Location:
Taney County
News, Updates, & Warnings:
Open during hunting season, so please use caution.
Directions:
Hercules Tower Trailhead & Campground: From Springfield, take Hwy 125 south to the town of Bradleyville. Continue on Hwy 125 until you get to the fire tower road. There are signs. Turn right and follow to the campground.
Blair Ridge Trailhead: Not suitable for horse trailers.
Coy Bald Trailhead: Not suitable for horse trailers.
Miles of Trails:
32 miles in multiple loops.
Equestrian Camping:
Yes, allowed at Hercules Tower Trailhead and primitive dispersed camping along the trail.
Coy Bald Trailhead, while not suitable for trailering to, would be a possible ride-in camping site.
Trail Notes:
This trail has steep rocky hills and downfall to negotiate. I don't normally rate a trail because what I consider difficult, may not seem difficult to you, but mixing the length, remoteness, steepness and rockiness of this trail with the limited water sources available, I would consider this a more difficult trail. The trail gets very overgrown and weedy in late summer. The trail tread is very rocky so you'll want shoes or boots on your horse. There are a few big grassy areas scattered throughout the trail system. There are not many trail markers, just a couple of sign posts at some of the trail intersections, so you'll want a good topo map and compass and know how to use them. There is a neat waterfall here when there's been enough rain, but during the dry season, there may be no water at all other than a couple of stagnant pools of water left in the dry creek beds. At this trail you also have to watch out for stinging scoorpions, as well as rattlesnakes and copperheads. There was a forest fire here in March and April of 2016 that will affect part of the trail
Other Trail Users:
Hikers and backpackers. You will not see mountain bike riders here as it is a wilderness.
Volunteers Helping With This Page:
No one at this time, available to adopt. If interested, please contact us.
Photos:
Entrance and Campground:
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| Beautiful in autumn. |
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Various Trail Pictures:
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| Creek by the falls in the spring when there's water in it. |
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| End of a glade, going back into the woods. |
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| There are a few large open fields, as well as glades. They get tall grass in summer. |
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| Rocky trails. |
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| Going from a large field, into the woods. |
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| Yes, there is a trail in there. |