I cut post-it notes into strips and stick them to the map where I think we might camp. I move them around while planning, sometimes even after changes are made while ozark trail canopy on the trail. I sometimes enjoy not knowing exactly where we’ll stop to spend the night. Includes compression straps on the sides to keep your gear stable.
I also brought two portable battery banks, and I’m grateful I did,” she said. “They were important backup when I needed to rely on AllTrails more frequently, when taking pictures, and when I wanted to compose a blog post in the evening. The river crossings were thus easier overall, but the trail [was] more covered in leaves, making a sprained ankle more probable,” he said. My trail running shoes were still wet from multiple stream crossings the day before, but I knew my Merino wool socks would warm my feet in little time.
It’s been stuffed to capacity with almost everything I had to carry, including, but not limited to, outerwear, lunch, groceries, laptop, iPad, a Bose speaker, and combinations thereof. I saw this pack at Wally World and figured, $19 for a 28-liter pack, I’d give it a shot. If it doesn’t suit my needs, one of my daughters would be able to use it. The Ozark Trail passes through areas owned by several different organizations and governmental agencies, so the route may be marked with different signs. Common signs include the white and green Ozarks Trail sign and a brown sign with a white silhouette of a hiker or a silver diamond, both used as markers by the U.S.
I use an empty coffee bag for trash because it’s light and can be folded down to the size needed. At the end of the trip, the bag goes into the trash. Determining when and where water will be available is part of route planning. Monitoring rain in the area you’re going to hike and contacting locals can help you determine if smaller creeks might act as water sources. Last fall when hiking dry sections of the Ouachita Trail, we planted water caches for insurance, but this involved driving to pick up empty jugs after the trip. Size is perfect for day trips, smaller individuals, and teens.
Many never think about the actual weight of the pack, but some are close to 5-pounds. Having a fancy suspension system doesn’t reduce the weight your feet and knees are feeling so go as light as possible with the pack. Most ultra-light packs do fine with loads of pounds. On our first 88-mile section of the Ozark Trail, the third toe on my left foot was a problem that reared its ugly head beginning about day four of eight. This same toe was a problem earlier on the Ouachita Trail, but I tolerated the discomfort on both trips. Many trip failures can be traced to the planning process or something overlooked in preparation.
Please be aware that we make an effort to keep this information current. However, businesses and business conditions change, thus the information contained here is subject to change without the knowledge of the Ozark Trail Association. Visit our Trail Directory for an overview of the sections. Trail section pages include maps, directions, and downloadable GPS (.gpx) and Google Earth (.kml) data. By default, this unexpectedly ended up being my go-to daily bag for several months.