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Missouri

Mark Twain National Forest

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Mark Twain National Forest

Missouri

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Region

3,012,464 acres (1,491,840 federal/ 1,520,624 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/marktwain

Overview

In the 1970s, the more northerly Clark National Forest in Missouri was administratively combined with Mark Twain National Forest, encompassing 11% of the state’s forests across 29 counties.  Much of the forest was planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), with their work still visible at the Rolla Ranger Station and Winona Ranger Station Historic Districts.  Spread across nine separate units throughout southern Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, Mark Twain National Forest’s Karst topography is full of caves, sinkholes, streams, and springs.  Greer Spring is the second largest in Missouri with a daily flow of 222-million gallons as it drains 1.25 miles into the Eleven Point National Scenic River.  Greer Spring is accessible by a one-mile trail downhill from Highway 19, but no fishing or wading is allowed.

Highlights

Glade Top Trail Scenic Byway, Blue Buck Knob Scenic Byway, Greer Spring, Table Rock Lake, Council Bluff Recreation Area, Overcup Oak Sink, Silver Mine Recreation Area, Bellevue Trail, Cedar Creek Trail, Devil’s Backbone Trail, Ridge Runner National Recreation Trail, Big Piney Trail, Ozark Trail

Must-Do Activity

Most trails in Mark Twain National Forest are open to hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians, including Ridge Runner National Recreation Trail that totals 33 miles.  Two areas at Chadwick and Sutton Bluff are designated for ATV, UTV, and motorcycle use.  Fishing is a popular activity on the Eleven Point National Scenic River and numerous lakes, like Noblett Lake and Table Rock Lake.  There are so many recreation areas spread around this massive National Forest, it is impossible to cover them all here.  We recommend you start with one of the spots listed under Highlights above.

Best Trail

Mark Twain National Forest has several long trails that explore its 78,000 acres of Wilderness areas, including sections of the 350-mile Ozark Trail.  Northeast of Branson, Hercules-Glades Wilderness protects 12,413 acres of forested hillsides, limestone outcroppings, and glades of native grasses.  There are three trailheads on the edge of the Wilderness, but we chose Blair Ridge because of its paved access 5.3 miles off Highway 160.  From a small roadside parking area, the trail follows a ridgeline for 1.2 miles to some excellent backpacking campsites that overlook the countryside before it drops 600 feet in the next mile.  At that point the trail intersects with Coy Bald Trail, which can be taken a short distance to a small scenic waterfall on Long Creek.

Watchable Wildlife

The Ozark Mountains provide habitat for common eastern species like white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, gray squirrels, cottontail rabbits, red foxes, and raccoons.  You may also encounter venomous copperheads, timber rattlesnakes, and pygmy rattlesnakes.  The oak savannahs are home to several endemic plants, as well as prickly pear cacti and animals more associated with the Southwest U.S., like roadrunners, collared lizards, scorpions, and tarantulas.  Gamefish include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, walleye, and rainbow trout.

Photographic Opportunity

Between Jefferson City and Columbia, Pine Ridge Recreation Area accesses Cedar Creek Trail, which has multiple trailheads and four loops totaling 36 miles.

Peak Season

Spring and fall

Fees

There are day use fees at several sites, including $5 at Noblett Lake and $2 at Blue Hole Trailhead and North Fork Recreation Area

Road Conditions

Many of the curvy back roads in Mark Twain National Forest are paved, such as Blair Ridge that led to a trailhead 5.3 miles off Highway 160.  There are likely some rough unpaved roads in the Ozarks, so check road conditions before departing.

Camping

There are numerous campgrounds in Mark Twain National Forest, although it can be harder to find good dispersed campsites due to the proximity to private land.  In the northernmost area outside Columbia, we paid to camp in the quiet Pine Ridge Recreation Area.  On the edge of the Hercules-Glades Wilderness at the Hercules Tower (with restrooms) and Coy Bald Trailheads, there are a handful of car camping sites for free. 

Wilderness Areas

Bell Mountain Wilderness

Devils Backbone Wilderness

Hercules-Glades Wilderness

Irish Wilderness

Paddy Creek Wilderness

Piney Creek Wilderness

Rockpile Mountain Wilderness

Related Sites

Ozark National Scenic Riverways (Missouri)

George Washington Carver National Monument (Missouri)

Ozark National Forest (Arkansas)

Nearest National Park

Gateway Arch

Conifer Tree Species

shortleaf pine, eastern redcedar

Flowering Tree Species

sweetgum, water tupelo, sugar maple, red maple, boxelder, honeylocust, Ohio buckeye, red buckeye, black cherry, sassafras, persimmon, Kentucky coffee tree, black gum, blackjack oak, Nuttall oak, overcup oak, white oak, black oak, scarlet oak, post oak, black hickory, shagbark hickory, mockernut hickory, bitternut hickory, brookside alder

Explore More – Mark Twain National Forest’s Greer Spring is the second largest natural spring in Missouri, so which one is in first place?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

Utah

Manti National Forest

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Manti National Forest

Utah

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Intermountain Region

735,358 acres

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/manti-lasal

Overview

Manti Forest Reserve dates back to 1903, becoming a National Forest four years later and expanded in 1915 with the addition of Nebo National Forest.  Despite being separated by more than 100 miles, Manti and La Sal National Forests were combined in 1949, an early example of improved bureaucratic efficiency by the Forest Service.  Due to this longstanding association, it can be difficult to find information for the more northerly Manti National Forest alone.  Manti National Forest covers much of the Wasatch Plateau and also manages the busy Maple Canyon Trail system (technically in Uinta National Forest).

Highlights

Energy Loop, Skyline, Eccles Canyon, Drive Scenic Backway, Stuart Guard Station National Historic Site, Electric Lake, Nelson Mountain, Maple Canyon, Fish Creek National Recreation Trail, Left Fork of Huntington Creek National Recreation Trail

Must-Do Activity

Many visitors to Manti National Forest drive the Energy Loop, named for Utah’s coal country, which partially follows the paved Huntington and Eccles Canyons Scenic Byway.  Campgrounds, historic sites, reservoirs, trails, and trout streams are all accessible along the 86-mile drive.  The more adventurous can take on the unpaved Skyline Drive Scenic Backway that climbs the Wasatch Plateau.  This 58-mile route has many side roads popular with ATV and OHV drivers, and it is open to snowmobiles in the winter. 

Best Trail

Easily accessible from the Energy Loop drive, the six-mile long Left Fork of Huntington Creek National Recreation Trail follows the canyon gaining 847 feet in elevation.  It can be completed one-way downhill from Miller Flat Trailhead by leaving a vehicle at Forks of Huntington Campground.  Despite a wildfire on the south canyon wall and subsequent erosion, the creek remains a good fishing spot, especially the lower half-mile that has interpretive signs on hydrology for children.  The trail can also be joined with Horse Canyon, Scad Valley, and Mill Canyon Trails to form longer loops, but a vehicle shuttle would still be necessary to avoid walking the highway.  Nearby, Fish Creek National Recreation Trail is ten miles long and open to travel by foot, horse, and bicycle.

Watchable Wildlife

The Wasatch Plateau rises from 5,000 to over 10,000 feet in elevation, and its vertical escarpments and subalpine lakes support a diversity of habitats.  Huntington Creek is one of the premiere fly-fishing streams in Utah.  Joe’s Valley is a 1,200-acre reservoir that offers fishing for splake, and allows motor boats (as does Electric Lake).  Large mammals found here include black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, elk, mule deer, and pronghorns.  Birds of Manti National Forest include bald eagles, golden eagles, northern goshawks, turkey vultures, wild turkeys, common ravens, and various species of owls and woodpeckers. 

Photographic Opportunity

Fremont cottonwood trees are named for explorer John C. Fremont and this riparian species is an indicator of permanent subsurface water, with trunks that can reach more than four feet in diameter.

Peak Season

Spring and fall

Fees

None

Road Conditions

The Huntington and Eccles Canyons Scenic Byway is paved, but the Skyline Drive Scenic Backway is not.  Check the Forest Service website for updates on road conditions and closures. 

Camping

There are several designated campgrounds along Huntington and Eccles Canyons Scenic Byway, plus dispersed camping is allowed along most of the unpaved roads.  Maple Canyon Campground is a popular destination with online reservations available May through October.

Wilderness Areas

None

Related Sites

Fishlake National Forest (Utah)

La Sal National Forest (Utah)

Timpanogos Cave National Monument (Utah)

Nearest National Park

Capitol Reef

Conifer Tree Species

subalpine fir, white fir, Engelmann spruce, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, limber pine, Rocky Mountain juniper

Flowering Tree Species

Fremont cottonwood, quaking aspen, manzanita, sagebrush

Explore More – In 1849, Brigham Young sent 225 settlers to the San Pitch (now Sanpete) Valley; where did they get the name Manti?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

Michigan

Manistee National Forest

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Manistee National Forest

Michigan

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Region

1,331,673 acres (540,322 federal/ 791,351 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/huron-manistee

Overview

Even though they are on opposite sides of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Manistee and Huron National Forests have been co-managed since 1945.  Only seven years earlier, Manistee National Forest was created from tax-forfeited lands and purchases of logged forests unsuitable for farming, so it is remains a mosaic of private and public lands.  Much of this area was replanted by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and many of those trees are now very large.  It contains the highest point on Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, 1,706-foot Briar Hill, which has no marked trails to the summit and obstructed views from the top.  It is also home to Caberfae Peaks Ski Resort, which receives high accumulations of lake-effect snow and is one of the oldest ski resorts in the U.S. opened in 1938. 

Highlights

Pere Marquette National Scenic River, Nordhouse Dunes, Newaygo Prairies, Caberfae Winter Sports Area, Udell Rollways, Briar Hill, Manistee River Trail, North Country National Scenic Trail

Must-Do Activity

Manistee National Forest is popular for hiking, fishing, camping, boating, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and hunting.  The National Forest’s primary visitor attractions are the Nordhouse Dunes along Lake Michigan and Loda Lake National Wildflower Sanctuary, a 1,000-acre area set aside in 1938 to grow native plants.  The 6,270-acre sand dunes complex around Big Sable Point on Lake Michigan was formed 3,500 years ago and reaches 140 feet in height above lake level.  The southern portion is contained within Ludington State Park and the northern half is managed by the Forest Service. 

Best Trail

We accessed the Nordhouse Dunes from the Arrowhead Trailhead (fee), nine miles on paved West Forest Trail Road from Highway 31.  We hiked a 2.7-mile loop by connecting the Middle Trail to the Arrowhead/ Nipissing Trail then following the shoreline back.  We passed dozens of backpackers camping on the beach, mostly ignoring the requirement to stay 400 feet from Lake Michigan and 100 feet from trails.  The North Country National Scenic Trail passes through Manistee National Forest and can be connected with the 11-mile-long Manistee River Trail to make a 23-mile loop.

Watchable Wildlife

The Nordhouse Dunes encompass the largest area of freshwater interdunal ponds in the world, home to the federally endangered pitcher’s thistle.  On the Lake Michigan shoreline, the dune grass provides habitat for endangered piping plovers.  More common species are white-tailed deer, coyote, red fox, porcupine, and raccoon, and the occasional black bear and bobcat.  A variety of gamefish are found in the Manistee River, Lake Michigan, and smaller ponds.

Photographic Opportunity

The rows of trees in the red pine plantations make for some interesting photographic subjects.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

There is a $5 day use fee (or $15 for a week) to park at trailheads for the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness with automated fee collection station available at Nurnberg Trailhead, or you can hang an America the Beautiful pass in your vehicle.

Road Conditions

The main roads are paved from Highway 31 to access the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness; Nurnberg Trailhead in the southeast corner is open year round and Lake Michigan Recreation Area in the north is gated in the offseason. 

Camping

There is a 102-site campground near the trailhead within Lake Michigan Recreation Area, but dispersed car camping is allowed to the east on the sandy side roads off West Forest Trail Road.  It seems that backpackers in the Nordhouse Dunes area ignore the requirement to stay 400 feet from the lake and 100 feet from trails. 

Wilderness Areas

Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness

Related Sites

Huron National Forest (Michigan)

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Michigan)

River Raisin National Battlefield Park (Michigan)

Nearest National Park

Indiana Dunes

Conifer Tree Species

red pine, jack pine, eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, arborvitae, tamarack, black spruce

Flowering Tree Species

northern red oak, black oak, white oak, red maple, paper birch, yellow birch, American beech, black cherry, green ash, bigtooth aspen, sassafras, witch hazel    

Explore More – How is the Ojibwe word Manistee translated into English?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

Oregon

Malheur National Forest

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Malheur National Forest

Oregon

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region

1,541,723 (1,465,287 federal/ 76,436 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/malheur

Overview

In central Oregon, Malheur National Forest encompasses the Strawberry Range and Aldrich Mountains that run into the Blue Mountains.  Much of its area is high desert, with grasslands, sagebrush, and juniper the predominant vegetation.  Malheur National Forest contains the “Humongous Fungus,” a honey fungus (Armillaria solidipes) that spans 2,200 acres and is considered the largest known organism by area in the world.  It is located mostly underground, high on a ridgeline immediately west of Clear Creek (44.4731°N 118.4816°W).

Highlights

Journey Through Time Scenic Byway, Cedar Grove Botanical Area, Yellowjacket Reservoir, Indian Rock-Vinegar Hill Scenic Area, Swick Old Growth Interpretive Site, Rosebud Creek, Arch Rock, Magone Lake, Tamarack Creek Trail, McClellan Mountain Trail

Must-Do Activity

The northeast corner of the National Forest includes the 4,000-acre Indian Rock-Vinegar Hill Scenic Area with its beautiful alpine meadows that bloom high in the Greenhorn Mountains.  For geology enthusiasts, Arch Rock is an easy hike to a 15-foot opening in soft ashflow tuff, Tex Creek has a natural bridge, and fossilized shells are found around Rosebud Creek.

Best Trail

In the Aldrich Mountains, Cedar Grove Botanical Area preserves the only stand of yellow-cedars found east of the Cascade Range.  Some of these trees are more than 300 years old, hanging on for life along Buck Cabin Creek where a fire recently burned more than half of the 60-acre stand.  Access is by a National Recreation Trail, which drops precipitously into the grove, making for a strenuous hike out.  The trail is lined with plant identification placards and was pocked with deer hoofprints when we visited.  The trailhead is well-marked, located 5.5 miles down a dirt road after climbing ten miles on paved Forest Road 21 south of Highway 26.  Check conditions before departing, as some roads may be closed within the Rail Ridge Fire area.

Watchable Wildlife

Elevations in Malheur National Forest range from 4,000 feet up to the top of 9,038-foot Strawberry Mountain.  Elk, pronghorn, and mule deer are large ungulates found here.  Carnivorous mammals include black bears, coyotes, mountain lions, and bobcats that roam the high desert environment.  Large birds frequently seen are bald eagles, Canada geese, mallards, and whistling swans.  Streams and lakes found throughout the National Forest support a variety of gamefish, including trout.  To the south, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 185,000 acres of marshes, meadows, and man-made ponds that provide habitat crucial for bird nesting and migration. 

Photographic Opportunity

I did my M.S. research project on yellow-cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis), so I had to visit Cedar Grove Botanical Area.  The trees are a popular ornamental species best known for their drooping branches and shallow root systems that allow them to survive in extremely wet soils.  Found from sea level up to 7,000 feet, they regularly live more than 1,000 years, growing slowly with chemicals compounds that prevent wood rot.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Highway 395 runs north-south through the National Forest, while Highway 26 runs east-west.  The dirt roads we drove to access Cedar Grove Botanical Area were in good condition, although dry and dusty at the end of the summer.

Camping

There are numerous campgrounds in Malheur National Forest; none take reservations and some have fees that apply from May through October.  Some campgrounds are free, like Cane Crossing, Crescent, and Elk Creek, and dispersed camping is also allowed.

Wilderness Areas

Monument Rock Wilderness (also in Whitman National Forest)

Strawberry Mountain Wilderness

Related Sites

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (Oregon)

Newberry National Volcanic Monument (Oregon)

Fremont National Forest (Oregon)

Nearest National Park

Crater Lake

Mule deer popping its head out

Conifer Tree Species

ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, grand fir, white fir, yellow-cedar, western juniper

Flowering Tree Species

curlleaf mountain mahogany, sagebrush

Explore More – The Malheur River is named for the French word for “misfortune;” why was it given that name?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

California

Los Padres National Forest

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Los Padres National Forest

California

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region

1,963,836 acres (1,762,767 federal/ 201,069 other)

Website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/lospadres

Overview

Los Padres National Forest stretches more than 200 miles from Monterrey south beyond Santa Barbara.  It contains most of Big Sur, a name that conjures images of craggy cliffs dropping precipitously into white-capped ocean waves.  This sparsely inhabited stretch of coastline is known as much for its historic bohemians as its coast redwood trees.  It is home to multiple rare tree species with limited native ranges, especially those that can tolerate serpentine soils.  As the only National Forest in California that touches the Pacific Ocean, a road trip down scenic Highway 1 should be on everyone’s bucket list, including stops at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Bixby Creek Bridge, Hearst Castle State Park, and the elephant seal rookery at Piedras Blancas.  We have hiked many trails here since Scott taught for three years at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo.

Highlights

Big Sur, Sykes Hot Springs, Salmon Creek Falls, Jade Cove, Cuesta Ridge Botanical Area, Figueroa Mountain, Mt. Pinos, Knapp’s Castle, Seven Falls, Sespe Hot Springs

Must-Do Activity

Los Padres National Forest is 48% designated Wilderness, so the recommended activity is to hike into those natural areas.  The Matilija Wilderness is in the Santa Ynez Mountains that loom above the coastal city of Santa Barbara, home to a university, art museum, and historic Presidio built in 1782.  If you go to hike to the ruins of Knapp’s Castle in the National Forest, also make a quick stop at Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, which contains colorful pictographs dating back to the 1600s.  Another popular U.S. Forest Service trailhead located closer to town goes either to Inspiration Point or Seven Falls, the latter a better choice on foggy days, which are common on the coast.

Best Trail

There are 323 miles of incredible hiking trails throughout Los Padres National Forest, including a few that access hot springs.  Our favorite trails are in the Santa Lucia Mountains that tower above Big Sur.  One pinnacle accessible by trail is Cone Peak at 5,155 feet in elevation.  The access road is typically closed in the winter, but when it is open the trail is only 2.3 miles to the summit with a vertical gain of 1,400 feet.  Do not expect any shade since multiple fires have burned most of the mountain, although there are still a few surviving examples of the rare Santa Lucia fir tree.  Although some areas are no longer vegetated, the plentiful sunshine above the fog belt means there are often incredible displays of wildflowers along the trail early in summer, including lupine, sticky monkeyflower, and yucca. 

Watchable Wildlife

There is a wide range of wildlife found here from sea level up to 8,847 feet in elevation, and the most famous is the reintroduced California condor that nests in the Sespe Condor Sanctuary.  Other birds include barn owls, great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles, California quail, and California scrub jays.  Coyotes, black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, black-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, and raccoons are common large mammals.  Species of concern include the foothill yellow-legged frog and California mountain kingsnake.  Look for California newts and banana slugs in the moist understory of coast redwood forests.

Photographic Opportunity

Even if you are not spending the night at Kirk Creek Campground, you can park and walk down the trail to the south that goes past redwood trees to the beach where there is a sea arch and tidepools. 

Peak Season

Fall and winter

Fees

$5 per vehicle Adventure Pass (or America the Beautiful pass) required at most trailheads

Road Conditions

There are some steep unpaved roads in Los Padres National Forest, which can be impassable in wet or snowy conditions.  Portions of the unpaved Tassajara Road to Chews Ridge are narrow and steep, requiring a four-wheel-drive vehicle to reach Tassajara Hot Springs.

Camping

A night spent listening to the ocean waves breaking far below the U.S. Forest Service’s clifftop Kirk Creek Campground is enchanting, which is why it made it on our list of Top 10 Campgrounds in National Forests.  There are 11 campgrounds in total, and a free campfire permit is required if you use a camp stove (which can be obtained online). Sespe Hot Springs is a popular ten-mile one-way backpacking destination.

Wilderness Areas

Chumash Wilderness

Dick Smith Wilderness

Garcia Wilderness

Machesna Mountain Wilderness

Matilija Wilderness

San Rafael Wilderness

Santa Lucia Wilderness

Sespe Wilderness

Silver Peak Wilderness

Ventana Wilderness

Related Sites

Angeles National Forest (California)

Muir Woods National Monument (California)

Point Reyes National Seashore (California)

Channel Islands National Park (California)

Nearest National Park

Pinnacles

Scott’s mother and aunt in the redwood forest
Tiff hiking to Sespe Hot Springs
Sespe Hot Springs
Sticky monkeyflower
Scott backpacking to Sespe Hot Springs
Highway 1
Scott with a Santa Lucia fir
Scott with a coast redwood tree
Banana slug
California newt
Mt. Pinos
Kirk Creek Campground in Big Sur

Conifer Tree Species

coast redwood, Monterey pine, Coulter pine, gray pine, Jeffrey pine, ponderosa pine, limber pine, bigcone Douglas-fir, Sargent cypress, Monterey cypress, white fir, Santa Lucia fir

Flowering Tree Species

coast live oak, California black oak, tanoak, western redbud, Pacific madrone, manzanita

Explore More – What is the name of the nomadic group that lived in Big Sur dating back 5,500 years ago?