Looking for ideas

Indian Creek trail on the Buffalo?

Have you did the Sylamore Section of the Ozark Highlands Trail? All the eastern disconnected parts of Buffalo River Trail?

In Missouri, have you tried southern portions of the Ozark Trail? The Irish Wilderness? Hercules Glades Wilderness? Ridgerunner Trail or Devil's Backbone Wilderness? Not that any of them are really inspiringly different than the Ozarks of Arkansas...

Welcome and Hope you find what your looking for. The question that you have posed presents another question. What trails have you done. You will get all kinds of suggestions but without knowing what you have done it may be a little redundant. I know its a long list but I don't know how to tell you any new trails. Might look more into Missouri.

Welcome

Sounds to me like a little off trail action would be the ticket! Any of the wilderness areas are a great place to go bushwhacking and it also adds an extra element of orienteering to your outdoor experience.

Thanks for the input so far!! Yes I have done Indian Creek and I agree that is a good one. Probably the best way to list what I have done is to refer to Tim Ernst trail guides. I have done most all of what I would consider the good trails or sections of trail from the following of his books: Arkansas Hiking Trails, Ozark Highlands Trail, Buffalo River Hiking Trails, Ouachita Trail. Now I will say I think I bought all the books on their first issue so if there are updated issues that cover new trails or new sections of trails I probably do not know about those trails. (Except I did do the new Lake Ouachita trail last year and enjoyed it if anyone else is looking for a new trail.)



Coldspring—When you say the Sylamore section of the OHT is this a new section (I do not have my book with me)? I think I recall that they were planning a new section but do not know if they were talking about the new bike trails or connecting it to the Sylamore creek trail. I have done Sylamore Creek but not the new bike trails.



Coldspring & Trail Monkey -- I am a MO virgin. Are they worth the drive and if so what trails would you suggest and what guide book?



Ed—I have done some off trail but not as much as I like. I have been all over Caney Creek Wilderness and also done a lot of bushwhacking around the Albert Pike area. I have canoed all the Buffalo and hiked most of the trails in the guide book but not done much off trail there. I have always wanted to explore the Upper and/or Lower Buffalo wildernesses but did not really know what to strike out for. Any good bushwhacking ideas for me?



Thanks again for you help!!

ofbackcountry@yahoo.com wrote:


[size=12]Coldspring—When you say the Sylamore section of the OHT is this a new section (I do not have my book with me)? I think I recall that they were planning a new section but do not know if they were talking about the new bike trails or connecting it to the Sylamore creek trail. I have done Sylamore Creek but not the new bike trails.



Coldspring & Trail Monkey -- I am a MO virgin. Are they worth the drive and if so what trails would you suggest and what guide book?

It's a 31 mile trail west of the the North Sylamore Trail, there is also a 9 mile connector trail to get from Barkshed and the OHT Sylamore section. So you have a big Yof trails radiating from Cripple Turkey TH. Might be worth checking out.

http://ozarkhighlandstrail.com/TrailInformation/SylamoreSection/tabid/684/Default.aspx

I'm not so sure the places I mentioned in Missouri would impress you, after being used to Arkansas topography with it's cliffs and falls, but they are nice. I think I like cool weather hiking in Arkansas and warm weather spring-fed river canoeing in Missouri. Where I'm located, in extreme southern Missouri, that works pretty well for me. So, if you haven't taken some float trips in southern Missouri, that would be something to consider.

I've shyed away from off trail hiking, for safety and just plain laziness, I've seen about ever kind of rock and tree in the Ozarks, I think. I do get bored with some trails, but I've found that there are nearly enough to rotate trips around from year to year...I never get bored floating the same rivers once a year.

You might try Boen Gulf Branch in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness. Look on the Trails Illustrated map for the parking spot on forest road 1462. It's off highway 21 between Cassville and Mossville. From the parking area an old road will eventually turn into a trail and take you down to the stream which you can follow to the river.