The St. Francois Mountains of southeast Missouri offer some truly rugged and very scenic trails. Some of the more scenic areas in this region include Johnson's Shut-Ins, Lake Wappapello, Elephant Rocks, and Missouri's highest point, Taum Sauk Mountain.
The longest trail thru this region, the 350-mile Ozark Trail, offers access to many remote areas of the St. Francois Mtns. The Ozark Trail connects many parks along the way, including Sam A. Baker SP, Peck Ranch CA, Lake Wappapello, and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Many areas and features within the Mark Twain National Forest can also be accessed, as most of the trails runs thru the National Forest.
**In an effort to keep the list of hiking trails manageable and more easily navagable, only those trails of 2 miles in length or longer are listed here. A few exceptions are those shorter trails having very specific, unique characteristics, or belonging to a network or system of trails totaling 2 miles in length or more. Many shorter trails are still available on state park and wildlife management lands, and are covered on their respective pages. I encourage you to hike these trails as well, and explore what they too have to offer.**
*Currently, there are so many more trails within the Ozarks and Ouachitas than I have had time to photograph, gather information for, and list here. As soon as new information becomes available, and I am able to either gather pictures or create a map, I will post those new trails here.*
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Location | Region | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asher Creek Trail Go | 002 miles | Moderate | Lake Wappapello State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Black River Trail Go | 002 miles | Easy | Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Braille Trail Go | 001 mile | Easy | Elephant Rocks State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Deer Run Trail Go | 002.75 mile | Moderate | Onondaga Cave State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Lake Wappapello Trail Go | 015 miles | Moderate - Strenuous | Lake Wappapello State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Backpack, Hike, Mtn Bike, Horse |
| Mina Sauk Falls Trail Go | 003 miles | Moderate | Taum Sauk Mountain State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Mooner's Hollow Trail Go | 002.7 miles | Easy - Moderate | St. Francois State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Mudlick Trail Go | 012 miles | Moderate - Strenuous | Sam A. Baker State Park | Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Backpack, Hike, Horse |
| Oak Ridge Trail Go | 003.25 miles | Easy | Onondaga Cave State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Opossum Track Trail Go | 003 miles | Moderate | Washington State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Pike Run Trail Go | 011 miles | Moderate - Strenuous | St. Francois State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Backpack, Hike, Horse |
| Rockywood Trail Go | 010 miles | Moderate - Strenuous | Washington State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Backpack, Hike |
| Scour Trail Go | 001.5 miles | Easy | Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Shut-Ins Trail Go | 002.25 miles | Easy - Moderate | Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Swimming Deer Trail Go | 002.7 miles | Easy - Moderate | St. Francois State Park |
Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |
| Whispering Pines Trail Go | 010 miles | Moderate - Strenuous | Hawn State Park | Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Backpack, Hike |
| White Oaks Trail Go | 004.4 miles | Moderate | Hawn State Park | Southeast Missouri Ozarks | Hike |