Mark Twain Lake

“A friend and I took our sons and 2 other scouts on a hike on the Joanna trail this weekend. They wanted to do a big hike and this was about 20 miles. I had taked with the park ranger and told them I was planning this trip with some young boys. I asked about the trail conditions and they said that hores share part of the trail and it could be rough.
We started out early Saturday morning and got into the forest in a very short time. The first 2 or 3 miles were shared with horses but the trail was very easy to walk. Then the trail turned off where the horses had not gone, or if they did it was very few. The trail started to disapear but the trees were well blazed with yellow paint and was easy to follow. About noon the trail was almost gone all we could do was follow the blazes. We were bushwacking most of the way. We stopped for lunch on a nice tree that had fallen across a dry stream. The bugs about ate us alive. We had pre sprayed and were using spray as we went but they would not be detured. The wood ticks were never ending. One boy kept track of how many he pulled off and was well over 40 by noon.
We had been making good time and were on schedual to meet another scout in the afternoon. He is handicapped and could not make the whole trip so we were going to meet him and let him walk the last 6 miles with us.After lunch the trail got worse. The blazes were not as close and some times they would just disapear. Then we would have to scout around until we found them again. We got to the most northern part of the trail and we ran into a creek. Not some thing that you could just wade across a full blown creek. We walked up and down it trying to find a place to cross but could not. We were bordering some private property at this point and there was a guy on a 4 wheeler patroling his border. We had no choice but to zip off our leggs and wade across. I went first to see how deep it was. It was up to the family jewells and that ment it was chest high for the boys. We took our time and every one got across ok. The other bank was 10 feet straight up and muddy. We got to the top and cleaned up, put our shoes and pants back on and continued on. Where, we did not know as the blazes were long gone at this point. We were in a grassy area with no trees to speak of. At this point we were having a hard time trying to figure out the trail map, which I might add was drawn by somebody in an office that had never hiked or even seen the outdoors. We followed the map as best we could walking along the boundaries. Then all of a sudden out in the middle of know where was a single tree with a yellow paint mark on it. Our spirits lifted and we were back on the trail.
But not for long. The yellow paint disapeared again and we were in an area which did not make since on the map. We were not making very good time and were going to be late to meet the other boy. We were able to get ahold of them on a cell phone and told them we would be late. We tried to find the trail again and after about 1/2 hour we did find it. Spirits high again we went on and should have been about 1 hour away from out meeting spot. Not so the makings were gone and we were lost. The boys were getting tired and hot since we had been out in the open sun for some time now. I turned my map reading skills into high gear and we headed to where I thought we should be going. Well there was another creek as big and deep as the last one. No one was in the mood for this again. I was running out of ideas and was starting to get a little worried. I was resposible for these kids. We decided to bail out of the trail and head west as we knew there was a road there. We came to a cow pasture and I knew it was private property but we headed west accross it. About a mile latter we found the road. We made a phone call to the father of the other boy and they found us, hot, tired, and thirsty. Come to find out the lake was up 6 feet and that is why the creeks were so full. The water was backed up into them. They should have been dry or very shallow. After we got cleaned up and I studdied the map I knew what had happened. The map showed us going around the inlet but with the high water the inlet was way farther than it should have been.
We got back to the camp site and got cleaned up and were sitting around the camp fire. I asked the boys if they learned any thing today. One boy spoke up and said " If you get lost just walk to a road." I guess that was a lesson well learned. We had a good adventure and all ended well.
I thought I read a thread about someone planning a trip down there this summer. If you do I would suggest asking how high the water is, and bring a topo map. The boy that was keeping track of the ticks he took off quit counting at 100.”

“I missed this when it was originally on here. Hmmm, I was on my 1.5-week vacation then, that explains it!

Stikmon and I had better luck than you on this hike. It was in November. No water way higher than it should have been. We tried to do the loop portion, which I think was 11 miles or so, as opposed to continuing on the long, linear trail to make it 25 miles. We ended up getting back to camp using GPS because it got dark FAST. That was fun, cutting cross-country on the old roads near the lake. It was great terrain! So I truly think the MOGA would be a blast!

Thanks for the horror story on your summer trip, though. YIKES!

"Just hike to a road." :-)



Outamatches posted:

Mark Twain Lake
“A friend and I took our sons and 2 other scouts on a hike on the Joanna trail this weekend. They wanted to do a big hike and this was about 20 miles. I had taked with the park ranger and told them I was planning this trip with some young boys. I asked about the trail conditions and they said that hores share part of the trail and it could be rough.

We started out early Saturday morning and got into the forest in a very short time. The first 2 or 3 miles were shared with horses but the trail was very easy to walk. Then the trail turned off where the horses had not gone, or if they did it was very few. The trail started to disapear but the trees were well blazed with yellow paint and was easy to follow. About noon the trail was almost gone all we could do was follow the blazes. We were bushwacking most of the way.

We stopped for lunch on a nice tree that had fallen across a dry stream. The bugs about ate us alive. We had pre sprayed and were using spray as we went but they would not be detured. The wood ticks were never ending. One boy kept track of how many he pulled off and was well over 40 by noon.

We had been making good time and were on schedual to meet another scout in the afternoon. He is handicapped and could not make the whole trip so we were going to meet him and let him walk the last 6 miles with us.After lunch the trail got worse. The blazes were not as close and some times they would just disapear. Then we would have to scout around until we found them again. We got to the most northern part of the trail and we ran into a creek. Not some thing that you could just wade across a full blown creek. We walked up and down it trying to find a place to cross but could not. We were bordering some private property at this point and there was a guy on a 4 wheeler patroling his border.

We had no choice but to zip off our leggs and wade across. I went first to see how deep it was. It was up to the family jewells and that ment it was chest high for the boys. We took our time and every one got across ok. The other bank was 10 feet straight up and muddy. We got to the top and cleaned up, put our shoes and pants back on and continued on. Where, we did not know as the blazes were long gone at this point. We were in a grassy area with no trees to speak of. At this point we were having a hard time trying to figure out the trail map, which I might add was drawn by somebody in an office that had never hiked or even seen the outdoors. We followed the map as best we could walking along the boundaries. Then all of a sudden out in the middle of know where was a single tree with a yellow paint mark on it. Our spirits lifted and we were back on the trail.

But not for long. The yellow paint disapeared again and we were in an area which did not make since on the map. We were not making very good time and were going to be late to meet the other boy. We were able to get ahold of them on a cell phone and told them we would be late. We tried to find the trail again and after about 1/2 hour we did find it. Spirits high again we went on and should have been about 1 hour away from out meeting spot. Not so the makings were gone and we were lost. The boys were getting tired and hot since we had been out in the open sun for some time now.

I turned my map reading skills into high gear and we headed to where I thought we should be going. Well there was another creek as big and deep as the last one. No one was in the mood for this again. I was running out of ideas and was starting to get a little worried. I was resposible for these kids. We decided to bail out of the trail and head west as we knew there was a road there. We came to a cow pasture and I knew it was private property but we headed west accross it.

About a mile latter we found the road. We made a phone call to the father of the other boy and they found us, hot, tired, and thirsty. Come to find out the lake was up 6 feet and that is why the creeks were so full. The water was backed up into them. They should have been dry or very shallow.

After we got cleaned up and I studdied the map I knew what had happened. The map showed us going around the inlet but with the high water the inlet was way farther than it should have been.

We got back to the camp site and got cleaned up and were sitting around the camp fire. I asked the boys if they learned any thing today. One boy spoke up and said " If you get lost just walk to a road." I guess that was a lesson well learned. We had a good adventure and all ended well.

I thought I read a thread about someone planning a trip down there this summer. If you do I would suggest asking how high the water is, and bring a topo map. The boy that was keeping track of the ticks he took off quit counting at 100.”

outamatches
8:04:00 PM
6/25/06



I missed this when it was originally on here. Hmmm, I was on my 1.5-week vacation then, that explains it!

Stikmon and I had better luck than you on this hike. It was in November. No water way higher than it should have been. We tried to do the loop portion, which I think was 11 miles or so, as opposed to continuing on the long, linear trail to make it 25 miles. We ended up getting back to camp using GPS because it got dark FAST. That was fun, cutting cross-country on the old roads near the lake. It was great terrain! So I truly think the MOGA would be a blast!

Thanks for the horror story on your summer trip, though. YIKES!

"Just hike to a road." :-)

last edited: 12/01/06 4:59:28 PM”

“It is a very nice place. I just wish I had a better map as I do now. When I asked the ranger about needing a better map she no the trail is very well marked. Yea! 20 years ago. I wanted to go back late this fall and do it again when the ticks were not so bad and the water was lower but I never had the time. I hope I can make this spring trip.”

“in Missouri and Arkansas from late April to Mid October. Ticks don't live in canoes. On the water is better than in the woods.

That was a good hike Lisa.”

“Sounds like the trail in the Irish Wilderness...you can be cruising along and then all of a sudden you say "WTF happened to the trail?"”