Order your 2024 Official Missouri Travel Guide and start planning your Missouri adventure today. It is important to be considerate of hikers and preserve the beauty of the Ozark Trail so it can be enjoyed by future generations. Follow the signs to stay on established paths to reduce your chances of getting lost.
Water enthusiasts can make use of the park’s two swimming beaches, boat rentals and paved boat ramps. Park stores sell all of the necessary supplies for a day on the water. Year-round overnight accommodations include campsites, Outpost cabins and yurts. Comfy and roomy pants or shorts are best (hopefully with pockets, so kids can carry their own snacks and trash). Most kids will do fine with sneakers on short hikes. Once your family is hiking distances on a regular basis, invest in some boots.
Bring enough water for your trip or a way to purify water to make it safe to drink. Many of the creeks and streams look crystal clear, but it’s still smart to make sure any impurities are removed with pumps or tablets before drinking the water. Bring a dedicated bear canister or hang a bear bag for all food and other aromatic items that might attract a bear’s attention. Immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the Missouri Ozarks on the Ozark Trail. The 430-mile trail system is comprised of mostly linked trail sections that wind through rolling hills and valleys, past stone bluffs and along sparkling streams. The route extends from the St. Louis metropolitan area southwest through the Ozarks.
Always treat any water for drinking and cooking along the trail. Specific water sources are indicated on Ozark Trail online and printed maps. On the small side, so it won’t work for hikers who need a spacious pack. By default, this unexpectedly ozark trail backpack ended up being my go-to daily bag for several months. It’s been stuffed to capacity with almost everything I had to carry, including, but not limited to, outerwear, lunch, groceries, laptop, iPad, a Bose speaker, and combinations thereof.
Material is durable and will stand up to heavy duty use. This hydration compatible backpack has a connection for a water bladder built in to the design. It also includes loops to hang your trekking poles when not in use. 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.
(This is not sarcasm.) When I was a new mom a hike with my baby on my back was a wonderful antidote to the feeling of being overwhelmed by this huge life change. And once he was old enough to walk on his own, his little brother was being carried by me or my husband. There are two basic kinds of carriers you can use to tote those who can’t make it the whole way on their own. These are for ozark trail backpack babies and the smallest toddlers; check the manufacturer specifications for weight limits. The second kind of carrier is hard-framed backpack that kids can ride in for as long as mom or dad are willing to carry them. Our sister site Alloutdoor.com recently reviewed a hiking backpack sold by Ozark Trail that had an overall stellar performance and it triggered a question among our staff.
Walmart had a small section of packs and for the most part I was satisfied. I decided to get this one for a light hike I was going to be doing while camping. The Ozark Trail Association maintains a number of maps to help you traverse each ozark trail backpack section of the trail. If you are using your phone for navigation, pack a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or are available for purchase at the online store.