Hiking « A Small Town Girl's Guide

Ozark Trail Part III: Courtois Section Miles 0-7.6

Two weeks ago I set out to hike the Ozark Trail from Onondaga Cave State Park to the Narrows Trail Head. This section of the Courtois (pronounced code-a-way) Section of the Ozark Trail is considered mile 0-7.6, and fair warning: it involves a “creek” crossing that’s more like a river expedition. For the full story, you [...]

St. Francois State Park: Mooner’s Hollow Trail

St. Francois State Park was a pleasant surprise. This park sits directly on US Highway 67 north of Bonne Terre, Missouri, and I’ve driven past it countless times through the years without ever visiting it. The park boasts four trails ranging in length from .5-mile (Missouri Trail) to 11-miles (Pike Run Trail).
The first hike we [...]

Bee Tree Park

I spent my Sunday tooling around South County St. Louis in a convertible, taking in the sunshine and enjoying good company. After a great omelet and coffee and First Watch, we headed to Bee Tree Park to get some exercise.
The park sits along the Mississippi River and has concrete and gravel trails for walking, jogging or biking.
We stood [...]

Don’t Mess with MilliGFunk

When I told my dad the news that I plan to hike the entire Ozark Trail alone, he suggested that I learn to safely carry and handle a pistol.
I grew up in the country, which means I grew up around guns. My brother and I played with BB guns, and later with his first .22. [...]

Ozark Trail Part II: Caves

I hiked 10 miles or so of the Courtouis (pronounced “Code-a-way”) Section of the Ozark Trail not too long ago (see spiders post).
The “guide” from Bass’ River Resort, where I was camping, dropped me off at a trailhead that was supposed to lead me 7.5-8 miles through the woods back to the resort.
Unfortunately, the trail description [...]

Ozark Trail Part I: Spiders

Yesterday, I took a long hike on the Ozark Trail’s longest section, the Courtois (pronounced “Code-a-way”).
Although I’d like to write an entire blog on the section of trail that I hiked, for now I’d like to show you some of the arachinids who were hanging out on their webs across my trail.
I don’t know what [...]

Lost Valley Trail

Yesterday, I went for a hike in St. Charles County, Missouri. I usually hike in Washington, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve Counties, so hiking futher north was a fun change of pace.
The landscape in the St. Louis area is generally flatter than it is even sixty or seventy miles further south, making this Southeast Missouri [...]

Memorial Day

It’s easy to forget why we have days off. Memorial Day is an ironic day’s reason to forget, but still, there were headstones in the cemeteries we visited today on which no flowers lay. Were these people forgotten? Are their families no longer living? Are they simply too far away to honor the dead?

I wanted [...]

Pickle Springs State Natural Area

Last weekend, I hiked in Hawn State Park and took a 20ish-mile bike ride in St. Joe State Park. This weekend, I hit the trails at the 256-acre Pickle Springs State Natural Area in Ste. Genvieve, Missouri.
Pickle Springs is a truly beautiful area. As a hiker, you lose the sounds and thoughts of the rest [...]

Hawn State Park

Missouri has an outstanding state park system, with 83 total parks and historic sites. The parks are generally safe and clean, and they hold miles and miles of trails for walking and hiking. Hawn State Park is one of the larger parks in the area. It’s 4,953 acres boast hiking, camping, and picnicking.
Pickle Creek, which [...]

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