Mark Twain National Forest

Encompassing 1.5 million acres of beautiful public land, Mark Twain National Forest maintains a healthy, working forest and restores Missouri's natural communities.

Photo credit: USDA Forest Service

Mark Twain National Forest has a wide range of popular recreation opportunities. The forest has over 750 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and motorized use. Sections of the Ozark Trail wind through the forest. More than 350 miles of perennial streams, suitable for floating canoeing and kayaking, meander through its canopied expanses. Our campgrounds offer visitors a variety of forest experiences, including semi-primitive and wilderness camping for solitude.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf

Wilderness Areas/Wild & Scenic Rivers

Bell Mountain Wilderness - This 9,143 acre wilderness is part of the St. Francois Mountains, one of the oldest landforms in North America.

Devils Backbone Wilderness - This Wilderness, taking its name from a long narrow ridge known to the early settlers as Devils Backbone, is a unique blend of Missouri Ozark flora and fauna, characterized by rugged topography, springs and the North Fork River.

Hercules-Glades Wilderness - A combination of open grassland, forested knobs, steep rocky hillsides, and narrow drainages offers unusual beauty and a measure of solitude within easy reach of wilderness lovers.

Irish Wilderness - The Irish Wilderness is a dense forest of oaks and hickory.

Paddy Creek Wilderness - There are 18 miles of designated trails within the wilderness. 

Piney Creek Wilderness - Numerous small springs feed several waterways, but the main stream is Piney Creek which drains to scenic Table Rock Lake in the heart of the Wilderness.

Rockpile Mountain Wilderness - This 4,238 acre Wilderness takes its name from an ancient circle of granite rock, piled by some earlier man on top of the mountain.

Invasive Species