The next section along Trace Creek is an enjoyable, quiet walk in the woods. Some hikers may choose to continue on Trace Creek to the Taum Sauk section, but OT thru-hikers should head west onto Middle Fork/John Roth Memorial section to complete the longer route. This hilly 26-mile segment gains over 2,600 feet of elevation over a contoured landscape ozark trail backpack crossing brooks, streams, and wetlands, as well as small savannahs of oak and hickory hardwoods. Camp at Highway DD trailhead near the section’s start or Harper Spring around the 15 mile-mark. The only thing I might add is a liner for wet days, like a small plastic trash bag. I can’t imagine loading this up with a lot of bulky, heavy items.
I carried this daypack back n forth on a trail to the shower while camping. The bag stayed in place on my back using the sternum strap. While designs used to be pretty straight forward, more and more options exist every year. Configurations get more purpose-designed, and features get more innovative. While the designs have gotten more innovative, backpacks being used more places than ever mean things that were designed for one thing are being used for another.
Similar to the Ozark Trail cooler, the Pelican features orange wheel rims and also has orange clasp accents. You can get this cooler in three colors, Tan which is featured here, as well as graphite and white. The other two colors will have different rims and accents, so if you don’t love the orange you have options. In a sheer stroke of luck for this test, we are having a very aggressive heatwave in Southeast Michigan with temperatures around the 90’s during the day and staying in the 70’s overnight.
Used for its intended purpose, this is one of the best hiking/backpacking deals I’ve ever come across. Fit and finish were pretty good — no loose seams or stitching. Stitches appeared evenly spaced and of uniform distance from the fabric edges. There is a lack of reinforcement on the pack’s taffeta bottom, though.
This might mean your computer or other devices, backup power supply, a change of clothes, snacks, water, or first aid kit. A knife is a good call, too, just remember it’s there in case you go somewhere they aren’t allowed. And whatever you do, make sure you take it out before you go to the airport. A backpack might be part of your EDC (every day carry) but a lot of other things might be as well. Things like a computer, first aid kit, maybe even a defensive handgun.
A perk of hiking lesser-traveled trails are fewer (or non-existent) permits and parking fees. The Ozark Trail does not have permit, parking, or registration requirements for its trail sections. Wetlands give way to ridgelines at the start of the Blair Creek section.
Please be aware that we make an effort to keep this information current. However, businesses and business conditions change, thus the information contained here is subject to change without the knowledge of the Ozark Trail Association. Thru-hiking is defined as hiking the contiguous 230-mile backbone of the Ozark Trail in one trip.
Also included are side profile daisy chains for carrying items externally. It is made with a low-profile adjustable sternum strap to help you get the perfect fit and air-mesh padded shoulder straps and back panel for comfortable carrying without a frame. It is also hydration compatible and comes with an included 2L reservoir so you can stay hydrated on the trails. It’s hard to guess which kids will take to hiking like a fish to water and which ones will beg off. My kids were toddlers the first time we went backpacking on a short, level trail where I carried everything and I knew they could do the hike with no problem.
Two main compartments give you flexibility to load it up with just about anything, and organize it the way that makes sense for you. The top stash pocket is perfect for those things you need to be able to reach quickly. It’s a simple design, but it’s a design that has served us for a long time, and there’s no reason the West Break won’t do the same. (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.