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. Camp out at the top overnight, catching a glimpse of a full sky of stars if it’s clear.
There are several nice overlooks along this loop trail. Paths through lichen-covered rocky sections are marked with trail posts and orange arrows. Hiker-dog and I camped on top of Taum Sauk Mountain with the plan to hike the Mina Sauk Falls Trail early. We rose early, excited to hike a loop trail that includes the high-point of Missouri. Many trip failures can be traced to the planning process or something overlooked in preparation.
I used only Aquamira water treatment drops for the duration of the trip. Day 3 (Monday, December 31) I woke to mild temperatures and constant rain. Backpacking Light helps hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts overcome their barriers to living a life outside in Wild Places. Lastly, I haven’t yet had a chance to test its waterproofing in a huge down-pouring of rain, but it did hold up in some strong winds surprisingly well.
I saw this pack at Wally World and figured, $19 for a 28-liter pack, I’d give it a shot. If it doesn’t suit my needs, one of my daughters would be able to use it. We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that’s designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.
I am a 6-foot tall male, weighing 185 lbs and it fits just as well as other day packs I’ve tried. While this pack may not be big enough to carry all the gear you need for longer treks, it offers many of the features you would want at a good price. This roomy and practical backpack works well for a multi-day hike. Water sources like rivers and streams may only be available seasonally.
Here’s another AWESOME thing about the Ozark Trail Atka day pack. It’s sized to fit every airline’s carry-on size requirements. My son and daughter each took one of these on a trip through ozark trail canopy Europe and they carried it on every plane, train, and bus they rode without any problems. It’s also small enough that it wasn’t inconvenient for them to have it with them everyday.
In the process, we’d complete the Blair Creek, Karkaghne, and Middle Fork Sections of the Ozark Trail, traveling south to north from Powder Mill to the Hwy DD Trailhead. Wetlands give way to ridgelines at the start of the Blair Creek section. 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.
Also a good choice for youngsters who are new to hiking, or who need a rugged pack for toting school items. The one downside with integrated rain flies is the lack of ventilation and temperature control. We had great weather – not too hot and not too cold – but it did rain for about 5 minutes. My friend chose to not put up his rain fly betting on the perfect weather to continue ozark trail backpack while enjoying the stars at night. During those five minutes of rain, he was a little more stressed as the risk of a wet sleeping bag had not been completely mitigated and he rushed back to the campground. True, I wasn’t able to remove the rain fly to watch the stars or let the wind ventilate my tent, but I was able to enjoy the day hikes without any sort of worry.