Waterfalls are everywhere on the Ozark Highland Trail. Water sources dot the route and there is never a concern about staying hydrated. But, with each creak and river comes a crossing. The real key to comfort is maintaining dry feet, and this especially applies to each crossing. Despite the higher water levels after recent rains and snow I was able to keep our feet dry for the second day in a row. Buddha was not so lucky and in fact he was astonished I was able to cross the first creek of the day without dipping a foot in. Despite his 46,000 miles of backpacking, he had to concede to my superiority.
It was a hot day. Early on we shed every layer but a t shirt and climbed up and down through the Ozark. It was beautiful with a different kind of mountains than the East and also the west. These were smoother than the Appalachians but also much shorter and less pronounced than the mountains of the west. These mountains and hills simple splayed out, neglecting to have a true pronounced spine along their span. It makes the immersion into the terrain much more noticeable. There are no towns nearby and it is a region completely dedicated to nature. It is an enjoyable trail, one of subtleness but also it’s own very pronounced character.
We got in about 28 miles, leaving us 10 to get to Buddha’s car at the Ozone trailhead. From there I will continue on my own to the end of the trail at which point the plan is to turn around and start hiking back, in the hopes of setting a new FKT on this route.
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