Mark Twain National Forest partners with Kinsail Corporation to offer On-Line Sale of Passes and Permits

Image via Wikipedia The Mark Twain National Forest has partnered with Kinsail Corporation for on-line purchasing of permits and passes available for forest visitors.

On-line sale of ATV/motorcyle and mountain bike permits for riding at Chadwick and Sutton Bluff ATV and Motorcycle area are now available at http://www.marktwainpermits.com/.   The $7.00 daily permits can be purchased and printed on your home computer for use on the day you ride.   You may buy multiple daily permits at the on-line site.  The $45 annual permits for Chadwick and Sutton Bluff can be printed on your home computer for immediate use, and the all-weather permit sticker will be mailed to you.   The ATV/motorcycle and mountain bike permits are still for sale at local vendors and Mark Twain National Forest offices at Salem, Rolla and Ava.

Day use daily and annual recreation passes to access Mark Twain National Forest Recreation areas are also available on-line.  The $2.00 day use recreation  pass or the $20 annual day use recreation  pass is required at several recreation sites across the Mark Twain National Forest such as Lane Spring in Phelps County and Hammond Camp on North Fork River.  The daily and annual recreation pass may be printed from your home computer and used immediately.  The more durable annual recreation pass will be mailed to you.   You may still purchase the day use daily pass at each recreation site that requires them, and the annual pass may be purchased at every Mark Twain National Forest office.

Mark Twain National Forest is the largest public land manager in Missouri with 1.5 million acres in 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest’s mission is to continue to restore Missouri’s great outdoors and maintain a healthy, working forest.

Mark Twain National Forest Mill Creek Well Visitors told not to Drink Water

Image via Wikipedia Rolla, Mo. – Mark Twain National Forest Mill Creek Recreation Area visitors should not drink water from Mill Creek’s artesian well.

The artesian well is currently closed to the public for drinking water.

Required water samples are testing positive for Total Coliform Bacteria above the maximum contaminate level for human health consumption.

Testing of the well for water quality has occurred for years in compliance with Missouri Department of Natural Resources Safe Drinking Water regulations, 10 CSR 60.4.025.  Only recently have tests been positive for contaminates.

On June 7, 2011, Mark Twain National Forest began informing the public not to drink the water with signs posted at Mill Creek Recreation Area’s artesian well.

“We’ve tested Mill Creek’s artesian well water for a month on a weekly basis, and tests consistently are showing the artesian well water is not safe to drink,” said Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek District Ranger Kimberly Bittle.

Because this is a free-flowing well, there is no way to treat the water to provide safe public consumption.
“We will be permanently closing the well to all use immediately,” Bittle said. “Closing the well will begin to restore ground water flow to Mill Creek.”

Mark Twain National Forest is the largest public land manager in Missouri with 1.5 million acres in 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest’s mission is to continue to restore Missouri’s great outdoors and maintain a healthy, working forest.