Your national forests and grasslands are 193 million acres of vast, scenic beauty waiting for you to discover. Visitors who choose to recreate on these public lands find more than 150,000 miles of trails, 10,000 developed recreation sites, 57,000 miles of streams, 122 alpine ski areas, 338,000 heritage sites, and specially designated sites that include 9,100 miles of byways, 22 recreation areas, 11 scenic areas, 439 wilderness areas, 122 wild and scenic rivers, nine monuments, and one preserve. And remember, “It’s All Yours.”
Displaying 8326 - 8350 of 21008OT - Middle Fork Section
The newest section of the Ozark Trail, (completed in 2005), the Middle Fork Section crosses many brooks and streams in the upper basin of the Middle Fork of the Black River: Neals Creek, Strother Creek, Henderson Creek, Little Creek, Brooks Creek, as well as the headwaters of the Middle Fork. The trail passes near Barton fen, seeps, and small springs and through oak and hickory hardwoods, short-leaf pine…
OT - Victory Section and trailhead
Named after the one-room schoolhouse that formerly stood near the trailhead, this isolated section of the Ozark Trail is separated from the Wappapello Lake Section’s southern terminus by the Black River and three miles of rugged terrain. The trail follows through heavy oak forests, with small meadows and streams providing variety in the landscape. The primary trailhead for this section of OT is at this…
OT - Wappapello Section
Almost half of the 35-mile long Wappapello Lake Section of the Ozark Trail is managed by the Mark Twain National Forest – the balance of it is managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Wappapello Lake was created in 1938 with the construction of a rolled earth fill dam to control flooding of the St. Francois River. The trail’s proximity to…
McCormack Lake Day Use Area
The day use area is an open area surrounded by shade trees with views of McCormack Lake.
From here you can access a 1.07 mile spur trail that will take you to the Lazy C Trail or the Eleven Point River Section of the Ozark Trail. The trail begins on the southside of the…
Crane Lake Recreation Area
Crane Lake was originally created many years ago by impounding Crane Pond Creek. The dam is an earth fill dam at the upstream end of a “shut-ins” or narrow gorge cut in the granite bedrock. The lake is about 50 acres in size and approximately 20 feet deep at the dam. The site is popular for fishing and hiking.
This is a good area to see great blue herons, songbirds and a variety of waterfowl.
A temporary single-lane…
Brazil Creek Trailhead
The Brazil Creek Trailhead serves as a trail camp for the 24-mile Berryman Trail and the 40 mile Courtois (koh-teh-wah) Section of the Ozark Trail.
The Berryman Trail traverses 24 miles of scenic Ozark countryside starting at the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp of…
Council Bluff Lake Trailhead
This 12.4 mile trail circles Council Bluff Lake, the largest of the lakes in the Mark Twain National Forest, and connects to the Council Bluff Recreation Area, providing hiking and mountain biking opportunities along the lake shore, and connecting the developed recreation areas.
Some sections are steep and rocky, providing challenges to the bike…
Rockpile Mountain Trl
The trail is located in the Rockpile Mountain Wilderness Area, from the trailhead there is a 2 mile section of maintained trail. The rest of the area is accessed by old woods roads or cross-country hiking.
Brochures and Maps
A printable brochure is available for download
Trail System Map (…
Bateman
The Bateman Trail, a non-motorized trail system, consists of approximately 16 miles of trail. This hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trail, leads you through limestone glades that can be seen throughout the trail system. Landscapes vary from gently rolling hills to moderately steep terrain with rock outcrops and tall grass prairies. Natural water for horses along the trail is very limited and may…
Wolf Creek
There are approximately 21 miles of trail. It is designed for mountain biking, but can be used for hiking or trail running. The trail crosses several tributaries of Wolf Creek. The trail is also a popular destination for geocachers.
From the North Trailhead you can do a 3.6 mile, 6-mile or 11-mile loop.
It’s surrounded by a mixed oak and hickory forest.…
Stop 8: Big Creek Basin
This is a very small site located on a sharp curve, please be aware of your surroundings and passing traffic if you pull off.
What you see in front of you is oak woodland habitat which surrounds glades and is very important to wildlife and wildflowers that reside in Missouri. Woodlands may have covered a third of Missouri prior to European settlement. Early explorer Henry Rowe Schoolcraft noted the…
Stop 3: Arkansas View
As you look out to the south and into Arkansas, the furthest range of mountains lined against the sky are the Boston Mountains. While the view to the Boston Mountains has always been a prominent feature of this site, Forest conditions have changed considerably since the area was described and surveyed in the 1840s.
In 1848, the Government Land Office (GLO) sent surveyors to this area to lay out Township Range…
Bookers Bend
Bookers Bend Access is a small gravel boat/canoe access for the Big Piney River.
Upriver you can start from East Gate or Crossroads River Access. From East Gate to Bookers Bend is 11 miles, from Crossroads…
Huzzah Ponds
Want a quick weekend outing in the forest? Check out the Huzzah pond trail great hiking experience!
This 2.5-mile loop trail allows users the opportunity to spot wildlife like the whitetail deer, turkey, waterfowl, and songbirds. As you traverse the rolling Ozark landscape, you’ll experience multiple ecosystems and forest types including the Huzzah ponds, savannahs, oak hickory, and shortleaf pine forest…
Stop 4: Watershed Divide
Watershed Divide is the location where rainwater flows north or south into streams in the glade top area. Everything south of the divide flows into Big Creek. Everything north of the divide flows into Beaver Creek.
The Glade in front of you became encroached with Eastern Red Cedar due to exclusion of fire. This photo was taken before restoration activities began. In 2013, it was covered in Eastern Red Cedar (…
Brawley Pond Trailhead
This is a small trailhead and a single panel kiosk. This trailhead is very lightly used.
Stop 9: Panorama
Panorama is a very small pull-off along the Glade Top National Scenic Byway. From here you can see panoramic views of the glades and valley below.
In February 1905, all federal forest administration was consolidated under the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Forestry. These lands were previously administered by the General Land Office (GLO) and United States Geological Survey (USGS) under the Department of…
Camp Five Pond Trailhead
This is the primary access point for the Irish Wilderness, the largest wilderness in Missouri. It’s a gravel parking lot and a two panel kiosk. The road loops around the parking area. If you are riding a horse this would be the best trailhead to use for access.
Stop 2: Smoke Tree Scene
American Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus) is found is central Texas, eastern Oklahoma, northwest Arkansas, southwest Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.
In Missouri it occurs on the Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District in Douglas, Ozark, Stone and Taney Counties. American smoke trees thrive in dolomite glade habitats. Missouri’s largest concentration of dolomite glades occurs on the Ava…
Stop 10: McClurg Glade
Welcome to McClurg Glade! This is a small pull-off where visitors can view the glades. There is an old trail/road you can walk down to get a closer view of the flowers.
Before you is a prime example of dolomite/limestone glade in the White River Hills region. The definition of glade is an open, rocky area dominated by drought-adapted wildflowers, warm-season grasses and specialized wildlife. Glades resemble deserts…
Coy Bald Trailhead
This is a small parking area. The road loops around and goes back out to the main road. Within the loop there are several picnic tables and campsites.
Coy Bald Trailhead is the western trailhead for the Hercules Glade Wilderness trails. It connects you to the Coy Bald and Long Creek Trails. Long Creek Trail connects to the 4-mile Pea's Hollow loop and you can hike north along the hollow bottom, then back along the…
Wild Boar Boat Launch and Trailhead
Wild Boar Hollow Boat Launch is a single-lane concrete launch with a boat dock. If you are using a motorized watercraft it may be preferable to launch from Wild Boar Hollow.
The trailhead for the Council Bluff trail is located in the boat launch directly off the parking area.
Wolf Junction (GTT Stop 7)
This stop combines Wolf Junction and Willie Lee recreation sites.
The 1930s plat book shows J.W. Findley as the owner of the land now known as Wolf Junction. Other individuals owned the land before Mr. Findley, but he left a lasting impression that is part of Ozarks history. Mr. Findley was a noted author, local historian, and was known as the “walking preacher of the Ozarks”. In his retirement, J.W. Findley wrote 8…
Hay Hollow Trailhead
This one of five trailheads for the Ridge Runner Trail. This is a small trailhead.
Blair Ridge Trailhead
This is a small parking lot that holds about 4 vehicles.
Blair Ridge Trailhead connects you to the Blair Ridge Trail, this is the trail that takes you straight to the Long Creek Falls. The falls are a 10-foot tall where water has carved out the rock. Pools are created during warmer months, but dry out during the summer or dryer weather.