The Ozark Plateaus: Three Major Physiographic Sections

The Ozarks comprise three distinct plateaus:

Boston Mountains

Rugged, deeply dissected terrain in NW Arkansas/NE Oklahoma; scenic bluffs along the Buffalo National River.

Springfield Plateau

Elevated, dissected plain in SW Missouri; bounded by Pomme de Terre, Finley, Current, and White Rivers.

Salem Plateau

Southern Ozarks; limestone/dolomite bedrock with karst features—sinkholes, springs, caves, losing streams (Jacks Fork, Courtois Creek, Big Spring, Alley Spring).

Together, they form a biodiverse, water‑rich highland region spanning Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.