Winter Hiking Rocky Falls in Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways
Rocky Falls in Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways
I set out on one of the coldest winter days of the year to hike Rocky Falls to Klepzig Mill in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways outside of Winona, Missouri. Unfortunately I couldn't complete the hike due to the water level of Rocky Creek being too high to cross. I did however experience a frozen Rocky Falls, one of the best waterfalls in Missouri.
Rocky Falls to Klepzig Mill
Type: Out & Back | Rate: Easy / Moderate | Traffic: Moderate | Distance: 6mi | Elevation Gain: 459ft
Due to the water levels of Rocky Creek being too high to cross I was only able to complete the first half mile of trail.
View the full route on AllTrails.
Ozark National Scenic Riverways
The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is actually a National Park. It’s the first national park established to protect a river system, specifically the Current River and Jackson Forks River. Rocky Falls is a beautiful Missouri waterfall along the Current River.
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Rocky Falls to Klepzig Mill Hiking Trail
The plan was to hike from Rocky Falls to Klepzig Mill, which is a 6 mile out and back trail. This section of trail is part of the Ozark Trail, specifically the Current River Section (miles 7-9). There are two crossings of Rocky Creek within the first mile of the trail, the first basically at the trailhead. I was able to get across the first Rocky Creek crossing, but my foot did get a little wet. Not great when the temperature was in the teens.
The next half mile was a beautiful section of trail through a pine grove alongside Rocky Creek. It was flat and really enjoyable. Then I hit the next crossing of Rocky Creek. This was a span of about 30 feet, with a small island in the center. There was a skinny branch that would help with the first section to cross, but they were covered in snow and ice so it was a bit treacherous. The second section had roughly 10 feet of water I would need to wade through. I decided to call it quits.
Not Completing the Hike… I will be back!
I’m bummed I didn’t get to complete hiking Rocky Falls to Klepzig Mill. The small portion I experienced was beautiful though. Rocky Falls is pretty spectacular. I’ll be back when it’s a bit warmer to hike the full trail.
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Hiking Gear List
Headlamp - Petzl Tikka Headlamp
Jacket - Patagonia Nano Puff Hoodie
Beanie - Ope Outdoors Chunky Knit Beanie
Long Sleeve Shirt - REI Co-op Midweight Base Layer
T-Shirt - REI Co-op Sahara T-Shirt
Pants - Wrangler ATG Fleece Lined Pants
Underwear - REI Co-op Everyday Boxer Briefs
Shoes - The North Face VECTIV Fastpack FUTURELIGHT Hiking Shoes
Pack - REI Co-op Flash 22 Pack
Water Bottle - REI Co-op Nalgene 1L
Camera Gear List
Camera - Sony a6400
SD Card - ScanDisk Extreme Pro 128 GB 200 MB/s
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