Buford Mountain Conservation Area

{{Short description|Protected area in Missouri, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Buford Mountain Conservation Area

| iucn_category = IV

| photo = Buford Mountain Trail 2.JPG

| photo_caption = Buford Mountain Trail on Bald Knob

| photo_alt = A photo of the trail through a glade

| map = Missouri

| map_caption =

| coordinates = {{coord|37.714339|-90.703133|display=inline, title}}

| location = Iron and Washington counties, Missouri, United States

| nearest_city = Bismarck, MO

| area = {{convert|3824|acres|km2|1}}

| established = 1983

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = Missouri Department of Conservation

| url= [https://web.archive.org/web/20120605141536/http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/applications/moatlas/AreaSummaryPage.aspx?txtAreaID=7727 Official website]

}}

Buford Mountain Conservation Area consists of {{convert|3824|acre|km2}} north of Ironton and southwest of Bismarck, Missouri. The area includes Buford Mountain at {{convert|1740|ft|m}} above sea level. The mountain consists mostly of rhyolite, with few permanent water sources. However, there are eight fishless ponds each about {{convert|0.25|acre|ha}} in size.

The central feature, Buford Mountain, has the name of the local Buford family who settled the area.{{cite web|url=http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_iron.html |title=Iron County Place Names, 1928–1945 (archived) |publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri |accessdate=11 October 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071635/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_iron.html |archivedate=24 June 2016 }} The Missouri Department of Conservation purchased the area from the Nature Conservancy in 1979. There is a hiking trail that traverses the area for {{convert|10.5|mi|km}} and crosses the summit of Buford Mountain. Hunting is permitted in the area in the appropriate season with permits.{{cite web |title=Buford Mountain Conservation Area |publisher=Missouri Department of Conservation |url=http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Applications/MOATLAS/AreaSummaryPage.aspx?txtAreaID=7727 |accessdate=October 31, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605141536/http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/applications/moatlas/AreaSummaryPage.aspx?txtAreaID=7727 |archivedate=June 5, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

{{wide image|Bald Knob view.JPG|700px|View west from Bald Knob|710px|left|alt=A panoramic of the valley to the east from the glade on Bald Knob}}

{{wide image|Buford Mtn MO 20130921 099-111 ortho.jpg|1000px|Buford Mountain viewed from Belleview Valley looking east|710px|left|alt=A panoramic view of the mountain from Belleview Valley}}

{{clear|left}}