Glade Top National Forest Scenic Byway

Picnicking - SinglePicnicking - Groups

Picnicking - Single Info

Stops where you can picnic:

• Stop 1: Haden Park
• Stop 3: Arkansas View
• Stop 5: Caney Day Use Area
• Wolf Junction (GTT Stop 7)

Caney Day Use Area

Located along the Glade Top Trail National Forest Scenic Byway, this day use area is situated on one of the Ozark glades.

In the day use area there are several picnic tables on a 30x40 foot concrete pad that you get to on a hard-packed dirt trail from the parking area. There is one grill shared by all the tables.

The amphitheater is down several rock steps and slopes down. The amphitheater can seat between 75 – 100 people. Wooden benches are provided or you can bring your own chair.

Picnicking - Groups Info

Caney Day Use Area

Located along the Glade Top Trail National Forest Scenic Byway, this day use area is situated on one of the Ozark glades.

In the day use area there are several picnic tables on a 30x40 foot concrete pad that you get to on a hard-packed dirt trail from the parking area. There is one grill shared by all the tables.

The amphitheater is down several rock steps and slopes down. The amphitheater can seat between 75 – 100 people. Wooden benches are provided or you can bring your own chair.

Scenic Driving

Scenic Driving Info

Stretching 23 miles over Missouri's Ozark hill country, the Glade Top Trail weaves along narrow ridge tops above a broken and rolling countryside.

The Glade Top Trail, is a Civilian Conservation Corps [CCC], built road which was designated a Scenic Byway in 1989. Portions of Forest Roads 147, 149 and 150 comprise the trail. The trail follows a series of ridgetops through the central glade area of the White River Hills. The Glade Top Trail is a two-lane, all weather gravel road, with quarried stone culverts and retaining walls in some places. The road has changed little in appearance since its construction in the 1930s. One cache of tools, probably dating to the CCC Era and likely used in road construction, was found along the road.

From Mark Twain Historical Files

It is not clear which parts of the road were Civilian Conservation Corp constructed. It is not unlikely that all the sections saw at least some improvements and maintenance during that time. 

The earliest available map is the 1935 US Forest Service Pond Fork Purchase Unit Map. Based on this map it appears that there was a road, or trail, along a part of the course of the later Gladetop Trail prior to the 1930's. It is not clear what this older road looked like and how much reconstruction was done by the CCC. Sections of the present Gladetop Trail are not shown as roads on this map. 

The 1938-39 County Highway Maps... indicate that by the time there was a road along the entire course of the present Gladetop Trail, with the exception of the northern part of FR147, in Section 4 T24N R16W and Section 33 T25N R16W. 

A 1940 Mark Twain National Map shows a road along the present route of the Gladetop Trail. On this map, however, portions of Highway W and FR 145 are labeled "Glade Top Trail" along with FR 147/149.

The 1936 aerial photograph show clearly all sections of the trail, with the exception of the northern part of FR147, in Section 4. These photographs also show a number of well developed farmsteads along the road, suggesting there was a road here prior to the 1930's to access these farmsteads. 

Likewise, the USGS 15' quadrangles show a road along the present route of the trail with that part of the trail shown on the Ava quadrangle labeled, "Skyline Drive". 

It might be noted that earlier nineteenth century maps do not show any roads in this general area, suggesting that there no significant inter- and -intra-regional travel ways here during that time. The roads which do traverse the Gladetop area at this time serve as local access roads only. 

Several other CCC-Era sites are located along the Gladetop Trail, including the Wilson Spring Site, a spring impoundment, recorded as site 099-05-21-307, 23OZ228, and the Caney Fire Lookout Tower Complex, recorded as site 09-05-21-171.

Viewing PlantsViewing WildlifeViewing Scenery

Viewing Plants Info

Best Places to view plants:

• Stop 10: McClurg Glade
• Stop 5: Caney Day Use Area

Glade Top Trail and Caney Picnic Area offer many opportunities to see wildflowers spring through fall, including purple and yellow coneflower, Missouri primrose, Indian paintbrush, prairie roses, prairie dock, and most butterflies' favorite, milkweed.

Missouri has among the greatest abundance and diversity of glades in the United States and the Glade Top Trail lies within the heart of some of the best remaining examples of this unique natural community.

There is a high diversity of both common and rare plants native to these glades, and some wildflowers that can be seen along the Glade Top Trail include

• Arkansas calamint (Satureja arkansana),
• aromatic aster (Symphotrichum oblongifolium),
• Barbara’s buttons (Marshallia caespitosa var. signata),
• Bush’s skullcap (Scutellaria Bushii),
• Gattinger’s goldenrod (Solidago Gattingeri),
• Missouri black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia missouriensis),
• Missouri evening primrose (Oenothera missouriensis),
• purple beardtongue (Penstemon Cobaea var. purpureus),
• purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea),
• rosinweed (Grindelia lanceolata),
• stenosiphon (Stenosiphin linifolius),
• silky aster (Symphotrichum sericeum),
• Spanish needles (Palafoxia callosa),
• Trelease’s larkspur (Delphinium treleasei), and
• yellow coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa)

What to look for

• Native - MDC Field Guide
• Threatened, Endangered and Candidate Species - Mark Twain | MDC Species

Viewing Wildlife Info

Best places to find wildlife:

• Stop 10: McClurg Glade
• Stop 5: Caney Day Use Area

The ultimate wildlife viewing experience is watching animals in their habitat. Here are some helpful tips to become a wildlife friendly viewer:

• Use the right tools - A field guide, a pair of binoculars and a camera. Wear clothing that is appropriate for the season and activity.
• Watch at dawn and dusk - This is the time when most wildlife species are active enough to view.
• Keep your distance - Maintain a distance that is comfortable for the wildlife.
• Stay quiet - Move slowly and quietly to increase your chances of viewing wildlife, and to avoid stressing the animals you wish to watch.
• Do not feed the wildlife - There is plenty of food available in the wild. Human food can cause digestive problems, provide improper nutrition, and even kill an animal.

An online version of the Missouri Wildlife Viewing Guide is available on their website.

Featured species and habitat:

In the glades tarantulas, collared lizards, road runners, scorpions are endemic to this glade ecosystem.

You may see hawks or eagles. Take a minute to sit and listen and you’ll hear many songbirds throughout the area, even though you may not see them. You may even hear a meadowlark!

You could see a big gobbler turkey strutting for the ladies, turkey vultures preening on Caney's historic fire tower, deer munching on fresh new growth in meadows and glades, or a roadrunner doing a good job of outrunning both your vehicle (as long as you drive pretty slow!) and the lizards they love to eat.

Bobwhite quail may startle you as you meander by, and rare collard lizards can sometimes be seen sunning on some of the prolific numbers of rock outcroppings.

Viewing Scenery Info

All the views are great, but definitely check out:

• Stop 5: Caney Day Use Area

The Glade Top Trail is little changed from the original road constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930’s. For twenty-three miles, the two-lane, all weather gravel road follows narrow ridge tops rising approximately 500 feet above the surrounding rolling countryside, and overlooks and passes through many limestone/dolomite glades interspersed with open and closed woodlands and forests.

Along the trail are seven overlook “pull-outs” that provide panoramic views that reach to the Springfield Plateau twenty miles to the northwest and forty miles south to the Boston Mountains in Arkansas.

In spring, smoke tree, serviceberry, dogwood, and redbud paint the glades and hillsides with blooming color. Each fall these scenic views are celebrated by local residents at October's "Flaming Fall Review", as vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds are displayed everywhere. After an infrequent snowfall, evergreens stand out in sharp contrast to the quiet dusting of white.

Day Hikes

Day Hikes Info

This 23 mile road has seven overlook “pull-outs” that provide panoramic views that reach to the Springfield Plateau twenty miles to the northwest and forty miles south to the Boston Mountains in Arkansas, and encourage the adventurous hiker to explore.

At any of the pull-outs you can stop and walk through the glades along the byway. There are no designated trails.

Bring lots of water during hot weather, there is not a lot of shade as you hike through the glades.

Willie Lee

Willie Lee serves as a designated trailhead for the Bateman Trail. From Willie Lee there is a spur trail that goes up the hill and into the woods and connects through the trees to Bateman Trail System.

Bateman Trail: 16-miles

The Bateman Trail, a non-motorized trail system, consists of approximately 16 miles of trail. This hiking 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 be seasonal.

Horseback Riding

Horseback Riding Info

This 23 mile (gravel) road is open to vehicle travel, but also used for horseback riding and for access to other trails and dispersed camping areas.

For twenty-three miles, the two-lane, all weather gravel road follows narrow ridge tops rising approximately 500 feet above the surrounding rolling countryside, and overlooks and passes through many limestone/dolomite glades interspersed with open and closed woodlands and forests, providing a scenic route along which to ride.

There will be ATVs and UTVs also driving on the trail.

Willie Lee

Willie Lee serves as a designated trailhead for the Bateman Trail. From Willie Lee there is a spur trail that goes up the hill and into the woods and connects through the trees to Bateman Trail System.

Bateman Trail: 16-miles

The Bateman Trail, a non-motorized trail system, consists of approximately 16 miles of trail. This hiking 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 be seasonal.

Biking - Mountain

Biking - Mountain Info

 For twenty-three miles, the two-lane, all weather gravel road follows narrow ridge tops rising approximately 500 feet above the surrounding rolling countryside, and overlooks and passes through many limestone/dolomite glades interspersed with open and closed woodlands and forests, providing a scenic route along which to ride.

There will be ATVs and UTVs also driving on the trail.

OHV Road Riding

OHV Road Riding Info

The road is open to OHV and UTV riding, however please be aware of larger vehicles on the road. You will need a county permit to ride your OHV on the byway.

Many visitors use Willie Lee as a location for loading/unloading their ATVs/OHVs for riding along the byway.