Driving DirectionsFrom Fredericktown, take Route J east, then Route W south, then County Road 208 east. HighlightsThe area is nearly all forest. Facilities/features: permanent stream (Castor River) and Castor River Shut-ins Natural Area. About This AreaAmidon Memorial Conservation Area is a 1,630-acre area located on the upper reaches of the Castor River in Bollinger and Madison counties. Evelyn and Ellsworth Amidon donated a portion of the area to the Conservation Department; other tracts were acquired from private landowners and the U.S. Forest Service.The forest's timber species range from mixed hardwoods to shortleaf pine to cedar glades. A granite shut-ins on the Castor River adds an interesting geologic feature. The Driscoll Tract contains two old grist mill sites that date back to the mid 1800s, lending a historical flavor to the area.During your visit, you may see various forest improvement practices designed to improve wildlife habitat and maintain watershed quality. Any physical disturbance is only temporary and normal aesthetic appearance will return soon.The Conservation Department has created watering ponds and planted food plots and agricultural crops within the forest to provide additional food sources for wildlife.Timber harvests are also an important part of habitat management; they produce forage and cover for forest wildlife.Boundaries are marked from tree to tree with blue paint, and/or signs. State forest signs also are posted where boundaries intersect state and county roads or private lands. Please respect the rights of adjacent landowners.Amidon Memorial Conservation Area is located south of Route J, approximately eight miles east of Fredericktown. County Road 208 fords the Castor River on the area.