Why It's so Hard to Answer the Question: Where Are the Ozarks?

Photo byTosborn at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Springfield, MO. - If you drive around the Southern Missouri and ask random people--"Am I in the Ozarks?"--in many cases the answers you get will depend more on who you ask, regardless of the geographic or geologic features of the area you are in.

Therefore, if those living in and near the Ozark Mountains in Missouri have trouble with correctly identifying the region, it shouldn't be a surpise that those living far away are often stumped by the question: Where are the Ozarks located at?

What makes that such a difficult question to answer?

Ozark Mountains

While many people will point out the obvious that the Ozarks don't compare to other mountain ranges, it should be noted that the unique region is actually one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world--even predating the Himalayas.

With that being said, the Ozarks contain two mountain ranges:

1. The St. Francois Mountains in Southern Missouri
2. The Boston Mountains in Northern Arkansas

The highest elevations in the Ozark Plateau are found in the Boston Mountains of Arkansas near the Buffalo National River. However, the St. Francois Mountains also contain deep valleys that lead to steep elevation gains.

The terrain is generally rocky and quite rugged. In fact, the only decent farmland is found in river bottoms. The hills tend to be heavily forested, which treats residents and visitors to stunning, scenic views.

And it's the scenic beauty of the Ozarks that make the region a popular area for outdoor recreation, including, float trips, hiking, fishing, and camping.

Where Are the Ozarks?

Depending on who you ask and where they are, you might be told that the Ozarks stretch as far east as Southern Illinois, as far north as Northern Missouri, as far west as Tulsa, OK, and as far south as the Piney Woods of East Texas.

Those descriptions aren't only extreme, they are flat out wrong.

The Ozark Mountains make up parts of four states.

Missouri: The majority of the Ozarks are located in the Southern-half of Missouri, south of the Missouri River. The far northern portions reach Columbia, and the very northeastern Ozark Mountains contain the southern suburbs of St. Louis. A majority of Southwest Missouri, all of South-Central Missouri, and the western edges of Southeast Missouri are included in the Ozark Mountains. However, the Bootheel and far eastern portions of the state are part of the Mississippi River Delta.

Arkansas: The second-largest portion of the Ozarks are contained in the North-Central and Northwest sections of Arkansas. The Ozark Highlands hug some of the northern reaches of the Arkansas River, before it turns farther south and heads to Little Rock. Northeast Arkansas is part of the Mississippi Delta.

Oklahoma: In Northeastern Oklahoma, the Ozark Mountains are often referred to as the Cookson Hills. This part of the state is often promoted as "Green Country." Some of the eastern suburbs of Tulsa are included in the region. However, as you move farther south into Southeastern Oklahoma, you are in the Oachita, Kiamanchi, and Winding Stair Mountains.

Kansas: Finally, just a tiny sliver of the Ozarks extend into far Southeastern Kansas. Basically, this small area is bounded by the Spring River, and is only a few miles west of Missouri.

Now that you have a better idea of where the Ozark Mountains are, lets go over some places of where they are not.

Southern Illinois: Southern Illinois is a lot more hilly than the rest of the relatively flat state. And sometimes for the purposes of promoting tourism, this region is referred to as the "Illinois Ozarks." However, that's incorrect. The Ozark Plateau ends before it reaches the Mississippi River.

Oachita Mountains: Sometimes, people refer to the Oachitas of Southwestern Arkansas and Southeastern Oklahoma as an extention of the Ozarks. But, that's incorrect, too. This is a completely separate geographic and geological region.

East Texas: Due to the fact that the Ozark Plateau is heavily forested and East Texas is heavily forested, I have met a few people who claim East Texas should be included as part of the Ozarks. However, that's flat out wrong. East Texas is part of the Piney Woods region, which actually extends north into Southeastern Oklahoma and Southwestern Arkansas.

Larger Cities in the Ozarks

While much of the Ozark Mountains are rural in nature, there are several decent-sized towns, and even a few bigger cities.

Missouri

Springfield: Known as the "Queen City of the Ozarks," Springfield is the largest city in the Ozark Higlands.

Joplin: The former mining city of Joplin is the second-largest population area in Southwest Missouri.

Branson: During the 20th century, Branson became a major center of tourism in the Ozarks, and continues to this day.

Lake of the Ozarks: Another popular tourist destination in Missiouri is the Lake of the Ozarks Region.

Arkansas

Fayetteville: The college town of Fayetteville is the largest Arkansas city in the Ozark Mountains.

Springdale: The second-largest city is Springdale, located just north of Fayetteville.

Rogers: The city of Rogers is a hub for light industry and shopping in Northwest Arkansas.

Bentonville: Home to Walmart's headquarters and the world-class Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, Bentonville is one of the fastest growing cities in the Ozarks.

Eureka Springs: Eureka Springs is a popular tourist town in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas.

The next time someone asks you--"Where are the Ozarks"--you should be able to give them a much more thorough answer, as well as some interesting trivia about this unique and scenic region.