White's Creek Trail from Camp Five Pond Trailhead

Whites Creek trail loops through Ozark upland forest and passes by Fiddler and Bliss Springs, both cool and refreshing places to stop for a refreshing break. Whites Creek Cave and other caves along the trail around Whites Creek. Steep limestone bluffs overlooking the Eleven Point River. Whites Creek, the principle stream in the Irish Wilderness, flows cool and fresh in the spring, but during the long, hot summers, much of the creek dries up, with only a few scattered pools remaining. Other small streams flow along the surface in short stretches to disappear underground, and emerge again at numerous small springs throughout the area. The western boundary of the Irish Wilderness is adjacent to the Eleven Point National Scenic River. The Irish is dominated by an oak-hickory forest with scattered native shortleaf pine. A variety of ground vegetation also exists, including an abundance of smaller trees, such as flowering dogwood, persimmon, and sassafras, shrubs, grasses, and herbaceous plants. Along the Eleven Point River, occasional black walnut and associated hardwood river bottom species can be found. A few old growth stands remain, but the majority of trees are less than 60 years old. Wildlife is typical of the Missouri Ozarks. White-tailed deer, squirrel, coyote, bobcat, raccoon, rabbits, and the gray fox are common. Occasionally a black bear will use the area. There are also a variety of birds such as eastern wild turkey, hawks, owls, turkey vultures, herons, pileated woodpeckers, and many small song birds. Rattlesnakes, copperheads and the eastern cottonmouth can also be encountered within the Irish Wilderness.