Don Robinson Small Cave Shelter

Recording within a small cave shelter in Don Robinson State Park. St. Louis entrepreneur Don Robinson, creator of Jyro Cola and Off stain remover, bequeathed his land in what was once remote Jeffco to the Missouri state park system. His bachelor hillbilly hideaway contained a cement pond where he would entertain weekend guests surrounded by stone arches rescued from the former Gaslight Square entertainment district of St. Louis. In an underground bunker with views into the swimming pool, he produced his soft drink and stain remover. The bunker, pool and arches have been replaced by a scenic overlook. His 100 year old stone house still stands, though I suspect it will likely succumb to becoming a rental facility, hosting weddings, with the beautiful LaBarque Hills serving as the photogenic background to the festivities. A nausea-inducing roller coaster of a ride will get you and your passengers to the park in Byrnesville. Best to visit these “wild and wooly” (Don’s words) catacombs of sandstone box canyons and shelter caves in a light rain so that one can experience the sound of water running over, under and out of every mossy-slick rock surface. Also the moisture will help hold your scent when they send out the coonhounds to rescue you from your adrift wanderings in this enchanted forest. The “hills ain’t high but the hollers sure are deep” applies to the topography of the park and as a result getting lost is fairly common. The Cedar Hill Fire Protection District fields frequent rescue calls but fortunately the firehouse is only 1.3 miles away. With a grant from the Jefferson Foundation the fire department also holds classes for future explorers of the park to teach them how to use their cellphones to assist rescuers in locating them. Bonne chance!