MISSOURIANS HAVE PICK OF HIKING TRAILS

JEFFERSON CITY -- National Trails Day is June 5, and Missourians who want to celebrate the event by hiking can choose from dozens of areas owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

"When people think of hiking trails, they usually think of the Mark Twain National Forest or state parks," said MDC Publicist Jim Low. "It's easy to forget about the hiking opportunities at conservation areas scattered all over the state. This is some of the most beautiful land in the state, and no one in Missouri is far from a conservation area. They are great places to see deer, watch birds and just relax."

He said city dwellers have day-hiking opportunities close to home, including the Runge Conservation Nature Center (CNC) in Jefferson City has more than two miles of trails and Powder Valley Area in Kirkwood provides three miles of hiking trails for St. Louis area residents.

Other metro areas include Burr Oak Woods CNC in Blue Springs offers hiking opportunities in easy reach of Kansas City residents, and Springfield CNC, which has five trails totaling about 2.6 miles.

There are also many hiking facilities in rural areas. Several areas are available in the Southeast Missouri area, including Duck Creek Conservation Area and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge.

Boardwalk trails at Mingo Wildlife Refuge, located near Puxico in Stoddard County, let visitors enjoy the cypress swamp comfortable and safely.

Pickle Springs Natural Area east of Farmington has two miles of trail through sandstone "hoodoo" formations with waterfalls and cinnamon, lady and maidenhair ferns. Caution is urged as some parts of the trail pass near bluff edges.

The Peck Ranch area in Carter County has a 6-mile stretch of the Ozark Trail. A brochure available at area headquarters allows hikers to take a self-guided tour with information about wildlife management.

In Southwest Misouri, the Bushwhacker Conservation Area off Highway 43 southeast of Bronaugh has more than four miles of trail through 3,440 acres. The west side of the area is home to a colony of about 75 prairie-chickens.

In Northwest Missouri, Sunbridge Hills Area north of St. Joseph has 3.9 miles of trail with a variety of wildflowers and wildlife, and Brickyard Hill east of Watson in Atchison County has about three miles of trail.

Bonanza Area, east of Highway 13 in Caldwell County has 2.5 miles of trail. The area is managed for diverse plant and animal life, and opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography abound.

In Central Missouri, Three Creeks Area south of Columbia has three miles of trail, and Whetstone Creek, east of Kingdom City and north of Interstate 70, has about five miles of hiking trail through 5,174 acres of prime upland wildlife habitat.

The Painted Rock Area, south of Jefferson City, the 1.6-mile Osage Bluff Scenic Trail.

August A. Busch Memorial in St. Charles County offers a choice of dozens of miles of trails and abandoned roads. Just across Highway 94 and Route D from Busch CA is Weldon Springs, with 8-mile Lost Valley Trail for hikers and bicyclists and 8.2- mile Lewis Trail and the 5.3-mile Clark Trail for hikers only.

In Northeast Missouri, Ranacker Area in northern Pike County has 10 miles of trail. So does Rebel's Cove CA in Schuyler and Putnam counties.

he Ozark Trail is still under development, but one day will stretch more than 500 miles from eastern Missouri to western Arkansas. In Missouri, about 50 miles of the trail are complete, including a section that passes through Peck Ranch CA in Shannon County.

For more information on The Ozark Trail, write to: Missouri Department of Conservation, State Forester, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.