Dora Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Hodgson Water Mill in Ozark County, Missouri #ozarks #missouri #historicmills
Hodgson Water Mill in Ozark County, Missouri #ozarks #missouri #historicmills
Hodgson Water Mill in Dora, MO. One of my favorite places. Hodgson Mill products (flour, cornmeal, etc) are still sold in stores too! #mill #spring #missouri
I had been seeing this mill pop up on Facebook and discovered that it was only about an hour away! Such a beautiful spot. There are picnic tables, bridges and trails. People swim in the water as well! A true gem tucked away in the Ozark mountains! Hodgson Water Mill, only a few minutes away through famous Ozark County scenery. From Dawt, return to PP Hwy. and turn left on PP to H Hwy. Turn left on H and go north to Hwy. 181. Turn left again on Hwy. 181 to Hodgson Mill. Built in 1861 to harness the power of a massive spring flowing into Bryant Creek and rebuilt in 1897, the tall, three-story frame building nestles against a bluff of the Bryant. Though the mill no longer grinds grain, it still houses the old milling machinery. (The nationally distributed line of stone-ground bakery products bearing the Hodgson name is now produced at a modern mill in nearby Gainesville.) The spring still spews nearly 3,000,000 gallons of clear, cold water a day. Besides the mill, it once powered a cotton gin, a lumber mill, and a clothing factory. In pre-REA days, the power of the water also generated electricity for all the mill-site enterprises. And, once upon a time, thanks to the constant 58 degree temperature of the spring, the mill was a popular site for neighborhood dances. Issuing from the bluff under the mill building, the spring is still picturesque. It nourishes native ferns and mosses clinging to crevices in the sheer rock wall. Some of the water is diverted to the mill pond, where watercress and other marine plants thrive. Inside the mill building, an opening to a cave in the face of the bluff provides natural air conditioning. A modern day facility in nearby Gainesville, MO is still producing and distributing the all natural stone ground flours of the past under the Hodgson Mill name. #LIFEATEXPEDIA #WATERMILL #LOCALSIGHTS #OZARKMOUNTAINS #IHEARTTHEOZARKS
I had been seeing this mill pop up on Facebook and discovered that it was only about an hour away! Such a beautiful spot. There are picnic tables, bridges and trails. People swim in the water as well! A true gem tucked away in the Ozark mountains! Hodgson Water Mill, only a few minutes away through famous Ozark County scenery. From Dawt, return to PP Hwy. and turn left on PP to H Hwy. Turn left on H and go north to Hwy. 181. Turn left again on Hwy. 181 to Hodgson Mill. Built in 1861 to harness the power of a massive spring flowing into Bryant Creek and rebuilt in 1897, the tall, three-story frame building nestles against a bluff of the Bryant. Though the mill no longer grinds grain, it still houses the old milling machinery. (The nationally distributed line of stone-ground bakery products bearing the Hodgson name is now produced at a modern mill in nearby Gainesville.) The spring still spews nearly 3,000,000 gallons of clear, cold water a day. Besides the mill, it once powered a cotton gin, a lumber mill, and a clothing factory. In pre-REA days, the power of the water also generated electricity for all the mill-site enterprises. And, once upon a time, thanks to the constant 58 degree temperature of the spring, the mill was a popular site for neighborhood dances. Issuing from the bluff under the mill building, the spring is still picturesque. It nourishes native ferns and mosses clinging to crevices in the sheer rock wall. Some of the water is diverted to the mill pond, where watercress and other marine plants thrive. Inside the mill building, an opening to a cave in the face of the bluff provides natural air conditioning. A modern day facility in nearby Gainesville, MO is still producing and distributing the all natural stone ground flours of the past under the Hodgson Mill name. #LIFEATEXPEDIA #WATERMILL #LOCALSIGHTS #OZARKMOUNTAINS #IHEARTTHEOZARKS

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Tranquil Log Cabin adjacent to Mark Twain National Forest + minutes to the river

Tranquil Log Cabin adjacent to Mark Twain National Forest + minutes to the river

Pottersville MO
Stay at this cabin in Dora. Enjoy an in-room coffee maker, in-room fireplaces and air conditioning. Popular attraction McGarr Ridge Trailhead is located ...
10/10 Exceptional! (32 reviews)
Very relaxing, cabin in the woods!… de-compress and recharge, greatly appreciated!

Reviewed on 16 Feb 2026

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Tranquil Log Cabin adjacent to Mark Twain National Forest + minutes to the river
Secluded cabin adjoins Mark Twain National Forest

Secluded cabin adjoins Mark Twain National Forest

Dora MO
Stay at this cabin in Dora. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities and patios. Popular attraction McGarr Ridge Trailhead is located nearby.
Get rates
Secluded cabin adjoins Mark Twain National Forest
Baymont by Wyndham West Plains

Baymont by Wyndham West Plains

2.5 out of 5
1605 Imperial Drive West Plains MO
The price is NZ$159 per night from 10 Mar to 11 Mar
NZ$159
10 Mar - 11 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in West Plains. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,003 reviews)
clean room, staff, amenities and very friendly.

Reviewed on 21 Feb 2026

Baymont by Wyndham West Plains
See all 120 properties in Dora
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Tranquil Log Cabin adjacent to Mark Twain National Forest + minutes to the river

Tranquil Log Cabin adjacent to Mark Twain National Forest + minutes to the river

Pottersville MO
Stay at this cabin in Dora. Enjoy an in-room coffee maker, in-room fireplaces and air conditioning. Popular attraction McGarr Ridge Trailhead is located ...
10/10 Exceptional! (32 reviews)
Very relaxing, cabin in the woods!… de-compress and recharge, greatly appreciated!

Reviewed on 16 Feb 2026

Tranquil Log Cabin adjacent to Mark Twain National Forest + minutes to the river
Secluded cabin adjoins Mark Twain National Forest

Secluded cabin adjoins Mark Twain National Forest

Dora MO
Stay at this cabin in Dora. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities and patios. Popular attraction McGarr Ridge Trailhead is located nearby.
Secluded cabin adjoins Mark Twain National Forest
Brand new tiny cabin located on farm. Near rivers, trailsheads & national forest

Brand new tiny cabin located on farm. Near rivers, trailsheads & national forest

West Plains MO
Stay at this cabin in Howell County. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, patios and cable/satellite TV service. Popular attraction McGarr Ridge Trailhead is located nearby.
9.8/10 Exceptional! (35 reviews)
Tina provides memorable touches and everything in the caboose is very well thought out, creating an enjoyable place to stay.

Reviewed on 26 Feb 2026

Brand new tiny cabin located on farm. Near rivers, trailsheads & national forest
See all properties in Dora
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.