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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 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?

Love hiking...wish I had more time to do it.

Never real done it, but if I was able to do it, I would love to. I do love the wilderness.

i like to, but haven't had a chance recently

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.

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.

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.

I love hiking! Never really get a chance to anymore, since Oklahoma isn't prime hiking territory.

Did most of my hiking in Colorado, Yellowstone, Wyoming, Missouri, and Arkansas.

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.

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.

Try Lassen National Park in northern California-- great trails and almost empty compared to Yellowstone.