In the mid-19th century, settlers found Bennett Spring to be an ideal spot for grist and flour mills. Today, most people come to Bennett Spring State Park to struggle with the rainbow trout, or just to marvel at the 100,000,000 gallons of clear, cool water that gush from the spring each day.

The spring valley - once a popular camping ground for farmers waiting for their grain to be ground at the mill - still attracts visitors interested in camping, hiking and canoeing. A Bennett Spring "hike" can be a leisurely stroll along the tree-shaded spring branch, or an invigorating seven miles to tour an interesting natural tunnel. Those looking for less rugged pleasures will enjoy the rental housekeeping cabins, the public swimming pool and the park's rustic dining lodge.

Fishing enthusiasts will be found casting their lines along the spring branch, while others visit the exhibits interpreting Missouri's springs and natural environment at the nature center. Now, at 3,216 acres, the state park that arose around Peter Bennett's spring continues to delight all comers.