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[title size=”2″]The Ozark Trail[/title]

The Ozark Trail is an extensive, long distance trail that traverses the Missouri Ozarks, spanning the southeast region of the state. Construction of this expansive trail began in 1981 and continues today as the Ozark Trail Association lengthens the trail section by section. As of May 2013, the trail included 13 different sections: Middle Fork-John Roth Memorial, Karkaghne, Blair Creek, Current River, Between the Rivers, North Fork, Eleven Point, Victory, Wappapello, Marble Creek, Taum Sauk, Trace Creek and Courtois. The Ozark Trail is intended to eventually extend from St. Louis, Missouri to Arkansas. One of the main nature centers associated with the trail is the Powder Valley Nature Center, located at 11715 Cragwold Road in St. Louis, Missouri. The Ozark Trail Association in located at 406 W. High St. in Potosi, Missouri. The trail is unpaved, but many sections are open to mountain bikers and horseback riders (check trail restrictions). There are no bathroom facilities along most of the trail, so make sure to bring toilet paper and to bury your waste at least 100 feet from the trail and from any water source.

The extensive length of the Ozark Trail offers up the best of the Missouri Ozarks to lovers of the outdoors, providing access to diverse natural wonders including hills, mountains, streams, waterfalls, shut-ins, and spring-filled valleys and caves, to mention a few. Depending on the season, visitors can glimpse purple coneflowers and black-eyed susans in full bloom, as well as deer, woodpeckers and turkeys in their wild habitat. Visitors may be interested in camping near the Ozark Trail to enjoy the full Ozark experience. There are several campgrounds along the trail that offer limited facilities for car camping, including the Berryman and the Taum Sauk campgrounds. Backpack camping is also permitted along the trail, as long as you set up camp more than 100 feet from the trail and “leave no trace.”

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Trail Location

[map address=”406 W. High St. Potosi, Missouri.” type=”roadmap” width=”100%” height=”300px” zoom=”14″ scrollwheel=”yes” scale=”yes” zoom_pancontrol=”yes” popup=”yes”][/map]

Trailhead location(s): vary depending on trail section. Central landmarks near the trail include the Powder Valley Nature Center in St. Louis, Missouri, and the Ozark Trail Association in Potosi, Missouri.

Address: 406 W. High St. Potosi, Missouri.
Activity type: Walking, hiking, backpacking, camping; many trail sections also allow biking and horseback riding
Trail Length: over 360 miles of trail, separated into sections

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