Hercules Glades Wilderness

After work on Thursday I finished packing my camping pack, Joel got to my apartment and we hit the road to Hercules Glades Wilderness area in Mark Twain National Forest to do some hiking and camping for a few days.  The drive down was absolutely amazing.  Fall in the Ozarks can be completely spectacular- they didn’t think it was going to be this year because of the drought, but it didn’t disappoint.  While driving down 65 I couldn’t help but stare at the red, orange and yellow Ozark Mountains.

Once we got to Hercules Glades we got started on our campsite.  Joel sat up the tent while I tried to start the fire with the flint fire-starter and knife.  I can’t say that I’m a greatly experienced camper, so I felt like I had something to prove.  I gathered kindling and some sticks and got to work on the fire.  It took effort to get a spark out of it, and then I finally got it to light, but couldn’t keep it going.  It was dark by this time and I was frustrated, kneeling in the muddy ground, relentlessly trying to strike this spark accidentally hitting my knuckles on the rocks of the fire pit and I got a huge blister on my left hand and the skin already peeling off.  Of course, Joel came over after getting the tent set up and started it up right away.  I was a little bummed that I was unable to get it started.  We had fun setting up our sleeping bags, snacking and playing a card game before getting some rest for some hiking the next day!

There aren’t many details to give on our hike except that we did the Coybald Trail and Long Creek Trail.  It was a great time.  Hope you enjoy the photos of fall in the Ozarks!

The only thing missing was a camp chair like one of these!