Bell Mountain Loop via Ozark Trail - Trace Creek Section
11.8 mi
Distance
6 hrs 51 min
Time
terrain
745 ft
Elev Gain
Overview
This is a difficult loop trail to Bell Mountain in Mark Twain National Forest.
Rate this Hike
★★★★★
Public Tracks
Joes Creek, Kaolin, MO, USA
From the Ozark Trail Parking Area on Highway A
(1) Follow the Ozark Trail 2.4 miles southeast up the western flank of Bell Mountain to a junction.
(2) Veer north onto the Bell Mountain Trail (BMT) and continue 1.2 miles to where the BMT intersects itself.
(3) Take the BMT 4.6 miles clockwise, crossing Joes Creek at miles 4.6, 5.3, and 6.1 (resupply water), to the summit of 1,702-foot Bell Mountain at mile 8.1.
(4) Veer .3 mile east via a faint footpath to a clearing.
(5) Continue south off the summit; reconnect with the trail and follow it 2.4 miles to the BMT intersection.
(6) Retrace your steps 3.6 miles to the trailhead.
Campsite
Bell Mountain (mile 8.4)
Your front porch never looked so good: Set up camp on Bell Mountain overlooking 1,662-foot Lindsey Mountain and the wildflower-laden gorge below. There’s a clearing big enough for a half-dozen tents (first-come, first-serve) just feet from the steep drop off the eastern face. Since there’s no water source on the summit, make sure to fill up at Joes Creek.
