Jim Warnock - Five-Star Trails: The Ozarks: 43 Spectacular Hikes in Arkansas and Missouri

Arkansas

Missouri

Appendixes

To my wife and family, for patience and a willingness to share me with the trails .

To my hiking friends, fellow educators, and students for inspiring me to take on new challenges .

I APPRECIATE THE OUTSTANDING FOLKS I meet on the trails. Special thanks to my circle of hiking friends, from whom Ive learned many lessons related to the outdoors and life in general. Thanks also to the volunteers who invest many hours building and maintaining our trails, as well as the professionals who oversee our trails and assist hikers in many ways.

Thanks go to Tim Ernst, whose guidebooks I devoured many years ago while discovering the trails of Arkansas. Later, Tims photography workshops allowed me to begin packing out visual souvenirs of the beauty I found in the Ozarks.

Thank you to Marla Cantrell, award-winning author and managing editor of Do South Magazine , for encouraging me to share my stories and the beauty of the Ozarks.

Thank you to my wife, Becca, for her willingness to walk lifes paths with me, regardless of the terrain or weather. Im also thankful that she realizes Im a better person if I spend regular time on the trail.

Thank you to my mother, a wonderful writer, for her encouragement and example of lifelong learning. Thank you to my father for taking me hiking and letting me play with his camera when I was young.

Jim Warnock

FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND HEALTHFOR ME , Ozark trails connect them all!

When I was 7 years old, my father cleared a narrow path around the back side of our 4 acres in rural south Arkansas. He said it was my trail, not realizing what a special gift this would become. The path was probably no longer than a couple of hundred yards, but to a 7-year-old, it was the perfect launching pad for many adventures on the border of a mixed pine-hardwood forest. My father answered many questions, such as the difference between loblolly and shortleaf pines or why some rocks are sharp edged while others are smooth. Learning these things was important, but the lasting significance came from his time and the interests we shared.

When I was 10, my dad let me play with an old camera from his military days in Korea. I walked freely in the woods, taking pictures of whatever interested me. Sometimes I even put film in the camera. He didnt realize he was planting a seed that would resurface as a passion for photography years later. Sometimes I take that Zeiss Contessa from its shelf and hold the strong metal casing, thankful for this link to memories of my father.

Years later, and farther north, I hiked Ozark trails with my daughters and had the pleasure of watching them discover the beauty of nature. Im thankful for those family memories that bridge across generations and their connection to the trails.

Ive made many friends on the trails and one particular new friend at mile 138 of the Ozark Highlands Trail (OHT) during a thru-hike. She was starving and sick but finished the last 42 miles of the OHT with a friend, Bob, and me, so I took her home. Hiker-dog has been a loyal trail buddy ever since. Shes glad I wrote this trail guide because she got to do every trail except the few that dont allow dogs.

For me, hiking was crucial to regaining health and fitness. As a teenager, I had corrective heart surgery and wondered what limitations I would experience afterward. Years later, I completed three marathons and long-distance backpacking trips, none of which would have happened without the trails and some good medical care. I sent a note to my surgeon thanking him for the good work and letting him know a few of the places that heart he repaired had taken me.

A YOUNG HIKER DOES A HANDSTAND ON HAWKSBILL CRAG, WELL AWAY FROM THE EDGE. (See )

These days, I sometimes say I have an appointment with Dr. Kessler or Dr. Shepherd. My close friends know Im referring to Kessler Mountain or Shepherd Springs Loop, two trails north of my home in Alma, Arkansas. These fine doctors prescribe a dose of Rock City or a small measure of the Ozark Highlands Trail. I always feel better mentally and physically after a visit, and there are no side effects to these prescriptions, other than the danger of addiction.

Writing this trail guide has been joyful work. Knowing the positive impact that hiking has had on my life, Im excited to share some of my favorite trails in the Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri. My hope is that this guide opens doors to wonderful hiking experiences for you, your family, and your friends. I also hope you find some trails that become regular prescriptions for your health and well-being.

Jim Warnock

Blog: ozarkmountainhiker.com

Best for Companion Dogs

Best for Fall Color

Best for Geology

Best for History

Best for Kids

Best for Scenery

Best for Seclusion

Best for Springs and Cascades

CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER FLOWS FROM BLUE SPRING NEXT TO THE CURRENT RIVER. (See )

EARLY MORNING ON THE SPRINGFIELD CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER LOOP (See .)

Best for Waterfalls

Best for Wildflowers

Best for Wildlife

SYLAMORE CREEK NORTH OF BLANCHARD SPRINGS CAMPGROUND (See .)

IN THE OZARKS , youll find a variety of settings, from wilderness hikes to what may feel like a walk in the park. Youll find trails that place you atop high bluffs or ridges and lead you through deep hollows along babbling creeks. These trails will take you across treeless landscapes and through deep-canopied forests.

Ozarks is a broad term for a variety of landscapes found in the northern part of Arkansas and extending into the southern and central part of Missouri. From south to north, the Ozarks include the Boston Mountains, Springfield Plateau, Salem Plateau, and St. Francois Mountains. Technically, the Ozarks extend into Oklahoma, the corner of Kansas, and the edge of Illinois, but for the purposes of this guide, all trails are located within the states of Arkansas and Missouri.

The Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri have much in common. Taken together, they offer many visual highlights in the south-central United States. A few characteristics unique to Missouri include the large numbers of springs and spring-fed rivers, as well as high mountain glades. The Arkansas Ozarks include many mountain streams and well more than a hundred waterfalls, some very tall. Arkansas also boasts Americas first national river, the Buffalo.