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Review and info Courtesy of Lalita
Creighton
UPDATED
1-18-08
Bell
Mountain Wilderness is part of Mark Twain National Forest and is located
approximately 20 miles south of Potosi, MO.
There are two trailheads to access the main loop on Bell Mountain.
The southern one is on Highway A just south of Ottery Creek (about
5 miles south of Highway 32), and is also the trailhead to access the
southern terminus of the Trace Creek Section of the Ozark Trail and the
north terminus of the Taum Sauk Section of the Ozark Trail.
The Trace Creek Section is open to equestrian use, but the Taum
Sauk Section is not except for the first mile or two that runs up to the
Bell Mountain Wilderness. The
northern trailhead is located on the first forest road on Highway A south
of Highway 32. Both lots are
fairly small, and there are no facilities of any kind at either.
Although
bicycles are allowed on the Ozark Trail, they are not allowed on Bell
Mountain Wilderness, nor are ATV's.
However, I have seen signs of both and have encountered bicyclists
while on Bell Mountain.
The
Ozark Trail from the Highway A/Ottery Creek trailhead up to Bell Mountain
is very steep, very rocky, and not recommended for novice horses or
riders. There are parts
of the trail that run across boulders and it can be very slick when wet or
for horses wearing metal horseshoes.
(The same is true if you ride the Trace Creek Section of the Ozark
Trail from this trailhead. It's
also very steep and rocky).
Most
of the Bell Mountain Loop is not as rocky or very steep, although near the
actual peak of Bell on the east side of the loop it is much rockier.
There are some long climbs on the loop, so don't think no steep
hills equals no hills. To
really get the panoramic view off Bell, when you're in the rocky section
near the peak, picket your horse well off the trail between two trees and
get off and hike up the boulder field to the east. The
scenery is incredible. There
are some sections of very tall poison ivy, and on the west side of the
trail it goes alongside Joe's Creek.
The insects here can be horrific certain times of the year.
Mark Twain does allow hunting so check the spring firearm turkey
and fall firearm deer seasons carefully.
The
connector from the north trailhead to the main loop is fairly easy, with
smaller rocks and gentle slopes.
None of Bell Mountain gets a lot of use, and what use it does get
is mostly from hikers so although the trail is generally clear and easy to
follow, you may have to duck a lot of branches.
It's a very tranquil place, with very little sign or sound of
civilization unless you are near Highway A and can hear a car.
There
is also a separate two mile trail (one-way) to the top of Lindsay
Mountain, southeast of the main Bell Mountain loop.
I've never ridden it but have shown it's estimated location on my
map. It can be reached from
Forest Road 2359.
Here
is the trail page on the Mark Twain National Forest website:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/marktwain/recreation/sites/bell_mtn_trail/
This
page has brochures for Bell Mountain Trail and Wilderness as well as other
trails:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/marktwain/maps/brochures/
Lalita
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