Water was never a concern during our week as we followed creek drainages and crossed many lesser streams over the route. After doing our first 88 miles of the Ozark Trail during a week in November, I was hooked and wanted to hike every mile of trail built so far. The Ozark Trail Association website has a trip planner that helped determine the first leg of our journey. For this trip, we started from the last hike’s ending point and continued north.
I did instantly notice the difference of carrying a lighter bag. I also don’t really prefer single compartment stuff bags, but, this works for what I need. We’ve scouted the best routes, from easy day hikes to epic overnight bike-packing.Find detailed itineraries, directions, and maps right here. While this pack won’t work for everyone, it’s a practical size for day trips, light travelers, and kids. Temperatures can swing from chilly mornings to sweltering afternoons. 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.
I’ve also used a poncho which kept my upper body dry, but I still get clammy. Ultimately, the good design for this product was that it was sized right for what I needed, both in dimensions and weight. Not too small, but not too large (and thus wasteful) – a Goldilocks design. After all, I had to be sensitive to weight as we were required to carry our own water for 10 miles as there were no options for filtering during that stretch.
More than once in the dark I’ve attached a rain fly upside down and we had to restart that particular step. This tent was close to foolproof when it came to the rain fly because it was already connected. While the Ozark Trail doesn’t run directly through any towns, hikers may access options for resupply and services along the way, including the locales below. 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.
After a day filled with intermittent naps, I still slept through the ushering in of 2019 without any fireworks. The luxury of time… After a few hours of nothing but think-time, where do your thoughts go? I thought of my wife’s care and commitment and our beautiful daughters and their many gifts. ozark trail chair I thought of my new grandson and how we look forward to watching his growth and learning. I thought of my aging parents and their positive influence and life-long love for each other. Get Backpacking Light news, updates, gear info, skills, and commentary delivered into your inbox 1-2x/week.
A great pack for day hikes, hunting and weekend camping. Includes compression straps on the sides to keep your gear stable. This pack has a lot of extra storage pockets for organization of your gear. Has a hip belt to displace the load off your shoulders. Find the best backpack for your next outdoor adventure using our independent reviews and ratings.
At the end of the trip, the bag goes into the trash. Thru-hiking is defined as hiking the contiguous 230-mile backbone of the Ozark Trail in one trip. A thru-hike can begin at the Onondaga State Park and proceed southward to the Eleven Point Western trailhead, or move in the opposite direction from south to north. The Ozark Trail Association Trip Planner contains information on a thru-hike, including directions to Onondaga State Park and Eleven Point Western trailheads. 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.