Winters Pond

LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond RNA is one of the most unique areas in the world. As with many places in the Shawnee National Forest, the beauty we see today is rooted in geologic history. LaRue-Pine Hills it took millions of years to form its bedrock before nature?s erosive forces took over and created the 150-foot limestone bluffs that now rise out of the Mississippi floodplain.The area derives its name from the nearby tiny settlement of LaRue and the distinct short-leaf native pine stands on its blufftops. These massive bluffs extending roughly 5 miles along Highway 3 are as impressive today as they were to explorers Lewis and Clark in 1803. LaRue-Pine Hills? unique physical characteristics dictate and support a rich biodiversity not found anywhere else in the country. In all, the area covers about 4.5 square miles (3547 acres) and contains 14 natural communities including forests, wetland, prairie, glade and barren ecosystems and geologic features. Please help protect this special place for future generations to enjoy, study and appreciate. Winters Pond is at the north end of the Snake Road