Local volunteers keep Ozark Trail in top shape

“We’ve been taking care of the trail for 12 years, maybe longer,” said Gary Garner, leader of the River Springs chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of Missouri, just before embarking on an 8-mile horseback ride to clear a portion of the Ozark Trail’s Wappapello section Wednesday morning.

“A storm came through several weeks ago and pushed trees down, such that it’s a major trail stopper. You can’t walk or get around the trees without major work being done,” said Garner. “Today, we expect we’ll go about 6 miles to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and hit something that is a stopper for us and we’ll get off and clear out that area.”

Volunteers with the Back Country Horsemen and Ozark Trail Association regularly maintain the trail, Garner said, because they “want to help the people of this area enjoy the Ozark Trail a little better.”

River Springs chapter of the Back Country Horsemen leader Gary Garner loads chainsaws into specially-made packs on his horse, Lexi, before embarking on a ride to clear obstructions along the Ozark Trail. DAR/Paul Davis

Many members, he said, have been trained by Forest Service personnel on the proper use of chainsaws, and many are CPR certified.

Regular use comes from hikers, hunters, mountain bikers, horseback riders and more.

“We’re the minions of the Ozark Trail,” quipped Kathie Brennan, president of the Ozark Trail Association, who was on hand for the day’s work. “We have about 400 miles we take care of.”

While the Ozark Trail is considered a jewel in the region, the public agencies the trail traverses, including Missouri State Parks, Department of Conservation, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Park Service, cannot budget adequately for its maintenance, relying instead on volunteer organizations to help keep it maintained.

“The work the Back Country Horsemen and Ozark Trail Association do as volunteers and stewards of the Ozark Trail is basically the only way we can keep these trails open,” said Stan Carte, trails and wilderness manager for the Mark Twain National Forest. “It’s a fantastic partnership with both organizations.”

Shrinking budgets, Carte said, make the ongoing maintenance work from the volunteer organizations critical to keeping the trail open.

“Because of our budget shrinking, they’re the best way to help us maintain the trail by keeping it open, brushing, clearing blowdowns and signing,” Carte said. “Without them, these trails would be overgrown, and, pretty soon, they would just go away.”

Several volunteers with the Ozark Trail Association and the Back Country Horsemen of Missouri’s River Springs chapter spent a recent day clearing downed trees and other debris from a section of the Ozark Trail near Wappapello Lake.

After a full day along the trail, Garner said, the cleanup effort was a success.

“We had a great day,” he said. “There were five sections of blowdown. We tackled three of them, and on two, we had to do a re-route. We moved the route about 20 feet.”

Other local projects on the horizon, Garner noted, include revamping the Wrangler Trailhead area along Pine Cone Road, north of Poplar Bluff, and work on the Eleven Point River section of the trail.

Trail maintenance volunteers make their way along the Ozark Trail with the plan to clear away brush and obstructions caused by a recent storm. DAR/Paul Davis

“At the Wrangler Trailhead, we’re working to make it more horse-friendly. We’re working on highlines for horses, creating level trailer space and a parking area,” he said.

New fire rings, picnic tables, a vault toilet and more also are part of the project.

Funding for the improvements, Garner noted, comes partially from two grants and a large private donation, but more money is needed to complete the work.

Ozark Trail Association President Kathie Brennan checks a map of the Wappapello section of the trail before heading out on a trail-clearing mission. DAR/Paul Davis

To help raise the money, the River Hills chapter is holding a raffle for a custom-cut side of beef. Tickets are available at Cape Arrowhead/Black River Art Gallery, the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, Ketcherside Kountry and Artfully Framed in Poplar Bluff, with a winner drawn June 1.

The Back Country Horsemen, Garner said, also welcomes new members and volunteers, and the organization can be reached at 573-785-1571 or online at http://www.bchmo.org. The Ozark Trail Association can be found online at http://www.ozarktrail.com.