Catching Up with Recent Ozark Trail Thru-Hikers

The 26-mile route follows Blair Creek south as it carves down a valley through oak-hickory-pine forest before merging with the emerald waters of the Current River. Here the 30-mile Current River section picks up, following the river for two miles before veering south toward Stegall Mountain. Enjoy views of the Ozark landscape as you gain 500 feet of elevation up 2.5 miles to the top of Stegall Mountain.

Lunch was mostly another ProBar, Primal Strips vegan jerky, and Kitch Fix granola. Dinner was freeze-dried hiking food from Backpacker’s Pantry, Patagonia Provisions, and Food For The Sole. I mailed food resupply boxes to Bushy Creek Lodge and The Landing in Van Buren.

Also a good choice for youngsters who are new to hiking, or who need a rugged pack for toting school items. Altra Lone Peak 3.5 trail runners were my shoe of choice, along with Darn Tough Merino Wool Hiker Boot socks. I brought water shoes to navigate streams with but only used them once; way too much trouble to switch at every crossing. I was fine hiking with wet Altras and mailed my water shoes home at Brushy Creek. My food cost me around $300, not counting what I ate on my town day in Van Buren. For breakfast, I had Starbucks Via instant coffee added to a liter of cold water and a ProBar Meal bar.

Camp out at the top overnight, catching a glimpse of a full sky of stars if it’s clear. 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. This hydration compatible backpack has a connection for a water bladder built in to the design. It also includes loops to hang your trekking poles when not in use. Berchek continued, “Water is easy to find on the OT, even in the drier seasons. The problem is there are a lot more water sources than indicated on the map, so…you end up carrying more water than needed.

Pack rain gear to stay warm and dry, and consider bringing one set of clothes to change into at camp as well as one or two sets of clothes for hiking. Exploring Missouri’s scenic Ozark ozark trail canopy backcountry is one of the best reasons to head out on the trail. The Ozark Trail Association marks and improves the trail and ensures backpacking campsites are well maintained.

Whether you’re planning an epic thru-hike or an out-and-back weekend excursion, this guide will help you get started on your Missouri adventure. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Backpacking stoves are a convenient way to boil water for dehydrated meals and instant coffee without adding a lot of weight to your pack. The Ozark Trail (OT) is one of America’s premier distance hiking trails. Mostly divided into linked sections, the trail winds through 390 miles of rolling hills, stone bluffs and cool streams in central ozark trail backpack and southern Missouri. We like to go on day hikes around our area and my other backpacks are much bulkier and heavier than this one. We live close to Zion National Park and it gets very hot during the day, so you want to make sure to always have water with you. Wetlands give way to ridgelines at the start of the Blair Creek section.

If you are using your phone for navigation, bring a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or available for purchase at the online store. Choose free in-store pickup to avoid shipping costs when ozark trail backpack it’s available. Or shipping is free on orders over $35 (or sign up with Walmart+ to get free shipping on all orders, no minimum!). Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.

Great for hiking in warm weather, thanks to the breathable construction, mesh straps, and hydration bladder hook up. Material is durable and will stand up to heavy duty use. We like that this pack has a lot of pockets including a zipper that allows you to access the middle of the pack without opening the top.