Missouri is home to over 4,400 natural freshwater springs. These springs pump nearby rivers with millions of gallons of water per day from underground.

Many of these springs are a beautiful striking blue where the water emerges from the Earth. However, only one is known to be the bluest out of them all. And it’s promptly named: Blue Spring.

Blue Spring is one of the most beautiful places in Missouri and it’s still relatively unknown despite it’s beauty.

It can be a little difficult to find, so I wanted to write this post to help you visit and enjoy the bluest water in Missouri.

Where is Blue Spring?

Blue Spring is located in between the small rural towns of Eminence and Ellington in southern Missouri.

This spring feeds into the Current River in the Ozark Mountains which is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. So, this spring and river are protected by the National Park Service.

Fee or Permit Required?

As of 2025 there is no fee or permit required to hike to Blue Spring. It is completely free to visit.

What Makes this Water so Blue?

Freshwater springs are known for being some of the purest water on the planet.

Spring water is naturally rich in healthy carbonate minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. These minerals originate from limestone and dolomite rock, which gradually dissolve over time. This natural process infuses the spring water with its high mineral content.

Blue Spring is also the deepest in the state, coming in at 310 feet deep. They say that if you were to place the Statue of Liberty in this spring, her torch would still be 5 feet under the water!

This is another reason why this spring appears to be such a vivid blue. The depth of the water plus its rich mineral content creates this gorgeous color that you won’t find anywhere else in Missouri.

How to Get to Blue Spring

Wherever you’re coming from, you’ll have to navigate to Route 106 and then take a country road (road 535) from there to get to the trailhead.

I have dropped a pin here that will take you directly to the Blue Springs trailhead.

The country road taking you down to the trailhead is steep descent and not paved. This road is only about 3 miles and takes about 10 minutes to drive.

Four wheel drive is not required here but having a high clearance vehicle would probably be helpful.

We made it fine in a non 4×4 SUV and even saw sedans slowly making their way down.

There are some potholes to lookout for and you will just have to take it slowly and carefully.

Parking

Once you begin to come to the end of the road, you will see the road open up to a large gravel lot and a sign that says “Blue Spring Trailhead”.

There is enough parking for at least 20 cars in the whole lot.

There are also pit toilets on site.

Hiking to Blue Spring

The hike to Blue Spring is very easy and quick. It can be done by people of all ages and abilities.

This trail is just a 0.5 mile round trip, but it sure does bring so much beauty in a short amount of time. 

This is an out and back trail that will take you right along the beautiful rushing Current River and to Blue Spring. 

The trail is a completely flat dirt pathway with very few rocks. Hiking boots aren’t even necessary.

You’ll notice the river water get more blue and clear as you get closer to the springhead.

You will eventually see the dock built on the side of the spring allowing you to get an up-close view of that beautiful blue water.

It’s one of those things that looks so beautiful you can’t take your eyes off it. I was in awe, I had no idea such gorgeous places existed in Missouri! 

Hike to the Overlook of Blue Spring

After spending some time on the dock, you can take a short pathway up to the top of the spring where there is another viewing platform.

You will see this path on the left side of the spring. It goes around the rock and climbs above it to the top.  

This is yet another awesome place to view the bluest water in Missouri, but it does require a short and steep climb.

There are rock stairs to help you get better footing on your way up and down, but this may be challenging for anyone who doesn’t frequently hike.

Luckily, it’s not for very long. From the bottom of the spring to the top viewing platform, it takes less than 5 minutes.

If you’re visiting in the summer or fall, you may not be able to see the spring very well from the top due to all the trees around you.

I visited this park in early March and as you can see the leafless trees made for a much better view of the spring from the top viewing deck.

But the best view of the spring is most definitely at the lower platform, and it’s beautiful any time of year!

Can You Swim at Blue Spring?

No. This area is completely protected. You are not allowed to enter the water to swim, snorkel, or kayak.

There is also no fishing or boating at the spring.

You can do all these activities in most other places on the actual Current River, but it is permitted at the springhead.

That will conclude my complete guide on finding the bluest water in Missouri! The Ozark National Scenic Riverways are such a gorgeous place that can often get overlooked when looking for your next adventure.

I hope this post helped you in planning a visit to Blue Spring. I know you’ll be just as impressed as I was!

Thank you so much for reading!