Ozark Trail: Current River Section | Day 6
Day 6 of my Ozark Trail Thru Hike in Missouri.
My Ozark Trail Thru-Hike Gear List
A puppy on the Ozark Trail?!! It’s Day 6 of my Ozark Trail Thru-Hike and Abby has just dropped me off at the trailhead in Peck Ranch Conservation Area. The plan for the day is to hike roughly 16 miles from Peck Ranch to Powder Mill Campground on the Current River Section of the Ozark Trail. But what do we do about this sweet puppy on the trail?
Current River Section (Mile 14-0)
Day 6 - October 19, 2024
Peck Ranch to Powder Mill Campground
Rate: Difficult | Traffic: Medium/High
Distance: 16.9mi | Elevation Gain: 1,430ft
View my route on AllTrails.
Powder Mill Campground
Amenities: Vaulted Toilets (No Electric)
Open: Year-Round
Camping: Small Fee during various seasons
More Information
A Puppy on the Ozark Trail
Abby and I pulled into the OT trailhead parking lot in Peck Ranch (up the hill about a mile north of the Peck Ranch Campground - which was real nice!) There were two Subaru Outbacks, naturally, in the parking lot and out from under one of them crawled the sweetest scared pupper-dup. I picked her up and she immediately melted into my arms.
Abby and I with a very tired and sweet puppy.
The puppy was shivering and covered in ticks and burs. Abby and I did our best to clean her up and get her warm then drove back down the hill to the ranger station to see if anyone had reported a missing puppy. We couldn’t find a ranger at the station, but we did come across another couple who let us know that unfortunately Peck Ranch was a popular area for people to dump dogs.
We had a choice to make, leave her in the woods or Abby drive her back to St. Louis. We packed the puppy in the car. I threw on my pack. Abby drove back to St. Louis, and I hit the Ozark Trail wondering, “Do I own a dog now?”
Peck Ranch to Powder Mill Campground
The Current River Section of the Ozark Trail from Peck Ranch to Powder Mill Campground was the best section of the Ozark Trail at this point of my thru-hike. The trail passes by a beautiful Missouri glade, one of Missouri’s best waterfalls, Rocky Falls, the historic Klepzig Mill, and along the banks of the Current River. I finally saw other people on the trail, both day-hikers and backpackers. It helped that it was a Saturday, but also because this is one of the best day-hikes or backpacking trips in Missouri… in my opinion.
Missouri Glade
About a mile north of Peck Ranch the trail ascends a hill just southeast of Stegall Mountain (1,342ft) and opens onto a beautiful Missouri glade. Glades are dry landscapes generally south or west facing characterized by thin soils and exposed rock. Because it’s Missouri’s St. Francois Mountain Range (which are 1.485 billion years old) the exposed rock is typically Rhyolite, a reddish pinkish igneous rock that was formed from cooling surface magma when the mountains were an active volcano range. Glades are one of my favorite habitats in Missouri and this one didn’t disappoint. There is a campsite on this glade, which would be a stellar spot to spend the night.
Rocky Falls
Two more miles down the trail the off-shoot to Rocky Falls presents itself, marked by a wooden sign. It’s only a half-mile to the falls and it’s well worth the excursion. Rocky Falls is one of the best waterfalls in Missouri I’ve visited. I’ve actually been there a couple times, once in January when it was frozen over. Rocky Falls is a true waterfall, not a wet weather falls, meaning it’s almost always flowing, as opposed to many Missouri waterfalls which only flow after rains.
Klepzig Mill
The hike from Rocky Falls to Klepzig Mill is one of my favorite Missouri day-hikes. It’s three miles from Rocky Falls to the historic mill passing through rolling woodlands, open pasture, and the lovely secret Buzzard Mountain Shut-Ins. The Klepzig Mills Shut-Ins are also a wonderful example of the history of the Missouri Ozarks.
From Klepzig Mills it’s six miles to Powder Mill Campground and Mile 0 of the Current River Section of the Ozark Trail. The trail follows Indian Creek around the base of Barnett Mountain (1,079ft) and provided my first glimpse of the Current River at OT Mile 4. At OT Mile 2.5 you have the option to hike along the bank of the Current River or along County Road 533 before connecting to MO-106 to cross the bridge of the Current River to Powder Mills Campground.
Two people I passed along the trail that day told me that the trail along the bank of the Current River was overgrown and thorny. The memory of the bushwhacking in the Burned Area north of Hunters Camp fresh in my mind I opted for CR-533. It felt a bit like cheating, but I was rewarded by being able to write my name in the first Ozark Trail registry box I’d come to on my thru-hike. I wish there were more of those. Signing my name in a spiral notebook made my thru-hike seem legit for the first time.
Powder Mill Campground
Powder Mill Campground lies along the bank of the Current River. It’s a basic campground with fire rings, grills, and a vaulted toilet. There are no electric hook-ups but the space is big enough for RVs. There were several other groups at the campground, but it was big enough that we all kept our distance. I was the only person with a tent. A dip in the Current River before heading to sleep was a refreshing treat.
Trail Review
Peck Ranch to Powder Mill Campground might be one of the best sections of the Ozark Trail. This stretch would make a great 1 or 2 night backpacking trip and the day-hike from Rocky Falls to Klepzig Mill is top notch. This was a rejuvenating section of trail to hike after fighting through the Eleven Point and Between the Rivers Sections. And the Ozark Trail only got better as I continued hiking north.