Ozarks missouri hiking
Missouri's Ozarks are endowed with great beauty and recreational opportunities. We have devoted our site for some time to thoroughly covering these opportunities for hunting, fishing, and camping.
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We feel compelled to also provide information that can enhance an Ozark experience. These hikes can be the focus of a trip into the Ozarks, or they can be a break from a fishing or camping trip.
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There are hikes you can take that are suitable for those with limited mobility and that are very short. There are also hikes that could in theory takes days or even longer - such as the Ozark Trail.
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Please check back for updates, and better yet, if you have information to provide, contact us and we'd love to include your experiences.
CAVE SPRING TRAIL: Photo taken late December 2017. This beautiful trail is in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways not far from Akers Ferry.
CAVE SPRING TRAIL: OZARK NATIONAL SCENIC RIVERWAYS
This is a beautiful trail through the Ozark hills on the north side of the Current River, not far from Akers Ferry. There are outstanding views from high above the river and a beautiful spring along the river, Cave Spring. Another highlight of the hike is Devil's Well at the TH. The hike, well marked generally, has a few options to make it anywhere from 3-5 miles in length.
Devil's Well is a destination for many and enhances your visit to this area. NPS refers to it as a "Karst Window." I am not a geologist, so I don't know much about that, except that the feature is beautiful as evidenced below.
Looking down into devil's well
two photos to right give info about topo of area and these types of caves and springs
Cave Springs Trail Description
After you take some time at Devil's Well, the trailhead will start you off with a moderate uphill jaunt for about a half mile as you rise in the neighborhood of 250 feet elevation. Over the course of your 5.1 miles (as we did the trail on the path you can follow on this Google Earth KML file), you will gain and lose around 1200 feet on the loop trail. You can avoid some by not dropping down to the river and seeing Cave Spring...but we don't recommend it.
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The trail, in typical Ozark fashion, takes you up and down, into and out of draws and up upon ridges. There are not extended portions of the trail much over 10% grade, the trail is pretty well marked, and I would assess the trail difficulty at moderate at the most. Unless a person is in fairly poor shape with mobility issues, I would think this trail would be doable...but that is up to you.
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There is tons of natural beauty along the way...large shortleaf pine groves with fairly mature trees, beautiful vistas...a pretty and peaceful cave spring at the river...wildlife and more. Check it out sometime. It is worth the effort!
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