Trails
Swampwalk Nature Trail
Open season: Year round
Length: 0.8 miles
Location of trail: On Bluff Road of MO-51, or down Bluff Trail from the visitor center
Surface: Raised boardwalk/asphalt
Difficulty: Low intensity
Information: Meanders through bottomland hardwood forest alongside Ditch 11 near Rockhouse Marsh just below the Visitor Center; wheelchair and stroller accessible
Bluff Trail
Open season: Year round
Length: 0.15 miles
Location of trail: Trailheads at visitor center and Bluff Road
Surface: Packed dirt and gravel, uneven
Difficulty: Moderate/High Intensity
Information: Connects the visitor center and the Swampwalk Nature Trial; a short, steep hike in upland hardwood forest
Hartz Pond Trail
Open season: Year round
Length: 0.2 miles
Location of trail: Trailhead is at the south side of the visitor center parking lot
Surface: Gravel
Difficulty: Low to moderate intensity
Information: Short loop trail to a small pond
Sweet Cabin Trail
Open season: March - November
Length: 0.8 miles round-trip
Location of trail: Near Stanley Creek on the Ozark Highlands Auto Tour
Surface: Packed dirt and gravel
Difficulty: Moderate intensity
Information: Backcountry hiking on the edge of the Mingo wilderness area wilderness area
Wilderness areas are places untamed by humans. The Wilderness Act of 1964 allows Congress to designate wilderness areas for protection to ensure that America's pristine wild lands will not disappear. Wilderness areas can be part of national wildlife refuges, national parks, national forests or public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Learn more about wilderness area just north of Stanley Creek leading to a Great Depression-era cabin
Unofficial Trails
Levee tops, service roads and the wilderness area can also provide pleasant and longer hiking experiences.