The Ozarks: St. Francois Mountains (2 Nights)

Join us for a trip to the Midwest -- Missouri, that is -- where we'll be hiking and camping in the St. Francois Mountains near the Ozark Trail.

We'll make this a 3-day, 2-night trip to Johnson Shut-ins State Park in Eastern MO to see the Johnson Shut-ins - a 'natural water park' in the East Fork Black River. We'll also visit Taum Sauk Mountain (highest point in Missouri), Mina Sauk Falls (tallest waterfall in Missouri) and Elephant Rocks.

DETAILS

We'll meet Friday morning at Lowe's to carpool to Johnson Shut-Ins State Park. Dinner will be around the campfire. Saturday morning after breakfast, we'll drive to Taum Sauk Mountain SP and Elephant Rocks SP for hikes. Afterward, we'll return to hike the Shut-Ins. There will be approximately 7 miles and 6 hours of hiking total on Saturday. Dinner will be a pitch-in at the campsite and Sunday Morning we'll pack up after breakfast and return to Evansville.

TRAILS & POINTS of INTEREST:
Johnson Shut-Ins Trail (2.3 miles, 1.75 hours, Moderate): a natural trail (loop) around the Shut-Ins.
Mina Sauk Falls Trail (2.9 miles, 3.0 hours, Rugged): a natural trail (loop) on Taum Sauk Mountain providing access to Taum Sauk Man and Mina Sauk Falls.
Elephant Rocks Braille Trail (0.9 miles, 30 minutes, Easy): mostly paved trail among large Elephant Rocks, deposited by glaciers.

For additional information on these trails, see these PDFs: https://bit.ly/39DUR9J

WHAT TO BRING:
For a list of items to pack, see this checklist:
https://bit.ly/2vjsgHb
This spreadsheet also covers pitch-in meals.

COST:

• $15 per person. This will cover campsite reservations and firewood. Entrance into MO state parks is free.
• Bring lunch money for Friday and Sunday's drives.
• Consider pitching in for gas if carpooling.

TIMELINE:
Friday, May 08

• 10:30a - Depart from Lowe's (Oak Grove)
• 12:00p - Lunch in Mt. Vernon, IN (1 hr)
• 4:00p - Arrive at Johnson Shut-ins Campground
• 6:00p - Dinner at campsite

Saturday, May 09

• 9:00a - Drive to Taum Sauk SP (45 min)
• 9:45a - Hike Mina Sauk Falls Trail (2.9 miles, 3.0 hours)
• Picnic Lunch on trail
• 1:30p - Drive to Elephant Rocks (30 min)
• 2:00p - Visit Elephant Rocks (0.9 miles, 30 min)
• 2:45p - Return to Johnson Shut-ins (20 min)
• 3:15p - Hike the Shut-ins Trail (2.3 miles, 1.75 hours)
• 6:00p Campsite Pitch-in Dinner

Sunday, May 10

• 10:00a - Depart from Campground
• 12:00p - Lunch on road (quick)
• 4:00p - Arrive at Johnson Shut-ins Campground

OTHER DETAILS:

• No children or pets are permitted on this trip.
• We're car-camping, so don't feel obligated to pack ultra-light.
• We'll make a fire at the campsite, but we'll need to purchase DNR firewood at the park.
• Campsites are limited to 6 people and 2 tents. We'll plan for two people per site, so each can have their own tent.
• Consider packing water shoes and a small towel in your day pack for the Shut-Ins hike.
• This trip may be postponed if weather conditions present undue hazard.