Adventure awaits in the Mark Twain National Forest

by Jim McCarty  |  jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop

These days it can be hard to get away from it all. Cell phones seem to intrude on whatever peace and quiet you find. Nature hides behind paved streets. Even the night sky pales from city lights. If only there was a place to recharge far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Turns out there is. It’s called the Mark Twain National Forest, and its 1.5 million acres are calling you.

Missouri’s only national forest got its start on Sept. 11, 1939. At that time, widespread clear-cutting of timber had almost destroyed the state’s forests. The national forests were created to preserve natural resources for future generations to enjoy. Missouri originally had two national forests, the Clark and Mark Twain national forests. In 1976 they were merged under the Mark Twain name.

Today, recreational opportunities abound in the six ranger districts that comprise the forest. There are 750 miles of trails, including those that allow horses, mountain bikes and motorized vehicles. Within the forest are 350 miles of perennial streams for fishing, floating and swimming. 

Campsites ranging from primitive dispersed camping to sites with electricity make the Mark Twain National Forest the perfect escape for those wanting to commune with nature. And for those who really want to immerse themselves in the forest, the Mark Twain includes seven wilderness areas where motorized vehicles are prohibited.

As if that isn’t enough, there are many events held on the national forest land for those looking for an extreme challenge. These range from ultramarathon trail runs to the annual Rally in the 100 Acre Wood car race.

“The land is multiple use,” says Cody Norris, public affairs officer for the Mark Twain National Forest. “For those who really want to put themselves against nature, there are ways to do it. But for those who want to live in creature comforts, there are ways to do that too.”

Here’s a glimpse at the fun waiting for you in Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest:

Camping

Camping in the national forest can be as simple as pitching a tent alongside the Ozark Trail or as complicated as plugging in an RV at the rebuilt Red Bluff Recreation Area near Davisville, named for the towering red bluffs carved by the Huzzah Creek.

A typical Forest Service campground like the one at Loggers Lake near Bunker offers a picnic table, firepit, lantern post, pit toilets and not much else. On the plus side, they are well off the beaten path and only crowded on holiday weekends. Their remote locations provide dark skies for incredible stargazing and wildlife sightings are almost guaranteed.

Red Bluff and Council Bluff Lake campgrounds offer much more. RV campers at Red Bluff can plug in to 30- and 50-amp electric service and enjoy showers and flush toilets. Council Bluff lacks the electric hookups but includes a sandy beach with coin-operated showers situated on the 440-acre lake, the largest lake in the Mark Twain National Forest.

Some campgrounds let you camp with your horse. For example, the Big Piney equestrian camp near Houston has five campsites with room for horse trailers and hitching posts for horses. It’s located near the Paddy Creek Wilderness, which features 18 miles of trail open to horses.

Dispersed camping is the term for primitive camping anywhere in the national forest outside of a designated campground. There are no amenities, but this type of camping is free unlike camping in the designated areas. Trail etiquette and Forest Service regulations call for camping 100 feet away from trails and water sources, burying waste and leaving no trace of your passage.

Another unusual place to stay is the Fuchs House at Markham Springs Recreation Area in Williamsville. The five-bedroom concrete and native stone house is available to rent as a cabin. 

Fishing

Bring your pole when you visit the national forest. It is home to several small lakes with excellent fishing for panfish, channel cat, bass and other sport fish. Canoes or kayaks are a good idea for lakes such as Noblett and Loggers, where only electric trolling motors are allowed.

Lane Spring Recreation Area, located just south of Rolla, offers access to a blue ribbon wild trout stream. The area is adjacent to the Little Piney Creek, which is fed by the namesake spring. There’s a creekside campground and a hiking trail that leads to a geologic wonder called Blossom Rock.

Among the many offerings of the national forest is the Eleven Point River. This spring-fed float stream is designated a National Wild and Scenic River and is managed by the Forest Service. Trout can be found in its 6 miles of blue ribbon trout water. You’ll also find seven primitive float camps that provide overnight camping on the river.

Several other forest service sites provide access to streams, including the North Fork, Black, Current, Piney, St. Francis rivers and Huzzah Creek.

Mountain biking

The Mark Twain National Forest is a great place to ride a mountain bike. Trails here can be much longer and more remote than trails anywhere else in the state. Top on the list is the Berryman Trail, a 25-mile loop located between Steelville and Potosi.

“Mountain biking is increasing in popularity,” says Cody. “Our trails aren’t ferocious downhill trails, but they are tough and technical because they go up and down in the drainages.”

Several sections of the Ozark Trail, which passes through the national forest, are open to mountain bikers. The Berryman Trail and the 12-mile loop at Council Bluff Recreation Area are two that meet the Ozark Trail. There’s also the 21-mile Wolf Creek Trail near Poplar Bluff.

As a bonus, these trails tend to dry out much faster than many of the more urban mountain bike trails in Missouri. You can also camp, then ride at both Berryman and Council Bluff.

MOTORIZED TRAIL USE

Another growing pursuit in the national forest is riding motorized vehicles on designated trails and roads. The Mark Twain National Forest is crisscrossed with a network of forest service roads. Most of these are open to off-road vehicles.

“If you are able to ride an OHV (off-highway vehicle) in a county with a permit, then that permit will also be good on the forest service roads,” Cody says. “So, it turns into a very large network of roads people can explore with their UTVs, ATVs and dirt bikes.”

These vehicles are allowed on open and numbered forest service roads. They are not allowed on most trails and must stay on designated roads. They can also drive on two scenic byways, the Glade Top National Scenic Byway near Ava and Sugar Camp National Forest Scenic Byway near Cassville.

In addition, two Forest Service recreation areas cater to motorized vehicles. The Chadwick Motorized Trails System includes nearly 80 miles of multiuse trails for ATV, UTV, motorcycle and mountain bike riders. There’s also a campground, so riders can combine the two activities for days of adventure.

Sutton Bluff south of Salem is the other area open to motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs that are 50-inches or less in width. There are 45 miles of trails here, and camping is available at Sutton Bluff Recreation Area. 

Extreme challenges

Extreme outdoor adventurers can get their kicks in the national forest through several activities that take place here. For example, the Berryman Trail hosts an annual trail marathon and 50-mile run in May. If that’s not enough brutal distance, the Ozark Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run in the fall might be more than you can handle.

Mountain bikers test their mettle with the BT Epic, a 50-mile race some call the most brutal mountain bike race in Missouri. It combines gravel roads, singletrack and lots of hills in a 50-mile challenge.

Council Bluff Recreation Area is another location for an extreme event, the Burnin’ at the Bluff bike race. This one challenges riders to see how many miles they can complete in 3, 6 or 12 hours.

Elsewhere, backpackers can attempt a through-hike of the Ozark Trail, no easy feat given the distance, elevation changes and difficulty resupplying. Still, many have completed the quest, with a recent hiker claiming the fastest known traverse of the trail. According to Terrain magazine, Nick Fowler holds the current record. He covered the 230-mile continuous section of the trail in three days, 14 hours and 15 minutes.

Paddlers also have their day in the forest. In the spring when typically heavy rain turns the St. Francis River into a raging torrent, the Missouri Whitewater Association holds its championship on the river west of Fredericktown. The lower section of the river’s whitewater run ends at Silvermines Recreation Area, a Forest Service area situated alongside the river.

These are just a few of the many outdoor pursuits available in the Mark Twain National Forest. To find your next outdoor adventure and any fees, visit www.fs.usda.gov/r09/marktwain or stop by one of the district offices located in Ava, Doniphan, Houston, Poplar Bluff, Potosi, Salem and Rolla. Some campsites, along with the Fuchs House, can be reserved at www.recreation.gov.