The Ozark Trail: A Guide to Hiking Missouri's Mountains - Backpacker

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

This hidden gem of a thru-hike shows off all the Ozarks have to offer.

You might not recognize the name, but don’t let that dissuade you: The Ozark Trail (OT) deserves more attention than it tends to garner. Brimming with rocky streams, dolomite glades, plunge-pool-filled shut-ins, and hidden caves, the OT flaunts some of the most geographically unique hiking you can find anywhere.

The Ozark Mountains are home to over 390 miles of trails, including the 14 (mostly) continuous sections of the Ozark Trail. But most thru-hikers come to the Missouri Ozarks for the main event: The 230-mile Ozark Trail thru-hike between Onondaga Cave State Park southeast of St. Louis and the western edge of the Mark Twain State Forest.

If you’re searching east of the Rockies for stunning scenery, technical terrain, and a long hike option sans the AT crowds, this is your pick. Along the way you’ll cross paths with fewer people than you can count on two hands—just keep an eye out for mountain bikers and horseback riders who frequent the multi-use sections of the trail.

Link: 

The Ozark Trail: A Guide to Hiking Missouri's Mountains - Backpacker

MoBikeFed comment: We agree 100% with Backpacker.com - Missouri's Ozark Trail is criminally underappreciated at the national and international level.

You can hike the trail - which is maintained by dozens of Ozark Trail Association Volunteers in cooperation with many different agencies and landowners along the trail - with maps and more information available at https://ozarktrail.com/

And don't forget that a much of the trail is open to mountain biking as well - and MoBikeFed is working with the Ozark Trail Association, local cyclists, and mountain biking groups to create the Ozark Trail Bikepacking & Mountain Biking Network. This network connects the mountain bikeable sections of the Ozark Trail with connection links on nearby forest and gravel roads to create many hundred miles of connected mountain bike & bikepacking routes & loops. Check it out:

https://ridewithgps.com/events/95771-ozark-trail-mountain-bike-bikepacki...