Ozark Trail (hiking trail)
Encyclopedia
The Ozark Trail is a hiking
, backpacking
, and, in many places, biking and equestrian
trail
under construction in the Missouri
Ozarks
in the United States
. It is intended to reach from St. Louis
to Arkansas
. Over 350 miles (563 km) of the trail have been completed as of 2008, and the estimated length when finished will be at least 500 miles (805 km). When joined to the Ozark Highlands Trail
in Arkansas, the full hiking distance from end to end will be at least 700 miles (1,127 km), not including a large loop through the St. Francois Mountains
in Missouri.
to the Eleven Point River
. The exact routes for incomplete sections have not been established, so the total length of the trail when completed remains undetermined.
Some sections have restrictions on their use in order to be compatible with the goals and purposes of the various public and private landholders whose property the trail crosses. Horseback riding, mountain biking, or trailside camping may be restricted in certain environmentally sensitive areas, for example. The Ozark Trail Council publishes brochures that detail the permitted and restricted uses of each section of the trail.
lead to the first draft of the trails proposal in February 1977 and in 1981 the first sections of the trail were under construction.
The general route of the Ozark Trail is determined by the Ozark Trail Council, which was formed by seven governmental agencies including the National Forest Service
, the Missouri State Parks Department
, the Missouri Conservation Commission
, et al., plus several environmental groups and a private landowner with significant holdings. The land manager for each parcel held by these constituents is responsible for the trail within its holdings.
This unique decentralized arrangement is conducive to work progressing on many fronts at once and is partly responsible for the rapid initial progress in building the trail — 170 (275 km) miles within the first decade and over 200 miles (322 km) by 1991. In 2008, the milage stands at over 350 miles (563 km). As the route over contiguous public lands is completed further progress will likely be slowed by the arduous process of acquiring private land and easement
s.
Volunteers formed the Ozark Trail Association in 2002 to work with the Ozark Trail Council to develop and maintain the Ozark Trail. The Ozark Trail was designated a National Recreation Trail
in 2008
failed in December 2005, causing a flood that devastated Johnson's Shut-ins State Park
and destroyed a part of the Taum Sauk section of the Ozark Trail at the shut-ins. The entire portion of the trail through the Johnson's Shut-ins park remains closed, and the section from Taum Sauk Mountain to Johnson's Shut-ins is closed past the Devil's Tollgate formation. The Ozark Trail Association and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
have mapped out a new route to replace the damaged section, and work on the new path was planned to be completed by mid 2009.
devastated 44 miles of the trail within the Mark Twain National Forest, and all or parts of several sections were closed because of downed trees. Several sections were repaired and reopened within months through the work of both volunteer and paid forest service crews. As of September, 2009, parts of three sections remain closed, including the newly rerouted section through Johnson's Shut-ins. Those sections of the trail that were reopened still had many holes in the tread caused by the roots of fallen trees having been torn out of the ground, and trail markers had not been restored.
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, backpacking
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
, and, in many places, biking and equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
under construction in the Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Ozarks
The Ozarks
The Ozarks are a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the southern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwestern and north central Arkansas...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is intended to reach from St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
to Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Over 350 miles (563 km) of the trail have been completed as of 2008, and the estimated length when finished will be at least 500 miles (805 km). When joined to the Ozark Highlands Trail
Ozark Highlands Trail
The Ozark Highlands Trail roams through parts of seven counties in northwest Arkansas. It stretches from Lake Fort Smith State Park, across the Ozark National Forest, to the Buffalo National River. The trail passes through some of the most remote and scenic portions of the Ozark Mountains, like...
in Arkansas, the full hiking distance from end to end will be at least 700 miles (1,127 km), not including a large loop through the St. Francois Mountains
Saint Francois Mountains
The St. Francois Mountains in southeast Missouri are a range of Precambrian igneous mountains rising over the Ozark Plateau. This range is one of the oldest exposures of igneous rock in North America....
in Missouri.
Description
The trail is currently composed of thirteen sections, most of which are joined to other sections, though some gaps exist. The sections vary in length from 8 to 40 mi (12.9 to 64.4 km). The longest continuous stretch available for hiking in is 225 miles (362 km), from Onondaga Cave State ParkOnondaga Cave State Park
The Onondaga Cave State Park is located in Leasburg, Missouri. The park was established in 1982. The park offers many activities including cave tours, camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and swimming.-History:...
to the Eleven Point River
Eleven Point River
The Eleven Point River is a river in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, United States. It originates near Willow Springs, Missouri. It more than doubles in flow when Greer Spring Branch runs into it, adding over of water per day to the river. The name derives from the Mississippi Valley...
. The exact routes for incomplete sections have not been established, so the total length of the trail when completed remains undetermined.
Some sections have restrictions on their use in order to be compatible with the goals and purposes of the various public and private landholders whose property the trail crosses. Horseback riding, mountain biking, or trailside camping may be restricted in certain environmentally sensitive areas, for example. The Ozark Trail Council publishes brochures that detail the permitted and restricted uses of each section of the trail.
Development
The Ozark Trail had its beginnings in 1970s when a group of public land managers, land owners, and trail users met to discuss the concept of a long-distance hiking trail. A comprehensive state outdoor recreation plan prepared by the state of Missouri in 1975 showed a need for an addition of 500 to 900 mi (804.7 to 1,448.4 km) of hiking trails. It was determined that a trail spanning the Ozarks from suburban St. Louis southwest to Arkansas could be routed over mostly existing public lands with a minimum amount of right-of-way needing to be obtained from private landowners. A first meeting in 1976 at Meramec State ParkMeramec State Park
Meramec State Park is located near Sullivan, Missouri, about 60 miles from St. Louis, along the Meramec River. The park has diverse ecosystems such as hardwood forests, and glades. There are over 40 caves located throughout the park, the geology of which is a mixture of limestone and dolomite...
lead to the first draft of the trails proposal in February 1977 and in 1981 the first sections of the trail were under construction.
The general route of the Ozark Trail is determined by the Ozark Trail Council, which was formed by seven governmental agencies including the National Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
, the Missouri State Parks Department
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources of the government of the U.S. state of Missouri consists of the Division of Environmental Quality, the Division of Geology and Land Survey, the Division of State Parks, the Environmental and Energy Resources Authority, and the Field Services Division....
, the Missouri Conservation Commission
Missouri Department of Conservation
The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Conservation Commission were created by Article IV Sections 40-42 of the Missouri Constitution, which were adopted by the voters of the state in 1936 as Amendment 4 to the constitution...
, et al., plus several environmental groups and a private landowner with significant holdings. The land manager for each parcel held by these constituents is responsible for the trail within its holdings.
This unique decentralized arrangement is conducive to work progressing on many fronts at once and is partly responsible for the rapid initial progress in building the trail — 170 (275 km) miles within the first decade and over 200 miles (322 km) by 1991. In 2008, the milage stands at over 350 miles (563 km). As the route over contiguous public lands is completed further progress will likely be slowed by the arduous process of acquiring private land and easement
Easement
An easement is a certain right to use the real property of another without possessing it.Easements are helpful for providing pathways across two or more pieces of property or allowing an individual to fish in a privately owned pond...
s.
Volunteers formed the Ozark Trail Association in 2002 to work with the Ozark Trail Council to develop and maintain the Ozark Trail. The Ozark Trail was designated a National Recreation Trail
National Recreation Trail
National Recreation Trail is a designation given to existing trails that contribute to health, conservation, and recreation goals in the United States. Over 1,000 trails in all 50 U.S. states, available for public use and ranging from less than a mile to in length, have been designated as NRTs...
in 2008
Taum Sauk reservoir failure
The upper reservoir of the Taum Sauk pumped storage plantTaum Sauk pumped storage plant
The Taum Sauk pumped storage plant is located in the St. Francois mountain region of the Missouri Ozarks approximately south of St. Louis near Lesterville, Missouri in Reynolds County. The pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, operated by the AmerenUE electric company, was designed to help...
failed in December 2005, causing a flood that devastated Johnson's Shut-ins State Park
Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park
Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park is a Missouri state park on the East Fork Black River consisting of in Reynolds County. The park is jointly administered with adjoining Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, and together the two parks cover in the St...
and destroyed a part of the Taum Sauk section of the Ozark Trail at the shut-ins. The entire portion of the trail through the Johnson's Shut-ins park remains closed, and the section from Taum Sauk Mountain to Johnson's Shut-ins is closed past the Devil's Tollgate formation. The Ozark Trail Association and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources of the government of the U.S. state of Missouri consists of the Division of Environmental Quality, the Division of Geology and Land Survey, the Division of State Parks, the Environmental and Energy Resources Authority, and the Field Services Division....
have mapped out a new route to replace the damaged section, and work on the new path was planned to be completed by mid 2009.
May 2009 storms
An unusually strong May 2009 windstormMay 2009 Southern Midwest derecho
The May 2009 Southern Midwest Derecho was an extreme progressive derecho and mesoscale convective vortex event that struck Southeastern Kansas, Southern Missouri, and Southwestern Illinois on May 8, 2009. Thirty-nine tornadoes, including two of EF3 strength on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, were...
devastated 44 miles of the trail within the Mark Twain National Forest, and all or parts of several sections were closed because of downed trees. Several sections were repaired and reopened within months through the work of both volunteer and paid forest service crews. As of September, 2009, parts of three sections remain closed, including the newly rerouted section through Johnson's Shut-ins. Those sections of the trail that were reopened still had many holes in the tread caused by the roots of fallen trees having been torn out of the ground, and trail markers had not been restored.
See also
The trail crosses parts of these public lands:- Johnson's Shut-ins State ParkJohnson's Shut-Ins State ParkJohnson's Shut-Ins State Park is a Missouri state park on the East Fork Black River consisting of in Reynolds County. The park is jointly administered with adjoining Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, and together the two parks cover in the St...
- Mark Twain National ForestMark Twain National ForestMark Twain National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in the southern half of Missouri. MTNF was established on September 11, 1939. It is named for author Mark Twain, a Missouri native. The MTNF covers approximately 1.5 million acres , 78,000 acres of which are Wilderness, and National...
- Onondaga Cave State ParkOnondaga Cave State ParkThe Onondaga Cave State Park is located in Leasburg, Missouri. The park was established in 1982. The park offers many activities including cave tours, camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and swimming.-History:...
- Ozark National Scenic RiverwaysOzark National Scenic RiverwaysThe Ozark National Scenic Riverways is a national park in the Ozarks of southern Missouri in the U.S..The park was created by an Act of Congress in 1964 to protect the Current and Jacks Fork rivers, and it was formally dedicated in 1971. The park's are used for many forms of recreation and are...
- Sam A. Baker State ParkSam A. Baker State ParkSam A. Baker State Park is located in the Saint Francois Mountain region of the Missouri Ozarks. The park offers access to the St. Francis River and Big Creek for fishing, canoeing, and swimming. The park has 187 campsites, half of them electric, and 18 rustic but air-conditioned cabins...
- Taum Sauk Mountain State ParkTaum Sauk Mountain State ParkTaum Sauk Mountain State Park is located in the Saint Francois Mountains in the Missouri Ozarks. It is centered around Taum Sauk Mountain, the highest point in the state....
- Numerous holdings of the Missouri Department of ConservationMissouri Department of ConservationThe Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Conservation Commission were created by Article IV Sections 40-42 of the Missouri Constitution, which were adopted by the voters of the state in 1936 as Amendment 4 to the constitution...
External links
- Ozark Trail Association
- Missouri Department of Natural Resources
- Mark Twain National Forest trails, including the Ozark Trail.