Hiking, Biking & Beaches

The Ozark Trail & backcountry hikes

Walk for a day or a week through quiet Ozark country. The trail is managed in pieces, so start with the section page.

Start here

The Ozark Trail is Missouri's long-distance epic — more than 430 miles built, about 393 of them a National Recreation Trail, in roughly 13 connected sections of 8 to 40 miles each. The goal is to link the St. Louis area to Arkansas; joined with Arkansas's Ozark Highlands Trail, it would run about 700 miles.

It's managed section by section

It's managed section by section. Hiking is the baseline use; many sections allow mountain bikes or horses, but not all do, and motorized vehicles are never allowed. Check the Ozark Trail Association and the manager of the section you want.

Follow the white blazes

Follow the white rectangular blazes — a double blaze means a turn — and look for cairns (stacked-rock markers) across the open glades. The trail is maintained by the Ozark Trail Association together with the land managers.

Taum Sauk — the high point and the falls

The crown-jewel Taum Sauk section links Taum Sauk Mountain — Missouri's high point at 1,772 feet — with Johnson's Shut-Ins, passing Mina Sauk Falls, the state's tallest wet-weather waterfall.

Sleeping out in the backcountry

Camp gently, section by section

Backcountry know-how on the Mark Twain National Forest sections: primitive trailside camping is generally allowed — camp at least 100 feet from trails and water, bury human waste 6 inches deep, treat or filter your water, and pack out all trash. State-park, NPS, MDC, and private sections can differ, so check the section page. (See the Camping hub.)

For the full how-to on permits, fires, water, and what to pack, see the Camping hub.

Before you go

Official sources and current guidance

The agency that runs the trail or beach sets the local rules.

Last checked: 2026-06-18. Trail rules, e-bike access, and beach conditions change with the season and the manager — and out here, no one is watching out for you. Check before you go, carry water, and watch the kids.

This is a summary — not the law, a medical authority, or a guarantee of safety. Trail rules, e-bike access, and beach conditions change — check the managing agency before you go. In an emergency, call 911.

Heads up: The Ozark Trail is hiking-baseline and managed in pieces. Bikes and horses are allowed on some sections but not others, and motorized travel is never allowed. Mark Twain National Forest camping rules do not carry over to state-park, NPS, MDC, or private sections, so use the section page for the part you plan to hike.

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