Restoring the trail

Except among hiking enthusiasts, the Ozark Trail isn't all that well-known. The trail, in the making for more than 30 years, is planned to stretch from the St. Louis area all the way to Arkansas, where it will connect to the Ozark Highlands Trail. Together, the two trails will provide 700 miles of trails through one of the most beautiful parts of America -- up, down, around and across the oldest mountains in the continental U.S.

Part of the Ozark Trail connects Taum Sauk State Park, the highest mountain in Missouri, with Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. But since the collapse three years ago of the nearby reservoir atop Proffit Mountain used by AmerenUE to generate electricity, both Johnson's Shut-Ins and the Ozark Trail in that area have been off-limits.

Starting next month, volunteers organized by the Ozark Trail Association will devote several weekends to rebuilding a portion of the trail destroyed by the cascade of millions of gallons of water from the reservoir failure. A couple of the weekends -- April 4 and May 2 -- will feature live bluegrass music along with a free lunch and camping.

Because of safety concerns, the number of participants will be limited. Anyone interested in helping should go to the Ozark Trail Association's Web site (ozarktrail.com) and sign up. A total of 50 volunteers are needed for the January and February weekends. Because of the danger of working where the water rushed down the mountain, this project is not suitable for children.

How fitting it is that those who stand to gain the most from the recovery of the Ozark Trail will be doing much of the restoration work. Here's an opportunity to get involved in ways that will have an impact that will last for years and years.