VAN BUREN, Mo. – Ozark National Scenic Riverways will soon replace seven deteriorating restroom facilities with flood-resistant pre-cast concrete vault toilets.
These new restrooms will be located at the Akers group campsites, Blue Spring day use area (Current River), Pin Oak river access point, and in the backcountry campgrounds at Big Tree, Bay Creek, Rymers, and Sinking Creek. The new vault toilets were funded by fees collected at Ozark National Scenic Riverways through the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, which allows the park to keep approximately 96% of fee revenue to enhance services and facilities for park visitors.
Demolition of the existing restrooms and site preparation for new facilities will begin the week of April 18. Once demolition begins, there will be no restrooms available at those locations until the new facilities are installed. The only exception is the old restroom at the Akers group campsites, which will remain open until installation is complete. Installation of the new vault toilets is currently planned for mid-to-late May.
“We are looking forward to having new and improved restrooms available for our visitors at so many locations in time for the summer,” said Superintendent Jason Lott. “The new facilities will be better constructed to withstand floods, easier to clean and maintain, and will provide a better visitor experience overall. Staff will be working hard to accomplish demolition and installation as quickly as possible, but some areas will be without a restroom for several weeks. We hope visitors will bear with us and adjust accordingly, knowing the end result will be worth the wait.”
For more information, contact park headquarters at (573)323-4236, visit the park’s Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.
