Bennett Springs: A Very Special Place
             Bennett Springs is a state park located near Lebanon, Missouri. The park is centered on a spring, deep in the ground that was caused by an earthquake, according to the Osage Native Americans. The spring was bought by the state from the Bennett heirs in 1924 and 1925. The land has been turned into a state park. It has been stocked with mountain trout and is great for fishing. The Niangua River, the river into which the spring flows, is a great river to canoe. The park has many trails as well, for those wanting to get right out there with nature. Bennett Springs is a great place to vacation for many reasons: great fishing, great canoeing, and many other outdoor activities.
             When I was younger, my grandparents had always taken my brothers and me to Bennett Springs for vacation. They have their own place, a nice trailer, about one mile from the river. The greatest time I ever had in Bennett Springs was probably when my grandparents took us canoeing. The park has two main canoe drop zones. Moon Valley is a nine-mile course, while Ho Hum is a seven-mile trip. The Moon Valley trip is upstream from the spring, and the Ho Hum is downstream. Both trips last about four to five hours. I remember the first time I floated down the Niangua. I kind of had a tricky time figuring out how to steer the canoe, but before I knew it I was a professional. Our group of canoes was so strung out, I did not know if we were a hundred yards out or a mile apart. At that point I didn't care because I knew we were all going to the same place. The float was really for everyone. (I learned one thing; not stand up in the canoe with another person.) I fished the whol!
             e trip, although I do not remember catching any keepers on the river that trip. I learned a lot about canoeing and had a lot of fun that first trip.
             Another great aspect of the park is its numerous outdoor-activities. Bennett Spri...