Nonetheless, in the early 1950s residents abandoned the last permanent household in the vicinity of Piney Creek. The ridge tops rise 400 or more feet above hollows and drainages that dissect the area. Numerous small springs feed several waterways, but the main stream is Piney Creek itself. All five miles of the Piney Creek watershed lie within the Wilderness. Oak and hickory dominate the ridges today, and along the drainages you'll find hardwoods such as sycamore, ash, elm, buckeye, and walnut.
Wildlife species are typical of the Ozarks, and armadillos also live here.
Copperheads, eastern timber rattlers, and western pygmy rattlers are common. Great blue herons and pileated woodpeckers add to the local color.