Trip Planner

While much of the trail is under a shady tree canopy, you’ll still want to use sunscreen to prevent any burns. Tent, hammock or open-air camping — choose your camping style based on experience and comfort level. Be prepared to face changing weather conditions out in the wilderness. At mile 15 in the Trace Creek section, you will find the scenic Council Bluff Recreation Area, which includes a lake and a 12-mile loop to explore the beautiful landscape of southeast Missouri. The Ozark Trail Association marks and improves the trail and ensures campsites are well maintained.

Used for its intended purpose, this is one of the best hiking/backpacking deals I’ve ever come across. Fit and finish were pretty good — no loose seams or stitching. Stitches appeared evenly spaced and of uniform distance from the fabric edges. There is a lack of reinforcement on the pack’s taffeta bottom, though.

Because it’s basically a single compartment stuff bag, I did have to make sure the items inside were distributed properly. I have used the hydration compartment for items like my iPad. My shoulders did not chafe nor rub or irritate while walking and I did not get any bruising on my hips. I only walked about a mile away on a dirt trail to the showers but it was not a flat surface and the equiptment on my back was stable. Fast and easy to adjust and all buckles and webbing are in good quality. Walmart had a small section of packs and for the most part I was satisfied.

ozark trail backpack

The park offers the opportunity to enjoy a variety of recreational activities on the lake or on shore. Traffic flow will be restricted to one lane on the bridge over Lee Creek, due to maintenance. ozark trail chair Temporary traffic lights have been installed to regulate the flow of vehicles and RVs. The Ozark Trail cooler is made from polyethylene, which is the most common kind of plastic in use today.

In the following paragraphs I share just a few design features that, in my opinion, make this a well-designed product. The Ozark Trail 1-Person Backpacking Tent is on the cheaper end of the spectrum. A variety of websites have it currently priced for less than $50. Many higher quality tents could cost 3 or 4 times that amount.

I sweated just a bit but not too much since the walk was short (and I didn’t want to sweat after a shower). I did finish my activities very sweetly and was able to walk and hike without carrying anything in my hands. This pack has no extraneous features, save for the small front zip pocket and an internal hydration sleeve. There are no compression straps or other means of securing anything to the outside of the pack, aside from the “daisy chain” on the front. My only knock on it would be the lack of a small water bottle pocket. Aside from the main pack bag, there is a small zippered compartment on the front, that, depending on how much you have stuffed inside, is pretty tight.

Two main compartments give you flexibility to load it up with just about anything, and organize it the way that makes sense for you. The top stash pocket is perfect for those things you need to be able to reach quickly. It’s a simple design, but it’s a design that has served us for a long time, and there’s no reason the West Break won’t do the same. (This is not sarcasm.) When I was a new mom a hike with my baby on my back was a wonderful antidote to the feeling of being overwhelmed by this huge life change.

You won’t wake the neighbors up when you are pulling this down your dock. Rounding out the exterior is a lid that features 4 cup holders and inch notches for measuring your catch of the day. Most parents and grandparents dream about sharing their passions with their kids. But what happens when your passion includes schlepping 30 pounds or more of gear through the tick-infested woods and sleeping on the ground for days on end? Usually I share a 2- or 3-person tent when backpacking with others to split up the weight, but as mentioned we each needed to be self-contained so I brought my 1-person tent from Ozark Trail. 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.