Southeast Missouri / St. Francois Mountains
Bell Mountain is Iron County's federal-wilderness hiking layer
Bell Mountain is the federal-forest side of Iron County’s outdoor map. The U.S. Forest Service describes Bell Mountain Wilderness as a 9,143-acre area in the St. Francois Mountains, located in Iron County between the Ironton and Boss sides of the forest road network.
The useful distinction is management. Bell Mountain is not a Missouri state park with a visitor center desk. It is part of Mark Twain National Forest, with wilderness conditions, native-surface trails, and limited trail marking. The Forest Service page describes steep ground, rhyolite outcrops, summit views, and connections to the Ozark Trail system.
For visitors, that means checking the Forest Service page before going. Route choice, trail difficulty, stock use, closures, and alerts belong to the federal land manager, even though the trip feels rooted in Iron County.
Where to see it
- Bell Mountain Wilderness
Use the Forest Service for trail, wilderness, access, closure, and alert information.
References
More from Iron County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: July 16, 2026.