Lovers' Leap Scenic Lookout - Boonville, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 58.422 W 092° 45.665
15S E 520695 N 4313885
Up on a hill and through the city park, but it is on the road. There is no sign to tell you it is here.
Waymark Code: WM15QX0
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 02/12/2022
Views: 0
County of scenic lookout: Cooper County
Location of lookout: Santa Fe Trail (W. Spring St.) [goes by both names], Harley Park, Boonville
"The Harley Park Overlook provides a panoramic vista of several sites important to the Santa Fe Trail. The Old Franklin townsite, which was the original Eastern terminus of the Santa Fe Trail, can be viewed to the North. In debt and desperate for a way out, William Becknell set out on his journey to Santa Fe in 1821 from Old Franklin. In 1822 he returned with a profit, proving the trail’s value and spurring more commercial trade journeys.
"To the East, you can view Boonville, the town whose name emerged after Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone settled and began operating a salt works called Boone’s Lick nearby. An existing Native American trace which was cut, widened, and renamed Boone’s Lick Road connected the Boonville area to Eastern Missouri, making it a booming spot for trade and Westward emigration.
"To the West, you can see Arrow Rock Bluff which served as a landmark on the Missouri River for travelers, explorers, and Native Americans who also used its flint to manufacture tools and weapons. Travelers on the Santa Fe Trail would cross the Missouri River at the Arrow Rock ferry landing just below the bluff. The “Big Spring” below the bluff was a major source of fresh water for travelers who would fill their stores before heading West on the trail." ~ National Park Service