My idea of a darn good time is to load up my back with a week's worth of gear and disappear in the woods. It's tough to get away from it all in the wilds of Missouri for more than few days, so I go to places like AZ, New Mexico, the UP, and California.
Anybody else here share this passion?
Anybody Here Love to Hike/Backpack?
-
Hungary Jack
- Mother Earth
- Posts: 19536
- Joined: July 24 06, 6:03 am
- Location: In Cognito
-
TimeForGuinness
- Hall Of Famer
- Posts: 20007
- Joined: April 18 06, 7:38 pm
Re: Anybody Here Love to Hike/Backpack?
Love hiking...wish I had more time to do it.Hungary Jack wrote:My idea of a darn good time is to load up my back with a week's worth of gear and disappear in the woods. It's tough to get away from it all in the wilds of Missouri for more than few days, so I go to places like AZ, New Mexico, the UP, and California.
Anybody else here share this passion?
-
Hungary Jack
- Mother Earth
- Posts: 19536
- Joined: July 24 06, 6:03 am
- Location: In Cognito
I live in Chicago, but occasionally make it back to The Lou and hike with my dad. Here are some cool spots within 1-2 hours drive of downtown:
Hawn State Park (I55 to 32): There's a 6-mile loop up Pickle Creek valley, then up and along the ridge through pine forest and over rocky outcrops to a side valley and back down. It is a great, great dayhike. There is also a backcountry campsite.
St. Francois State Park (I55 to 67): Stop at the first day area and follow the trail up the creek valley, then veer to right up the first side canyon, climb the straight line ridge to the south and pick up a trail heading west and back down into the creek.
Shaw's Garden Extension (I44 to Gray Summit): Really nice place about 40 minutes from Busch. Hike all the way to the Meramec.
Ozark Trail: Check out the Ozark Trail Association website for details about the sections (http://www.ozarktrail.com). There's a great section called Karkaghne (I helped build it) that's near Johnson Shut-ins.
Hawn State Park (I55 to 32): There's a 6-mile loop up Pickle Creek valley, then up and along the ridge through pine forest and over rocky outcrops to a side valley and back down. It is a great, great dayhike. There is also a backcountry campsite.
St. Francois State Park (I55 to 67): Stop at the first day area and follow the trail up the creek valley, then veer to right up the first side canyon, climb the straight line ridge to the south and pick up a trail heading west and back down into the creek.
Shaw's Garden Extension (I44 to Gray Summit): Really nice place about 40 minutes from Busch. Hike all the way to the Meramec.
Ozark Trail: Check out the Ozark Trail Association website for details about the sections (http://www.ozarktrail.com). There's a great section called Karkaghne (I helped build it) that's near Johnson Shut-ins.
-
Sausage_Gravy
- All-Star
- Posts: 1407
- Joined: October 12 06, 10:19 pm
- Location: MO
- Contact:
I love to hike, Hungary. I've also hiked Hawn, St Francois and Shaw's extension in Gray Summit. I would love to be able to hike for a week, but haven't ever had the opportunity. So, I settle for a nice little day hike at some places like the ones mentioned above.Hungary Jack wrote:I live in Chicago, but occasionally make it back to The Lou and hike with my dad. Here are some cool spots within 1-2 hours drive of downtown:
Hawn State Park (I55 to 32): There's a 6-mile loop up Pickle Creek valley, then up and along the ridge through pine forest and over rocky outcrops to a side valley and back down. It is a great, great dayhike. There is also a backcountry campsite.
St. Francois State Park (I55 to 67): Stop at the first day area and follow the trail up the creek valley, then veer to right up the first side canyon, climb the straight line ridge to the south and pick up a trail heading west and back down into the creek.
Shaw's Garden Extension (I44 to Gray Summit): Really nice place about 40 minutes from Busch. Hike all the way to the Meramec.
Ozark Trail: Check out the Ozark Trail Association website for details about the sections (http://www.ozarktrail.com). There's a great section called Karkaghne (I helped build it) that's near Johnson Shut-ins.
-
Fat Strat
- Official GRB Sponsor of Larry Bigbie
- Posts: 28010
- Joined: April 17 06, 9:16 pm
- Location: No. 16 on the Cards Top 15 Prospect List
-
EastonBlues22
- Perennial All-Star
- Posts: 4798
- Joined: May 7 06, 11:31 pm
Also a hike lover here. I've done all the MO state parks and a decent share of those in the neighboring states. I think I've hiked in something like 37 different states...I lost track somewhere around that number anyway. My favorite are mountain trails...14ers in particular, but I'll take anything with some elevation change.
Nowadays I don't get to hike much, sadly. Most of my free weekends are spent travelling back to St. Louis (from IA) to visit my family. Eventually I'll get back into it when I have a family of my own...that's not something that ever leaves your blood.
Nowadays I don't get to hike much, sadly. Most of my free weekends are spent travelling back to St. Louis (from IA) to visit my family. Eventually I'll get back into it when I have a family of my own...that's not something that ever leaves your blood.
-
G. Keenan
- Sucking on the Rally Nipple
- Posts: 23711
- Joined: April 16 06, 6:03 pm
- Location: Chicago
Haven't really hiked, though I think I'd like it.
What I love is to canoe camp. Go down to the Jack's Fork and spend about four days going 20 or so miles. Camp along the way on the riverbank with nothing around you but a valley full of fire flies like flashbulbs at sunset. You can see your feet in the water under moonlight it's so clear.
Beers around the campfire. Fishing. It's perfect.
What I love is to canoe camp. Go down to the Jack's Fork and spend about four days going 20 or so miles. Camp along the way on the riverbank with nothing around you but a valley full of fire flies like flashbulbs at sunset. You can see your feet in the water under moonlight it's so clear.
Beers around the campfire. Fishing. It's perfect.
