How many ways can we describe the Ozarks? It has mountains, hills and knobs, valleys filled with springs, crystal-clear streams, shut-ins and waterfalls, trimmed by bluffs and riddled with caves. It has hardwood forests, stands of pines, savannas filled with black-eyed susans and glades dotted by purple coneflowers. It's home to deer, turkey, bobcat, bear, songbirds and bald eagles. It is one of the most diverse places on the planet.
The Ozarks, in a word, are splendid.
Experience this national treasure yourself on the Ozark Trail. Bring your boots, bike or horse to one of the sections listed below. The trail offers trips from just a few miles to 140 miles, so spend a lazy afternoon at Taum Sauk visiting Mina Sauk Falls or a week backpacking along the Current and Eleven Point Rivers. It's guaranteed to take away the stress and leave a smile on your face.
We have over 360 miles of trail, divided into (mostly) linked sections. Click on a section name for information, maps, trail conditions and more.
| Section Name | Approx. Miles |
Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Courtois | 48 | Includes Huzzah Conservation, a 1 mile road walk through Bass River Resort, the west half of Berryman Trail, and continues south to Hazel Creek. |
| Trace Creek | 26 | Runs from Hazel Creek Camp to Highway A at Bell Mountain, with a connection to Council Bluff Lake and the Middle Fork / John Roth Memorial Section. |
| Middle Fork / John Roth Memorial | 24 | Connects to the Trace Creek section on the north (but easiest access is the Highway DD trailhead) and runs southwest to Highway J. |
| Karkaghne | 29 | Runs from Oates at Highway J to Highway 72 near Reynolds. |
| Blair Creek | 27 | Starts at Reynolds, runs through the Roger Pryor Backcountry for 10 miles and ends at Owl's Bend. |
| Current River | 30 | Runs from Powder Mill Campground at Owl's Bend on the Current River south past Klepzig Mill, close to Rocky Falls, up Stegall Mountain, through Peck Ranch to near Van Buren. Fabulous! |
| Between The Rivers | 29 | From Highway 60 near Van Burean, this section bridges the gap between the Current River and the Eleven Point. Skirts the Irish Wilderness. |
| Eleven Point | 29 | Starts in the middle of nowhere, ends in the middle of nowhere... but in between has fantastic views of the Eleven Point River. Side trail to McCormick Lake. |
| North Fork | 27 | 12 miles of trail from Pomona tacked on to the existing Ridge Runner Trail and Devil's Backbone Wilderness. |
| Taum Sauk | 35 | One of the best trails in the state. Can be divided into 15-, 12- and 6-mile subsections. Goes through Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. |
| Marble Creek | 9 | Runs from Marble Creek campground to Crane Lake. Does not connect to any other section. |
| Victory | 19 | An old horse trail system, some of which now is officially a part of the Ozark Trail. Will connect to the Wappapello section. |
| Wappapello | 35 | Starts at Sam A. Baker state park and past Wappapello Lake. |
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Section Naming
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Our Cousin - The OHT
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