Prairie State Park located in Barton County, Missouri (Between Lamar, MO and Pittsburg, KS) provides a different type of hiking experience. This is an interesting park due to the fact that the park contains a herd of bison, as well as Elk. If you get out there on a week day (especially in the winter) you will have the entire park to your self, as I did.
I did a small loop hike off the campground. There are electrical fences to negotiate throughout the park. I had a small pack on, so I went right through (the crossing points have plastic over the wires). If I was going for an overnight, I think I would take the pack off before negotiating. After I crossed the fence, I did see what appeared to be an elk (I had a little distance on him). The photos of the bison actually were taken on the other side of the fence. I would never recommend getting that close to bison unless you had some form a barrier between them an yourself.
Tip especially for the winter: Print out a trail map online before you go out. Maps are not readily available, and the prairie blazes are harder to interpret in the winter when the tall grass is down
This section of the Ozark Trail is one of my personal favorites. We had originally planned on going the other direction, but due to the fact that we have got some rain recently, Ottery Creek was up (which, in going the other way you need to cross) and we did not feel like getting wet feet/shins/ankles. So we made the decision to go ahead and hike Bell Mountain Wilderness area. The good news about all the moisture was the fact that it was easy to load up on water with the water purifier righ on the trail.
Unfortunately, at the trail head there is some signs that have been torn down and/or vandalized, and the sign at the top of Bell Mountain is severely faded (this is where the Ozark trail ventures off from the Bell Mountain Trail, a nice mountain top loop trail. I got very windy up towards the top, but it was crystal blue skies and moderate temperatures- not bad for the end of December!
I look forward to getting back into the Mark Twain National Forest and hiking some more of the Ozark Trail.
Tips: solid hiking boots- especially up Bell Mountain. Quite a bit of rock to negotiate on the trail, and mud spots. Also, at the trail head, avoid the temptation to go south from the parking lot....it looks like it is trail, but in actuality is private land (although it is not blazed with purple of any sorts). If you go that way, it will take you along Ottery Creek.
Tech Tip: The map below looks pretty bad. I have a DeLorme PN-60w with Spot. I have been using the spot way points to map for the last year. Just realized that if I was to take the SD card out and load, the trail will be 100% accurate....nothing like technology to make you feel kinda stupid! Next trail map will be much better, promise!
