10 Underrated Missouri Hiking Trails Worth the Trek

I am a fan of the underdog, the unnoticed, the unheralded and that includes many places to hike in Missouri that most people simply are not aware of, but they're worth the trek to explore them.

One of the most frustrated experiences in life is when you plan a relaxing day in nature and you arrive only to learn that it's crowded. That kind of defeats the purpose of hiking and getting away from civilization. This is a bit of a catch 22. If I share little-known hiking places in Missouri, many would argue that I'm making them too known which will convert them into popular crowded gathering spots. I understand that sentiment, but that's wildly overestimating my popularity (or lack thereof).

Here are the 10 most underrated hiking trails in Missouri

Whispering Pines Trail (Hawn State Park) - 10 mile loop

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Devil's Backbone Wilderness - up to 13 miles

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Little Grand Canyon Trail (Grand Gulf State Park) - 3 miles

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Moon Loop Trail (Bell Mountain Wilderness) - 5 1/2 miles

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Hercules Glades Wilderness - multiple interconnected trails

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Fire Tower Trail (Roaring River State Park) - 4 miles

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Devil's Icebox Trail (Rock Bridge Memorial State Park) - 2 to 4 miles

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Irish Wilderness - various distances

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Peck Ranch Conservation Area Trails - various lengths

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Caney Mountain Conservation Area - many short trails to hike

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Honorable Mentions

• Cedar Bluff Trail (Mark Twain National Forest)
• White Connector Trail (Current River area)
• Big Piney Trail
• Marble Creek Recreation Area trails
• Berryman Trail (especially weekday hikes)
• Victoria Glades Conservation Area