Courtois Creek is a clear, cold Ozark stream one hundred miles southwest of St. Louis, Missouri. In 1993, Western Rivers Conservancy purchased a 200-acre homestead on Courtois Creek, including 3/4 of a mile of stream frontage, native pastures, and old growth forests of oak, hickory, elm, maple and sycamore. The property contains habitat for whitetail deer, wild turkey, and numerous cavity-nesting birds, such as pileated woodpeckers. In addition, Courtois Creek supports an excellent Ozark stream fishery with a healthy population of smallmouth bass. The stream is a tributary to the Meramec River, and is considered to be a gem of the Ozark Plateau. The lower section of Courtois Creek has been designated an Outstanding State Resource Water by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Canoeing and fishing this stretch of Courtois Creek is very popular. The Mark Twain National Forest now owns and manages the property.

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