Not many people understand the true extent of the Ozarks region.  Weekend travelers proudly announce they are "going down to the Ozarks," before heading out for places like Branson or Lake of the Ozarks.  But if you ask them where the Ozarks actually begins, would they know the answer?  They may be surprised to learn that "the Ozarks" is part of a unique geological uplift that starts in St. Louis County, and extends nearly to Texas!  The whole region encompasses almost 70,000 square miles, roughly the same size as New England.

The Ozarks, together with the Ouachita Mountains, comprise a region known officially as the U.S. Interior Highlands.  These forested hills and valleys are the dominant feature of southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, and southeast Oklahoma.  It is the most significant area of highlands between the Appalachians and the Rockies.