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Although I saw many diggings from feral hogs, I was fortunate to have never come across any. I did meet a hunter in the woods whose hands and arms were covered in blood. She had just shot a wild hog and had cut out the “back straps” to eat. My first night out I heard coyotes howling just before I fell asleep, which half startled me but was also beautiful to hear. “The AT, PCT, and CDT have a higher profile, but not many people can take three to five months out of their lives to do a thru-hike.
The OT is a great “starters thru-hike” in both length and technicality. The one place this trail may be considered more advanced is the lack of towns along the trail for resupply and a bed, shower, and town food. Streams and creeks can run deep and quick during heavy rains, and temperatures can dip below freezing in the spring and autumn. There are long stretches without cell phone service.
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 outdoor equipment 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.
His base equipment consisted of a Zpacks Arc Haul backpack, a Zpacks Duplex tent, and a Zpacks 20F quilt with a Therm-a-rest Neoair Xlite sleeping pad. “I was cautioned by members in the OT Facebook group that a July thru-hike would be brutal. “Extreme heat increased water intake, and the summer storms were fierce. Lightning struck just 350 feet from me, and the winds destroyed my shelter system…so I had to spend an unexpected $150 for a new Hennesy hammock system. “I was surprised that Missouri could have a wilderness that still gives a feeling of solitude. I was also surprised by the amount of trail maintenance on such a ‘less talked about’ trail,” Tils said.
Water sources indicated on the OTA maps are mostly reliable. “[The Ozark Trail] is more raw than other trails ozark trail canopy I’ve thru-hiked. There are few bridges over creek crossings and hardly any developed campsites,” Letner said.