Road trip guide: Echo Bluff is a good winter getaway with chance of seeing wild horses

If Echo Bluff State Park is not on your list for a winter weekend getaway, it should be.

Located a half mile away from the Current River, it’s a popular summer destination, particularly for float trips, but it’s usually booked far in advance.

Winter has its own charm at the park and you’re more likely to get a reservation. Looking at the calendar, there’s plenty of availability in January.

Echo Bluff is perfect for families, romantic enough for couples, and has opportunities for nature enthusiasts.

My family spent a long weekend in one of the beautiful cabins, and we were fortunate enough to see the wild horses. The wild horses of Shannon County often roam through the park. There is no guarantee you will see them as they are wild and elusive, but they are a tourist attraction and one of the reasons this park is so unique.

Get up early to catch wild horses

First, if you want to see the horses, plan to get up early. We woke to fresh horse manure outside our cabin and were thrilled. As my daughter said: “I’ve never been so happy to see poop.”

Earlier that morning, my mother went to scout out a spot for our picnic lunch that day and found herself eye to eye with a gorgeous white horse coming up the hill. She returned to the cabin and told us where she’d spotted the herd, and we took off (do not run as you approach a horse).

Ironically, one of the horses was grazing right next to “Wild Horse Pavilion” where we planned to eat later.

These are wild horses, so we kept our distance, but the colt was instantly attracted to my daughter and her friend. It was like the colt recognized they were the same size. The colt walked right up to them and sniffed them. We all stayed still — except for taking photos — because you are not supposed to touch them. There are signs around warning the horses can bite and kick. I was very nervous, but it was also an amazing moment.

We spent about 30 minutes watching a herd of five majestic creatures. They were calm and unphased by our presence. One even bowed down and stretched its back the way a dog does in the morning.

It was spectacular.

Then they rode off.

It was early November and the next morning we woke to an unexpected snowfall. We saw the herd galloping by the bluff, for which Echo Bluff is named. Their hooves were kicking up snow and they moved so fast, it was like watching a movie.

Then they were gone, and we never saw them again (despite my sister driving around for hours looking for them).

Camping and indoor lodging available

There are three options for lodging, including camping, but I am focusing on indoor options for this article.

The Betty Lea Lodge is a beautiful Colorado-esque lodge built across from the bluff. The bluff is so named because if you walk up to it and shout, your voice will echo back. At the base, are crystal clear waters of Sinking Creek, a tributary of the Current River.

The lodge boasts 16 guest rooms and four suites. The rooms have fireplaces, flatscreen TVs and balconies.

In the lobby, there’s a tall stone fireplace which is a perfect spot in the winter. There’s seating nearby where people gather to play cards or have a drink.

The lodge has an expansive, stunning wrap-around patio with rocking chairs that look out on the towering limestone bluff. There’s a large communal fire pit outside which is a perfect spot to warm up or make s'mores.

Then, there are larger cabins you can rent which is what we did because we were meeting family from St. Louis. Each family rented out a duplex cabin with six bedrooms each. The cabins are beautiful with wood beams, stone features, large windows, a fireplace and deck. The kitchen was well stocked, which is great because we cooked a lot.

If I was giving advice to a group, I’d suggest you bring camping chairs or tailgating tables because the main table doesn’t seat that many considering the cabin can sleep up to 20. We needed more space to eat and sit when we gathered. In fairness, we rented both floors of the duplex so if some people had eaten downstairs there would have been more space, but big groups want to stay together.

Just FYI, they do have some pet-friendly cabins. It was a relaxing weekend. We sat around and played cards, ate, drank and visited.

Hiking, biking, fishing all options

There are 8 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails around the 476-acre park — no need to bring a mountain bike, they rent them. For an easy stroll, walk the paved 2-mile trail that meanders around the property.

If you’re an angler, this area is also supposed to be good for bass fishing.

There’s also a fantastic, rustic-inspired playground with boulders and different equipment than you see on traditional playgrounds. And we enjoyed a picnic at one of the pavilions. You can also drive up to a lookout pavilion, which has great views of the park. That pavilion has a fire pit and can be reserved if you want to hang out there.

Echo Bluff opened in 2016, but it has a long history. It began as Camp Zoe, a popular summer camp that operated from 1929 into the late 1980s. The land was later sold to a musician and concert organizer whose vision was to host Schwagstock, a massive outdoor music festival similar to Woodstock. But there was widespread drug use at the festival and the federal government eventually seized the property. It was bought by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which turned it into this gorgeous recreational area for us to enjoy.

Juliana Goodwin

Juliana Goodwin is a freelance journalist with experience covering business, travel and tourism, health, food and history. She is a former Food and Travel Columnist for the Springfield News-Leader, a former business reporter for The Joplin Globe, and has written for USA Today and Arkansas Living Magazine, among others. More by Juliana Goodwin

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