Ozark Trail: Between the Rivers Section | Day 4
Ozark Trail Thru-Hike | Day 4 | Between the Rivers
My Ozark Trail Thru-Hike Gear List
Day 4 of my thru-hike of Missouri’s Ozark Trail and I’ve arrived at my first big question… Do I hike to Big Spring Campground, which is 5 miles off the trail, or do I pass by it, shaving a day off my total hike? Will I be able to get in touch with my wife Abby to bump up my resupply by a day? Big questions to answer on the trail.
Between the Rivers (Mile 15-0)
Day 4 - October 17, 2024
Milligan Spring to Pike Creek
Rate: Difficult | Traffic: Low
Distance: 18mi | Elevation Gain: 2,400ft
View my route on AllTrails.
Ozark Trail Day 4
Ozark Trail Day 4 started at Milligan Spring where I spent my first night backcountry camping on the trail. The Ozark Trail Association website requests that you do your best to camp at least 100 feet off the trail, but I found that there are established campsites hikers use close by the trail, particularly around water sources. I found one of these spots essentially beside Milligan Spring, and it had a fire ring. But, I did have a neighbor.
I encountered a decent amount of wildlife on my OT thru-hike. I saw whitetail deer nearly every day, mostly their tails as they bounded away from me into the woods. I came across 7 box turtles, 2 armadillos, 1 turkey, 1 coyote (though I heard them almost every night), and 1 - what I presumed to be - feral hog. It was rooting around my tent by the creek at night, which made my heart skip a beat for a second, but I blew my whistle, it ran off, and I made it through the night.
Big Spring Trail Connection
Big Spring or No?
The question of the day was whether or not to hike to and camp at Big Spring Campground, which would total roughly a 17-mile day. It’s what I had planned, mainly because Big Spring has electric campsites so I could recharge my portable power banks. But my power banks were in good shape, with roughly 7 full cell phone charges left on them. So the idea of hiking 5-miles off the OT to the campground and then 5-miles the next morning back to the OT seemed very silly to me.
Bypassing Big Spring would shave off one full day from my thru-hike, which was appealing, BUT it also would mean I’d get to Peck Ranch a day before my scheduled resupply. Would I be just sitting around there all day? If that was going to be the case then I should just head to Big Spring. See my dilemma?
I got lucky. I had two bars of cell reception when I stopped for breakfast on a hill just past Bristol Cemetery (OT Map Mile 11). I called Abby to see if she could get to Peck Ranch a day early. She could. I’ll see you next time Big Spring.
Breakfast above Bristol Cemetary.
Devil’s Run
The main natural point of interest on this half of the Between the Rivers section is probably Devil’s Run. It’s a valley that runs for several hundred yards lined with large boulders and other smaller exposed rock. During heavy rains a creek probably runs through it. The OT map says there are generally pools of water around too, but I didn’t see any when I passed through.
Old piece of rail from the Devil’s Run tram.
Old tram line at Devil’s Run.
A portion of the trail there runs along an old tram line, which is pretty evident by the raised trail you walk along. There’s an old piece of the railing leaning up against a tree, further evidence of the history of the land.
Water Between the Rivers
Chilton Creek (OT Map Mile 5.5) had small pools of water so I filled up there. I was still a bit nervous about drinking small pools of water (I’d get over that quickly enough), but I used my water treatment drops and filter and was ready to go! Turns out I didn’t really need to worry as there was a full pond at OT Map Mile 4, and then another at the trail split for Big Spring (OT Map Mile 3). For not having much water, Between the Rivers certainly had a lot more than I expected.
Old Car Between the Rivers (OT Map Mile 2.5). Maybe a 1955 or 1956 Chevy Bel Air?
Old Car on Between the Rivers
The main point of interest, the famous point of interest, is an old car in the middle of the woods at OT Map Mile 2.5. (I’m not great with classic cars, but my car guy friends think it’s a 1955 or 1956 Chevy Bel Air. After some Googling I think that checks out.) This car is so famous that it’s actually marked on the official Ozark Trail Association maps. I’ll be honest, it is pretty cool coming upon this random car in the woods. It makes you wonder how it could have possibly gotten there? And how long has it been there… 70+ years??
Knowing that I would have to cross MO Hwy 60 was always looming in the back of my mind. Would I have to run across four lanes and a median of traffic with my backpack? No! There is an underpass for backpackers as well as wildlife, which was very welcoming. I saw tracks in the underpass of both humans and wildlife so it’s certainly getting used. And with that crossing I completed the Between the Rivers Section of the Ozark Trail and started the Current River Section.
I hiked for roughly two more miles to Pike Creek, which was flowing and lovely. It’s also labeled as “the worst crossing on the entire Ozark Trail” on the OTA maps. I understand why. Where the trail crosses is wide and I’m sure after heavy rains it’s rough, but when I arrived it wasn’t too bad. It was certainly deep enough to get some wet feet, but I was able to find a hopable spot just upstream.
Remember how I said there are “almost always” campsites by water crossings? Well, not at Pike Creek, which is mainly due to the thick and brushy undergrowth, which was not particularly fun to bushwack out of, but just up the hill was a lovely established spot in a little pine grove. My favorite type of camping spot.
Between the Rivers Trail Review
When I started the Between the Rivers Section of the Ozark Trail I was expecting water to be minimal and few and far inbetween, particularly as Missouri was in the middle of a mini drought. Not true. There was plenty of water along the way and the OTA maps are spot on. In fact, I feel like this section should be called the Pond Section because there were so many along the way. Cotham Pond being the crown jewel.
Another section complete and a day shaved off my total trip. I finally started to get my trail legs, but my morale was admittedly a bit low. Thoughts of “what did I get myself into” were floating in my head, but I had faith the Current River Section had something special instore for me. I’d get to see Abby, and we found a… PUPPY??
End of Day 4 thru-hiking the Between the Rivers Section of the Ozark Trail.
Ozark Trail
The Ozark Trail contains over 430 miles of trail divided into 14 mostly connected sections throughout southeast Missouri. The established thru-hike covers eight of the connected sections and runs from Onondaga Cave State Park in Leasburg, roughly 84 miles southwest of St. Louis, to the Eleven Point Terminus near Thomasville, 23 miles north of the Arkansas border. Throw in the off-shoot Taum Sauk Section and you have nearly 300 miles of thru-hikeable trail.