Ozark Highland Trail

“Hey all!!
I am gonna plan a 5 day trip on the Ozark Highland Trail for this summer.
What would be the best part to do and how can I get some more info on it?

Additionally, if ya know of any reason I should not do it in the summer, speak up.(Why do I feel I’m gonna regret that)

This is my first attempt on this trail and I would really appreciate some help.
See ya later.
Randall”

“HOT HOT HOT! yo bear!”

“Why not do it in summer? Heat. Humidity. Bugs...read ticks and mosquitoes.

Wait till fall.”

“If you don't die of heat stroke the ticks and chiggers will eat you alive. Wait until late Fall or Winter.”

“Hey Owl, how ya doin? yo bear!”

“What owl said. I went to the ozarks to hike in the summer once. Operative word is "once".”

“All the above.

IMHO The best source for info is Tim Ernst's trail guide. http://store.cloudland.net/merchant.ihtml?pid=2&step=4
Free maps can be downloaded at: http://www.ouachitamaps.com/OHT.html

The eastern and western parts of the trail has some places that will do shuttles. The central portion is hard to work without a second vehicle. The trailguide has some numbers listed for shuttles. Richland Creek and Hurricane creek are probably the most scenic portions. Both of these sections have creek crossings that can be hazardous in high water.

Good Luck,

HBH”

“At least Hurricane Creek has a high water cutoff.”

“Yeah, that high water cutoff moves it way down the scenic list.”

“Gee,
It sounds like the summer thing is not a good idea!! But thats the only time I can go! Thanks fer the info and I ordered the guide. Seems like no one likes this trail very much.... I guess I will really have to think about it.

Hey Chili!!
Good ta see ya again!!

See ya later.
Randall”

“I've never taken the high water cutoff. I always waded the creek. The highest water I went across was about knee high.

Dunadan, dayhiker, cocoa williams and I went down to the cabin a few years ago and went across the creek down there and it was not much more than ankle high. We hit the trail where it bends back to the creek.

Arky met us there. He had a tarp up, a fire going and a 30 pack of miller lite chilling.”

“Did anybody mention poison ivy?

Take this trip, but canoe/kayak down the Current River and camp on gravel bars. That's the way to backpack the Ozarks in the summer.”

“Randall,

If you want to hike in the Summer go North. How about the Porcupine Mountains. If you get hot you can always jump in Lake Superior. That'll cool you off. Anyways, great place to hike with a lot of rivers, and waterfalls to look at.”

“I don't see where anyone said they didn't like this trail. I saw where people advised that it's not their idea of a good time to hike it in summer. Your email address indicates you're from Illinois. I imagine that Ark is the same as Alabama. It's common to have 10pm temps above 80 degrees and sometimes 90 degrees in the summer. It's not just peak heat you need to worry about. You'll possibly be at 90 deg by noon, stay there until close to dark, and not dip into the low 70's until dawn. It's not just a few hours of a little heat. It's 24/7 and inescapable. If that doesn't disuade you then our next topic will be on humidity.

I loved the trail. It was late Oct though.”

“I have been wanting to hike this for awhile now. Plan something for Fall and I will be a strong maybe.”

“I will plan a trip for October.”

“How about the weekend of October 16th?

Footballpalooza perhaps.

Richland Creek or Hurricane Wilderness.”

“Dayhiker,
Thanks fer the detailed temperature info. 90 degrees at night!!! Crap!! That's too hot fer me!! I can manage the ticks and chiggers, but with those temps and the humidity it would be miserable, probably like the hike I met Jerbear on!! Damm I wish I had a pic of him that day!! LOL

Chili
I will read the guide book and if you wanna set something up in October, I will try and make it. It would be cool if we could make it a little longer than a weekend, it’s a long way for me ta drive just for two days. I heard you and NGB were in Nashville now???

Salem,
The Porkies are cool, but I been there at least 5 times (6 if ya count the Trapp Hills) and wana see some new stuff. Wisconsin ain’t a good bet either, with all this rain the skeeters will be terrible up there.

I guess I’m thinking Missouri now!!

See ya later.
Randall”

“We are about 30 miles south of Memphis.”

“OCT 16 weekend may work for me.”

“How about Columbus Day weekend? Even though I don't officially get it off now I have oodles of time off. Though the ticks might still be about at least it will be cooler.

That would be 10,11,&12th”

“80° at 10pm is common. Summer before last when we had a month where the average high was 100deg the 10pm was usually at 90.

From June til late Sept I generally won't camp south of the Smokies.”

“Dayhiker is checking his schedule as well and I am trying to work around a commitment he has.

One of those two weekends will work.

I prefer the Hurricane Wilderness section, but we did fooballpalooza there in '02, so we might want to do the Richland Creek section.”

“Cocoa is definitely out for this one. Baby cocoa #2 is due in Oct.”

“Gee, the last time we had this trip, he just got engaged.”

“Relative to the Richland Creek section, the campground is closed and Falling Water Road (the shortest way in) has been blocked by a mudslide for the past year. The Forest Service is in no hurry to clear it because the earth on the hill above is unstable and it'd probably just happen again. There is a way in from the North near Dickey Junction, however.”

“I suggested Columbus Day weekend for Randall's benefit since almost all universities get off for that day.”

“Good idea. How about it, Randall? Dayhiker? Wounded Knee?”

“Hey all!!
Count me in!!! How many days???
Could we start on Friday Morning (10/9/2009)
Anyway......
Are setting it up Chili???
See ya later.
Randall”

“Yeah, I can set it up to hit the trail on Friday Morning.”

“Cool
Whats the closet airport?
lol
See ya later.
Randall”

“I am guessing Little Rock or Fayetville is the closest airport.

Or you can fly to Memphis and ride over with me.”

“Randall,

Richland Creek is north of Russellville, AR which is exit 81 on I 40. It is roughly equidistant from Fort Smith or Little Rock airports.”

“That is my anniversary, or at least that weekend. Sorry, no can do.
last edited: 5/12/09 11:29:35 AM”

“At the risk of butting in where I'm not wanted....I WANNA GO!”

“It's an open trip. I look foward to seeing you there.”

“I'll call myself a tentative yes. Bama plays USC, so no biggie there except it's HC. I can see taking the kids to HC. I can also see other possible things popping up. I'm in assuming I can manage all the other background noise.”

“Homecoming at Alabama or hiking with your friends in Arkansas. Is there really a question involved there?”

“Yeah, I mean USC's gonna whup um anyways.....you wouldn't want to put your kids through all that trauma.”

“Homecoming...that's what I can getting back from a trip. Going to a college ballgame I call a pain in the butt.”

“Hey All!!
Got my guidebook today and man are there some cool pics !!!
Don't go in the summer, that what it says!!
(Late July, August, September)
But...October is supposed to be the best month of all!!!
I am all fired up about this one!!
See ya later.
Randall”