Ozark Trail: Taum Sauk Section
A demanding roughly 35-mile Ozark Trail section crossing Missouri’s highest and oldest mountain country between major state parks.
Artwork inspired by Joseph Paul Vorst
The Taum Sauk Section is a point-to-point segment of the Ozark Trail through the St. Francois Mountains, linking landscapes around Taum Sauk Mountain, Mina Sauk Falls, Devil’s Tollgate, and Johnson’s Shut-Ins. It is a route, not one short attraction.
Hikers encounter steep rocky tread, seasonal water, confusing junctions, exposed glades, creek crossings, and limited services. Day visitors can sample signed pieces, while a full traverse requires shuttle planning, water strategy, weather judgment, and current trail-condition research.
- Type
- Point-to-point
- Distance
- Roughly 35 miles
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
Quick guide
- Full traverse
- Arrange shuttle
- Navigation
- Offline map essential
Let the return reshape Ozark Trail: Taum Sauk Section
- Scope
- Choose a specific trailhead and turnaround; “the Taum Sauk Section” is not one parking loop.
- Water
- Treat natural sources and expect some to be seasonal.
- Terrain
- Look for budget time for loose rock and repeated elevation change, not only mileage.
- Connection
- Verify access around parks, closures, river conditions, and overnight rules.
Good to know
This section often surprises hikers who equate Missouri with flat terrain: short elevations still produce sustained difficulty when the tread is rocky and services are sparse.
Notice these
- Rhyolite ridges
- Mina Sauk Falls
- Devil’s Tollgate
- Johnson’s Shut-Ins connection