Lincoln Hills facts for kids

Several 'knobs' in the Lincoln Hills

Map of the Lincoln Hills region in Missouri

The Lincoln Hills are a special area of hills in Missouri. They stretch along the Mississippi River, starting about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of St. Louis and going all the way to Hannibal. You can find these hills mostly between Highway 61 and Highway 79. They are located in Lincoln, Pike, Ralls, and Marion counties.

Locally, people sometimes call these hills 'knobs' because of their rounded shapes. The Lincoln Hills are unique because they might have been like islands of land sticking out of the ice during the last ice age. These "ice islands" are called nunataks.

What Makes the Lincoln Hills Special?

The Lincoln Hills are very different from the flat plains you might see in other parts of northern Missouri. Instead, they look a lot like the rugged, forested hills of the Ozarks. This area has a lot of limestone rock underground. This limestone has created many interesting features over time.

How Were the Lincoln Hills Formed?

During the Pleistocene epoch, which was a long time ago, huge sheets of ice covered much of North America. This period is known as the Ice Age. While most of northern Missouri was covered by glaciers, the Lincoln Hills might have been too tall for the ice to completely cover them. They stood out like islands in a sea of ice, which is what a nunatak is.

The rocks you can see in the Lincoln Hills are very old. Some date back to the Ordovician period, and others to the Mississippian period. These periods happened hundreds of millions of years ago!

What Kind of Landscape Will You Find?

Because of the limestone bedrock, the Lincoln Hills have many cool natural features. You can find tall bluffs overlooking the river. There are also glades, which are open, rocky areas with unique plants. Many caves, springs (where water flows out of the ground), and sinkholes (depressions in the ground) have also formed here.

Exploring the Lincoln Hills: Cuivre River State Park

One great place to explore the Lincoln Hills is Cuivre River State Park. This park is located northeast of Troy in Lincoln County. It's a wonderful spot to see the unique landscape, forests, and rock formations of the Lincoln Hills up close. You can hike, camp, and enjoy nature in this beautiful park.