Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs District
The Ava-Cassville-Willow Springs District has several campgrounds, all of which have picnic facilities. There are 3 wildernesses located in the district. Hercules Glades is a 12,000-acre Wilderness which offers 42 miles of horseback riding and hiking trails. Trails offer the visitor the opportunity for isolation and challenging recreation while traveling through eastern red cedar and oak forests interspersed with open glades and tall prairie grasses. Piney Creek Wilderness is 8,000 acres of oak hickory forest with steep ridgetops and deep hollows. Piney Creek itself flows into the James River arm of Table Rock Lake. Devil's Backbone Wilderness covers a 6,800-acre area characterized by rugged topography. It takes its name from a long narrow ridge which is a high vantage point for looking out over the adjacent valley. Here visitors will see scattered limestone glades and wild azaleas along the North Fork River.

Permit Information
No permit needed.

Directions
The District is located in southwestern Missouri. To Hercules Glades: From Bradleyville, 6.5 miles south on Hwy. 125. To Devil's Backbone: From West Plains, via Hwy. CC 15 miles west of Hwy. 63 junction.

Information Center
There are district offices located in Ava (417-683-4428), in Cassville (417-847-2144), and in Willow Springs (417-469-3155).

Activities