Lead Mine Conservation Area

Driving Directions

North of Plad on Highway 64, then north on Route T and 1/2-mile east on Route YY.

Highlights

This forest area contains savanna, glades, and old fields. Facilities and features include boat ramps, an unmanned firearms range, fishable ponds, several intermittent streams, and 2 permanent streams (Niangua River, Jakes Creek).

About This Area

Lead Mine Conservation Area is in northeastern Dallas County, 40 miles south of Lake of the Ozarks, 12 miles north of Bennett Springs, 5 miles east of Tunas, and 21 miles northeast of Buffalo. The area provides about 2 miles of Niangua River frontage and has a 3.5-mile stretch of Jakes Creek running through it. The area also has several wildlife watering ponds and 7 springs and is composed mainly of forest land.

The Conservation Department purchased the original 600 acres for the Lead Mine Conservation Area in 1965 through a University of Missouri land grant. Additional land was acquired with Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funding, and the state conservation sales tax, increasing the area to 7,180 acres.

During early settlement in the late 1800s and early 1900s, some lead mining did take place near the area. However, evidence of this is hard to find. Many people made their living and raised their families on small farms that now make up Lead Mine Conservation Area. The town of Lead Mine, just 1/4-mile west, is a small community known for its country atmosphere, hand-made goods and horse drawn buggies.

This Lead Mine Conservation Area contains many excellent examples of dolomite glade communities, oak-hickory uplands, and clear running springs. Deer, turkey, raccoon, squirrel, rabbit, coyote, and many other small animals and birds are commonly seen from the gravel roads and forest trails.

Wildlife habitat management includes the creation of watering ponds and manipulation of fields within the forest to provide added food sources. Timber harvesting is also an important element in habitat management. It produces forage and cover for forest wildlife.

There are 5 primitive camping areas. One is for groups by special use permit only and one is only open October 1 through January 15. The main campground has 51 sites with 26 of them able to accomodate trailers. Camping is all on a first come first served basis.

General Information

Southwest

Dallas

417-532-7612

Owned by MDC

Activities
Activity
(Activity Explanations)		 Comments
(Population Definition)
Bicycling   
Bird Watching  For a list of area birds, visit http://www.mobirds.org/CACHE/mdcchecklists1.asp?locID=323. 
Camping in Designated Areas  No amenities provided. 
Canoeing   
Demonstrations  Glade Restoration Trail (hiking only) 
Dog Training with Special Use Permit   
Fishing - Bass Good population.  
Fishing - Catfish Fair population.  
Fishing - Other Good population. Suckers 
Fishing - Sunfish Good population.  
Hiking   
Horseback Riding   
Hunting-Deer Good population.  
Hunting-Rabbit Fair population.  
Hunting-Rabbit Fair population.  
Hunting-Turkey Good population.  
Other  Target shooting at unstaffed firearms range 
Trapping with Special Use Permit   

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Conservation Department Facilities
Facility Item Name Count Comments
Boat Ramp - Stream - Concrete  1   
Boat Ramp - Stream - Other  1  Bank access only. 
Camping Area - Primitive  5  Main Campground with non-potable, hand pump well has long pads for travel trailers. 
OtheraccessibleShooting Range 1  Unstaffed firearms range with portable privy. 
Parking Lotaccessible 26  2-Gravel Parking Lot with concrete pads. 
Privy/Restroomaccessible 1   

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Features
Feature Item Name Count Size Comments
Fishless Pond  36 16.00 acres  
Non-Stocked Pond  3 1.00 acres  
Spring Webster Spring 1 0.00 # gallons per day  
Spring King's Spring 1 0.00 # gallons per day  
Stream - Intermittent Mill Hollow 1 2.00 miles  
Stream - Intermittent Persimmon Hollow 1 1.50 miles  
Stream - Intermittent Jantz Hollow 1 0.80 miles  
Stream - Intermittent Brush Hollow 1 2.20 miles  
Stream - Intermittent Bob Hollow 1 2.20 miles  
Stream - Intermittent Jakes Creek 1 3.50 miles Some permanent strethces of this stream exist 
Stream - Permanent Niangua River 1 2.50 miles  

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Land Cover Types
Land Type Acres Comments
Lakes/Ponds 0.50  
Forest and Woodland 6006.00  
Glade 75.00  
Savanna 496.00  
Old Field 413.00  
Other 38.00  
Total Area Acres:7042.60 

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Designated Trails
Trail Name Trail Type Length
hiking trail Hiking (Non-Interpretive) 0.50 
blue trail Multi-Use (Hike/Bike/Horse) 8.60 
red trail Multi-Use (Hike/Bike/Horse) 2.50 
green trail Multi-Use (Hike/Bike/Horse) 2.20 
orange trail Multi-Use (Hike/Bike/Horse) 5.70 
yellow trail Multi-Use (Hike/Bike/Horse) 3.20 

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Shooting Range General Information

92*53.647

37*50.464

n/a

UnManned

Varies

1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset unless otherwise posted

Click Shooting Ranges for more information.

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