Trip Planner

The weather was going to be great and the hammock was where I wanted to be during the restful moments of the day. Some 1-person tents will have two major spars or spines that ozark trail canopy cross for the main support structure. In the Ozark Trail tent, it has only one spar traveling down the center lengthwise with a single rib to open up the area in the middle.

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.

One of the best parts of hiking is settling around a campfire at the end of the day and enjoying a hot meal. You may find it helpful to make a list of meals for each day you are out on the trail to ensure that you are not over- or under-packing for your trip. Immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the Missouri Ozarks on the Ozark Trail. The 430-mile trail system is comprised of mostly linked trail sections that wind through rolling hills and valleys, past stone bluffs and along sparkling streams. The route extends from the St. Louis metropolitan area southwest through the Ozarks.

ozark trail backpack

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.

A thru-hike can begin at the Onondaga State Park and proceed southward to the Eleven Point Western trailhead, or move in the opposite direction from south to north. The Ozark Trail Association Trip Planner contains information on a thru-hike, including directions to Onondaga State Park and Eleven Point Western trailheads. Of course it has no side water holsters, or lid pocket, or hipbelt strap, but I think that all contributes to its low weight.

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 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.

We’ve scouted the best routes, from easy day hikes to epic overnight bike-packing.Find detailed itineraries, directions, and maps right here. Most modern backpacks will carry a 15-inch laptop, and many will fit a 17-inch. If you’re laptop is bigger than that, you should be very careful about what you buy. As you may have noticed, there are a lot of different sizes of backpacks on the market. If you buy one that’s too big, it’ll may affect the fit and be uncomfortable. If you buy one that’s too small, that creates a whole series of issues, too.

The set-up was understandably a few steps shorter, which is always nice when setting up in the dark. More than once in the dark I’ve attached a rain fly upside down and we had to restart that particular step. This tent was close to foolproof when it came to the rain fly because it was already connected. Backpacking Light helps hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts overcome their barriers to living a life outside in Wild Places. Choose this pack if you prefer a smaller yet spacious design, as it has useful features and the durability of larger options. If you need a large pack, or are heading on a days-long adventure, this pack won’t work for you.

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.

The Ozark Trail backpack has a total of 22 liters of capacity with several pockets for your essentials. It has an open top side pocket, a vertical hidden pocket and a large zippered main compartment. It is also designed to hold a 15″ laptop in the padded pocket. The Yeti has the most streamlined design of the three coolers, staying true to the original Yeti look and feel. The overall product weight of this cooler is 37lbs empty which is inline with the Pelican, but 7lbs heavier than the Ozark Trail cooler.