 36, Mammoth Spring, AR 72554, Tel: +1-870-625-7364, Fax: +1-870-625-3255. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1957	dam, spring, and spring-fed fish hatchery site acquired and Arkansas State Park created.
1971	Frisco Depot restored.
1972	declared a National Natural Landmark by the Department of the Interior.

Description

Mammoth Spring is the largest spring of Arkansans, the third-largest spring within the Ozark Plateau, and the seventh-largest spring in the world. It forms a huge lake with a size of 4 ha. Right at the spring the water is used to produce hydroelectric power.

In hydrology springs are classified by the volume of the water they yield. The largest springs are called first-magnitude, if they yield more than 2,800 l/s. The yield of Mammoth Spring is 37 Million litres per hour or 10,000 l/s.

The spring is located at Mammoth Spring State Park. The water is clear, cool, and oxygen rich, ideal for trouts. The river below is popular for trout fishing. The fish hatchery near the spring is operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Dye tracing experiments have proven that the water flowing through Karst Grand Gulf State Park in Missouri reappears here.

The Mammoth Spring State Park was established in 1957. But the neighbouring land was owned by local entrepreneur Bert Kenneth Bishop and his associate, who operated the Mammoth Spring Cattle Sales Barn. Local farmers sold livestock and other wares there. In 1972 the State legislature voted to condemn the land and join the plot to the state park. The building was replaced by the Welcome Center, picnic areas, walking trails, and tour access to the dam and hydro plant we created. In the same year Mammoth Spring was declared a National Natural Landmark by the Department of the Interior.

Also part of the State Park is the Mammoth Spring Train Station or Frisco Depot. It was restored in 1971 and became the Depot Museum for artifacts and memorabilia related to the railroad and the spring area.