Ozark Trail: Current River Section

Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Peck Ranch Conservation Area, and Mark Twain National Forest (Shannon and Carter counties)

The Current River Section runs about 30 miles from the Current River at Owls Bend south over Stegall Mountain and through Peck Ranch Conservation Area to Highway 60 near Van Buren. Backpacker, in 2001, said it “offers some of the best Ozark views from atop Stegall Mountain,” and the Ozark Trail Association (OTA) calls it one of the most scenic trails in Missouri.

It is also one of the most disrupted sections right now. Tornadoes in 2025 knocked down so many trees on the southern end that the Forest Service closed it through mid-2028 (see the notice above).

The hike

The OTA says the trail starts by crossing to the west bank of the Current River on the Highway 106 bridge and follows the river south for about two miles. It then turns up Indian Creek, crosses a saddle at the south end of Barnett Mountain, and drops to Rocky Creek, passing a shut-ins between Buzzard Mountain and Mill Mountain. The Forest Service lists trailheads at Powder Mill, Klepzig Mill, and Rocky Falls along this stretch.

Charlotte Overby, writing in the Missouri Conservationist in 1996, hiked the whole section in three days with her father and a friend. Their first day covered about 9.5 miles from Owls Bend, wading Little Indian and Indian creeks. The second began with what she describes as the steepest part of the section, a set of switchbacks to the top of Stegall Mountain. Backpacker’s 2003 trip pairs a float on the Current with a hike up the Rocky Creek valley past red granite outcrops, Klepzig Mill, and Rocky Falls, and mentions the Stegall Mountain lookout tower.

The OTA says glades on Stegall Mountain give wide, unobstructed views. From there the trail heads southeast through Peck Ranch Conservation Area, where MDC keeps a fenced elk refuge, toward Highway 60 and the Between the Rivers Section. Hiking Project lists 30.9 miles with about 3,200 feet of climbing.

For now, the practical backpacking trip is the northern part, from Owls Bend to Stegall Mountain and the Peck Ranch area. The Forest Service order closes the trail from the Peck Ranch boundary to Highway 60, and the OTA says Peck Ranch’s fenced area closes around deer season and elk calving season. When it is closed, the OTA describes a bypass on Road P-159 plus about 3 miles of bushwhacking along the south fence, while Hiking Project lists a 7.9-mile bypass trail; confirm the current route with MDC before relying on either.

To the north, the trail continues as the Blair Creek Section.

Tips

Check the closure order before any trip south of Stegall Mountain.
Call Peck Ranch (573-323-4249) about seasonal closures of the fenced refuge.
Treat all water; the 1996 Conservationist article calls trail water sporadic.
Wear orange in November. Missouri’s November firearms deer portion runs Nov. 14 to 24, 2026 (MDC).
Hikers only. The Forest Service says bikes and horses are not permitted on this section.

Camping

The north end is in Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The NPS allows Ozark Trail campers to camp without a fee or reservation, at least 100 feet from water and scenic areas, not on roads or in historic structures, with a two-night limit, according to its compendium. On national forest land, the Forest Service allows dispersed camping at least 100 feet from the trail, with no facilities. The OTA says no camping is allowed in Peck Ranch.

Inside Intel: The 1996 Conservationist article describes the group’s first night on “a level spot beside noisy Rocky Creek,” about 9.5 miles from Owls Bend. No more recent camper accounts recommending a specific site were found.

Trail facts

Distance: 30 miles (OTA, Forest Service); 30.9 miles (Hiking Project)
Route type: Point-to-point; southern 6.5 miles closed (see notice)
Difficulty: Moderate (OTA)
Campsites: Dispersed under NPS and Forest Service rules; none in Peck Ranch
Water: Current River, Indian Creek, Rocky Creek, others; sporadic; treat all water
Permits: None for Ozark Trail camping in the riverways (NPS)
Uses: Hiking only (Forest Service)
Trailheads: Powder Mill, Current River parking, MDC lot, Klepzig Mill, Rocky Falls, Peck Ranch, Highway 60
Last verified: October 8, 2026

The Lowdown

Wading Little Indian and Indian creeks:

One hiker waded Little Indian and Indian creeks on her first 9.5-mile day out of Owls Bend. Five tips to make crossings like those easier, and one that could save your life.

See the water-crossing tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.