Ozark Trail: Taum Sauk Section Shakedown Hike
Three years ago, I hiked this section. Now I am back to do it again!
The Ozark Trail and I are back at it again! About a week ago, I decided to head out on the OT for a shakedown hike in preparation for the trips I have planned this summer. I figured what better way to train for the OT than to hike on the actual OT, right? This time, I went with the 35-mile Taum Sauk section which is one of the most favored parts of the Ozark Trail in my opinion. With its breathtaking glades and expansive views of the St. Francois mountain range, it’s hard not to fall in love with this section even after a few miles in.
Goals and Gear
For this shakedown hike, I took the Gossamer Gear Fast Kumo 36 that I mentioned a few posts ago. After taking this pack on some test runs, I knew I was going to fall in love with it on longer adventures. Because it is frameless and has a small build, I knew that weight would be critical in making sure I could comfortably wear it without issues. So, after really condensing my gear list to essentials only and putting together a tarp/bug bivy sleep system, my base weight ended up being less than 10 pounds with an overall weight of 12 pounds after food and water were added. Not bad!
My goals for this trip were simple: move fast, stay hydrated, and have fun. With the ultralight setup, I planned to try and hike as fast as I could while also running some parts if I felt like it. However, with temperatures in the high 80s, I quickly realized that sticking with just hiking would be much safer and more effective than trying to push my body past what it could handle in that heat. Prioritizing water and packing extra electrolyte mixes would be paramount in avoiding fatigue and dehydration headaches as well. If I was going to enjoy myself and have fun, I would need to be smart about taking care of myself first and make sure my body felt as comfortable as it could while covering the miles I wanted.
Day One
With the Taum Sauk section being a point-to-point hike, I needed to book a shuttle for this type of trip. After contacting Brushy Creek Lodge and Resort a few days prior to the start of the trip, someone was able to meet me at the end of the trail at Highway 21 and take me to the Bell Mountain trailhead at the start of the section. I had to admit, I was a little nervous that my driver wouldn’t show up like with my Foothills Trail thru-hike earlier this year, but everything worked out fine this time!
I ended up hitting the trail around 9 am and very early on started to experience some anticipation anxiety. Similar to the FHT, it felt daunting to be dropped off in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do but walk back to your car within a certain timeframe. The quote from Robert Frost, “the best way out is always through” brought some comfort, but mostly I had to just keep putting one foot in front of the other until I started getting into my hiking flow. After two miles, I felt more like myself and started to really enjoy my time on the OT.
Being on this part of the Ozark Trail felt very nostalgic while the campsites and creeks I passed by stirred up memories from previous trips. In May 2020, before being invited back to work after being let go at the start of the pandemic, I completed the Taum Sauk section in a four day/three night hike with my dog Honey. At the time, it was the longest solo backpacking trip I had ever completed, and I remember just feeling so proud of myself once I had finished.
During that hike, we faced thunderstorms, endless rain, chilly mornings, and a treacherous water crossing through the Black River. That trip unearthed a resilient part of myself that I had never seen before and gave me the confidence I needed to boost my mood especially after not getting to step foot on the Appalachian Trail that year. So, I guess you could say that this OT section feels special and sentimental in a way. It was good to be back after a few years.
With the sun settled high in the sky and the Midwest humidity climbing, passing through exposed portions of trail like the picture above was not super fun, but the gorgeous views made up for the temporary misery. Naturally, with the increased temperatures came an increase in thirst as well. Usually, water is not too hard to come by on the Ozark Trail. However, I noticed at least in this section, most of the creeks I hiked over were dried up which made water collection a little nerve-wracking. At each running stream, I made sure to filter water into my 16 oz bottle as well as gather some dirty water inside my 2-liter CNOC water bag to tide me over in between sources.
The trail also was not as hilly as I remembered it being as well. Maybe it was my lightweight pack making the hiking feel a little easier or the increased experience since being back on this section, but the trail definitely was not as difficult as I expected it to be. Because of this, I was able to float along the trail with ease and get into a steady hiking groove. Before I knew it, I was at the Black River where I had planned to stay for the night. With only 15 miles covered, I made it in plenty of time to set up camp before dark and began playing with my new tarp/bivy system.
First, I laid down my Matador pocket blanket as a ground cloth or footprint. Next came my bug bivy with its mesh interior which would help prevent me from being eaten alive by mosquitos. Inside there, I unfolded my closed-cell foam sleeping pad and unsnapped my Enlightened Equipment 40 degree synthetic quilt to act as a blanket. On top of everything, I tied my Sea-to-Summit poncho tarp to the surrounding trees and rocks to protect me from rain or at least provide some form of privacy.
After a hearty dinner of cold-soaked couscous and lentils, I awkwardly wiggled into my bivy and fell asleep in no time after inhaling some chocolate-covered peanuts as a bedtime snack. Isn’t backpacking so glamorous?
Day Two
With the second day on the trail also being the last day of the hike, I woke up a little bummed out. But the moment I saw the sunrise and watched as a deer poked around the parameter of the campsite while eating breakfast, my mood perked up some. It was going to be a good day. I had about 19 miles left until getting back to my truck and during those miles, I would get to pass by some of the coolest parts of the entire section.
First up was crossing the Black River, which was not nearly as gnarly as the first time I traversed it. The water was much lower and tamer this time, but the stones underneath were incredibly slippery, so I relied on rock hopping to get across. A few miles further down the trail and I reached a large valley with the Taum Sauk reservoir that could be seen within the distance. Several years ago, the walls of the reservoir collapsed and released millions of gallons of water that tore up parts of the OT and the surrounding area. The flood also almost caused a few casualties, but luckily no one died during the disaster. It took some time for the reservoir to be rebuilt and to repair the washed-up trails, but even so, the valley serves as a reminder of what happened.
Towards the end of the section, Mina Sauk Falls (the tallest waterfall in Missouri) is supposed to serve as a magnificent finish, but unfortunately with not a lot of rain within the previous days, the falls were not flowing. I hiked up a mile or so directly passed the falls and made my way to the top of Taum Sauk Mountain (the tallest point in Missouri at 1,772 ft). I have been there many times before, so it wasn’t much of a celebration. However, I couldn’t resist not getting my picture in front of the plaque. From there, it was an easy four miles back to my truck. I thought I would fly through it, but my body was getting really tired at that point so I started to slow down considerably. Even though it was a little bit of a struggle, I eventually made it and drove back to St. Louis where a cold shower and Dr. Pepper were waiting for me at home.
Final Thoughts
This shakedown hike gave me a few ideas for gear/trip modifications for my upcoming section hike of the contiguous OT. However, I discovered more than that. The more I hike, the more I realize that I will never stop learning more things about myself each time I hit the trails. This isn’t me poetically recounting how Mother Nature is the greatest teacher of all time and how going on my own personal Odyssey is the best way to find the meaning of life. I more so believe that each long hike I go on will always end up stirring up more questions than answers inside of me and it’s my job to try to make sense of what I uncover when I get off trail.
This time, I learned that one of the reasons why I love myself so much on trail is how I fearlessly and boldly make decisions with confidence. There is no hesitation. There is no worrying about what other people think. The hike is mine and mine alone. I am in charge.
How can I apply this to off trail life? Where else in my life can I live fearlessly and boldly? What would it take for me to prioritize my own well being instead of constantly putting other’s needs first? I don’t know the answers to these questions yet, but I will keep hiking and living to find out.
Thank you for reading this week’s post! I appreciate every single one of my subscribers and hope you enjoy this Substack as much as I like writing for it.
Below is a video report of the Taum Sauk section of the Ozark Trail, so be sure to give it some love as well!
See you out on the trail!