The stone-cut walls of a barred-and-locked sanatorium near Welch Spring were what I found on my journey to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.

QUICK OVERVIEW

• Location: Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri
• Trail: Welch Spring Trail
• Distance: About a mile round trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Type: Out-and-back
• Estimated time: About 20–30 minutes, depending on how long you spend at the spring
• Terrain: Rock, dirt and uneven surfaces
• Elevation: Minimal
• Dogs: Allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet
• Admission: No activity fee
• Season: Open year-round
• Best features: Welch Spring, Current River, dolomite bluffs and the ruins of the historic Welch Hospital
• Drive: Take Interstate 44 southwest out of St. Louis, then take Exit 195 and go south on Missouri Highway 8. Next, turn right onto Missouri Highway 68 going south, then turn right onto Missouri Highway 19, then turn right onto Missouri Highway KK. Next, turn right onto Missouri Highway K in Akers and look for the left turnoff for Welch Spring at about 1.5 miles. If you come to a gravel road on the right, you’ve gone too far. The road to Welch Spring is rough, so it’s best for high-clearance vehicles. You’ll go all the way down to a gravel circle drive where you park
• Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
• Address: Welch Spring, Jadwin, MO 65505

History of Welch Spring Sanatorium

In 1913, an Illinois doctor named C.H. Diehl bought Welch Spring for eight hundred dollars.

He believed the spring had healing properties and that the cool, pollen-free air from the nearby cave would benefit people with asthma, emphysema, and tuberculosis. Diehl said it worked for him.

The doctor tapped into this clean air by building a hospital over the cave mouth to force more air from the cavern into the building for patients. He also added a small low water dam around the spring.

Nowadays this might have been called a “health spa.”

Sadly, due to the lack of roads to the area back then, the place was not a big success. Diehl died in 1940, and the remains of the stone hospital are what you can see today.

Short Hike to Welch Spring

The wide mix of gravel and natural-surface trail runs upstream from the Welch Landing canoe launch and is about half a mile one way or close to a mile round trip. It goes along a spring branch to Welch Spring, with the rapidly flowing Current River on the left side of the trail.

Along the trail, a bluff rises, with abundant plant life clinging to the rock face.

At the Spring

The trail ends across the rapids, and a partial dam forms the hospital, a bit hidden in the woods from this viewpoint. Cold spring water flows from below the high cliff. The National Park Service reports an average flow of about 148 million gallons per day, making Welch Spring one of the major springs in the Ozarks.

Reaching the Santorium

Next, I went to the right of the trail where it ends at the spring. If it is not flooding, you can cross the rocks to the cliff, then go around to the sanatorium by walking up the cliff above to the spring. This isn’t easy and is treacherous.

Warning: This is a narrow, steep path. I would only do this option if you were physically able to and were careful.

Touring the Sanatorium Remains

At the sanatorium ruins, I walked up some stairs to check out the back and look down into the cave mouth far below.

Bars are on all the windows and doors. Peering inside, you can see trees and bushes taking over. The Earth is reclaiming what man has built. It was worth walking around and checking the whole place out.

Walking back down to the front, you see the framework of a three-story rock building, with walls built right up to the cliff.

At the bottom, a doorway is now blocked by metal bars. Looking inside, I saw what would have been a cave entrance and maybe a stone fountain. A lichen-filled bluff backed it all.

Springs From the Sanatorium Side

You can gain better views of the springs from the sanatorium side. The clear water flows out in a fast rapid through the broken dam and rocks. There are also the remains of steps to the springs below.

Near the steps, you can read information about the history. The site is amazing altogether. Then I headed back up above the sanatorium and along the cliff to return to the trail I came here on.

Heading back to the Trailhead

On my way back to the trailhead, I stopped at a heavily eroded boulder by the water.

On my way back to the trailhead, I stopped at a heavily eroded boulder by the water. I also went out to the Current River by the boat launch. A large sandbar is here. The burnt wood suggests people have camped on the sandbar in the past. Someone used rocks to build a dam to hold back water. My son and I have done something similar on this river before.

Final Thoughts

This is an amazing short hike to see the ruins and the springs. The drive here is rough, but it is a spectacular site and my favorite in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Also, if you’re canoeing or kayaking in this area, it’s worth the stop.

View from the spring from the Sanatorium side.

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Halloween Hikes are hikes that I spotlight in October that fit the spirit of Halloween. Feel free to share suggestions for hikes to do in the future. Also, post any questions you might have on the hikes!