I don’t make it a habit of buying my gear from Walmart, but this was a excellent purchase. I use this pack on a daily basis to carry my office clothes while I ride my bike to work and to carry light loads while out Geocaching. ozark trail backpack I priced other internal frame daypacks before my trip and this was by far the cheapest. I took this pack on a 5-day mountain bike ride from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Washington, D.C., and it performed very well.
I was fine hiking with wet Altras and mailed my water shoes home at Brushy Creek.My food cost me around $300, not counting what I ate on my town day in Van Buren. For breakfast, I had Starbucks Via instant coffee added to a liter of cold water and a ProBar Meal bar. Lunch was mostly another ProBar, Primal Strips vegan jerky, and Kitch Fix granola. Dinner was freeze-dried hiking food from Backpacker’s Pantry, Patagonia Provisions, and Food For The Sole.
If you are using your phone for navigation, pack a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or are available for purchase at the online store. Further south, you can find Klepzig Mill, a historic building constructed nearly 100 years ago along the banks of Rocky Creek. A short detour off the main trail will take hikers to Rocky Falls, an impressive cascade that flows into a natural pool perfect for swimming. Immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the Missouri Ozarks on the Ozark Trail. The 390-mile trail is divided into (mostly) linked sections and winds through rolling hills, past stone bluffs and along sparkling streams in central and southern Missouri.
The river crossings were thus easier overall, but the trail [was] more covered in leaves, making a sprained ankle more probable,” he said. So, I reached out on the private Facebook group “Ozark Trail Section Hikers and Backpackers” and eventually talked to seven other successful OT thru-hikers. Here are their (and my own) stories and advice for conquering this rugged, beautiful, rewarding excursion. Backpacking Light helps hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts overcome their barriers to living a life outside in Wild Places. While the Ozark Trail doesn’t run directly through any towns, hikers may access options for resupply and services along the way, including the locales below. Please be aware that we make an effort to keep this information current.
Another big downside of this season is the shorter daylight hours available for hiking. This daypack came in handy just for what I intended. We like that this pack has a lot of pockets including a zipper that allows you to access the middle of the pack without opening the top. Includes Trekking pole attachment points, compression straps and a sleeping bag compartment. Altra Lone Peak 3.5 trail runners were my shoe of choice, along with Darn Tough Merino Wool Hiker Boot socks. I brought water shoes to navigate streams with but only used them once; way too much trouble to switch at every crossing.
My son and daughter each took one of these on a trip through Europe and they carried it on every plane, train, and bus they rode without any problems. It’s also small enough that it wasn’t inconvenient for them to have it with them everyday. Fit and finish were pretty good — no loose seams or stitching.
Furthermore, I didn’t plan on being in the tent other than during the nights, so a roomier but heavier 1-person tent wasn’t desirable. The weather was going to be great and the hammock was where I wanted to be during the restful moments of the day. Drinking water is a serious consideration for any thru-hike. Even at the driest part of the year, there are many water sources on the OT, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted.