Ozark Trail
The Ozark Trail is 230-miles between Onondaga Cave State Park and the western edge of the Mark Twain National Forest. The trail is multi-use for hiking/backpacking, biking and equestrians in 13 sections, all of which are on the Mark Twain National Forest.
Dispersed Camping is allowed along the trail:
Dispersed camping is the term used for free camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means there are no toilets, no structures, no trash cans, no treated water, and no fire grates.
There are extra responsibilities required for this type of camp. It's a must to educate yourself before you try it, but we hope the adventure of dispersed camping in the Mark Twain National Forest calls to you!
- Pick a Campsite and follow the Leave No Trace Principles
- Camp 100 feet away from trails and water sources.
- Treat any water found in the area before consuming it.
- Human waste (Feces) must be buried at least 6 inches deep and covered.
- Pack out all of your garbage.
Water
Most trailheads do not have potable water. Plan accordingly.
Resupply and Services
The trail does not go through any towns.
Sections Connected for through Hiking
Courtois
- Section Length: 48 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Going South: Trace Creek Section
Trace Creek
- Section Length: 26 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Going North: Courtois Section
- Going South: A few miles after Council Bluff you'll come to a fork in the trail.
- If you head southeast you'll continue on the Trace Creek Section for several miles before entering the Taum Sauk Section.
- If you head southwest you will enter the Middle Fork Section.
Middle Fork
- Section Length: 24 miles
- Difficulty: Easy
- Going North: Trace Creek Section
- Going South: Karkaghne Section
Karkaghne
- Section Length: 29 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Going North: Middle River Section
- Going South: Blair Creek Section
Blair Creek
- Section Length: 27 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Going North: Karkaghne Section
- Going South: Current River Section
Current River
- Section Length: 30 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Going North: Blair Creek Section
- Going South: Between the Rivers Section
Between the Rivers
- Section Length: 29 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Going North: Current River Section
- Going South: Eleven Point Section
Eleven Point
- Section Length: 29 miles
- Difficulty: Varied
- Going North: Between the Rivers
- Nearest Section Going West: North Fork Section
Sections Not Connected to Other Sections for through Hiking
Marble Creek
- Section Length: 9 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Nearest Section Going North: Taum Sauk Section (not connected)
- Nearest Section Going South: Wappapello Section (not connected)
North Fork
- Section Length: 27 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Nearest Section Going North/East: Eleven Point Section (not connected)
Taum Sauk
- Section Length: 35 miles
- Difficulty: Varies
- Going North: Trace Creek Section
- Nearest Section Going South: Marble Creek Section (not connected)
Victory
- Section Length: 19 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Nearest Section Going East: Wappapello Section (not connected)
- Nearest Section Going West: Between the Rivers Section (not connected)
Wappapello
- Section Length: 35 miles
- Difficulty: Varies
- Nearest Section Going North: Marble Creek Section (not connected)
- Nearest Section Going South: Victory Section (not connected)
This section is the gateway to the Ozarks--starting at Onondaga Cave State Park and winding through the Huzzah State Forest/Conservation Area, opening into the lead distric
This section of the Ozark Trail is approximately 24 miles long and from Hazel Creek in the north, it runs south crossing hollows, ridgetops, small streams, and several high
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
This 25 mile trail section originates at MO Hwy J just east of Oates.
This trail section originates near the north edge of Shannon county at the junction of MO Hwy P and 72.
The Current River Section of the Ozark Trail, a 30 mile section, passes through a myriad of publicly owned lands, best viewed from the trail atop Stegal Mountain, the highe
The Between the Rivers Section of the Ozark Trail provides the necessary connection between the Current and Eleven Point Rivers.
The Eleven Point River Section of the Ozark Trail is located in Oregon County MO running east and west about 20 miles south of Winona, MO.
This short, 10-mile section of the Ozark Trail runs from Marble Creek Campground to Crane Lake Picnic Area, with the Crane Lake Trail circling the lake.
Thirteen miles of maintained trails wind along ridgetops and hollows among mixed oak hardwoods and southern pine.
This section begins at the Highway A Trailhead and continues for several miles before the connector trail to the Bell Mountain Wilderness trail.
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 southe
Wappapello Lake was created in 1938 with the construction of a rolled earth fill dam to control flooding of the St. Francois River.