Road-Trip in Midwest: Fall Foliage in the Ozarks, MO-AR-TN, with moderate hikes

Let's explore scenic natural beauty and historic sites of the American Midwest.

At St Louis we will make sure to check on Gateway Arch National Park and Forest Park. Then we will start exploring a scenic rural way through Arcadia Valley that goes through the Ozarks Mountains region with Taum Sauk, the highest point in Missouri. Other natural gems of the area that can be explored along the route are Johnson’s Shut-Ins and Lake of the Ozarks State Park with its many hiking options.

We will have opportunities to explore some of the highest rated byways of America: Blue Bucks Scenic Byway, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Crowley River Byway and Great River Byway. We will finish at Memphis and check on the iconic Beale Street, home of the Blues.

Fall weather in the areas on our route is warm with day average temperatures 73 degree F (60 degree at night). See updates of weather forecasts at: https://bit.ly/3It5ahH

Trip's summary:

• 7days/6nights trip for a small group of 6 explorers.
• The starting point is St Louis, MO and ending point is Memphis, TN.
• Level of activities: Easy to Intermediate.
• Hotel accommodations in: St Louis, MO, Osage Beach, MO, Mountain Home, AR, Kennett, AR, Memphis, TN.

Clothes and gear recommended:

• good hiking shoes,
• warm jacket for evenings, be ready to layer up,
• hiking poles if you used to them,
• consider hydration bladder for hikes,
• sunglasses,
• sunscreen,
• hat.

Tentative cost: $630-650. What will be included:

• 6 nights stay in 2-people occupancy non-smoking room (two beds in room),
• Breakfasts in some hotels,
• Transportation by minivan covering approx. 1000 mi of road-tripping total,
• Park entrance fees,
• Organized hikes in all days.

What is NOT included:

• Getting to St Louis, MO, getting back from Memphis, TN (or, optional, Little Rock, AR - ask the organizer for details),
• any individually charged fees (per vehicle fees are included),
• Meals, snacks, water.

Sunrise: 6:50am. Sunset: 7:15pm. Everyday we want to start off from the hotel at 7 am or 7:30am, or 8am as the latest. If you are a nigh owl, please try to adjust yourself for an earlier getup during the trip - the purpose of it is to use more of daylight at winter time for activities.

There will be a Zoom meeting on this trip and a WhatsApp group chat will be formed for the group to communicate and prepare for the trip. Please be available to connect by WhatsApp (provide the organizer with your WhatsApp contact info to be included in the chat.) Regular messaging will not work out for this trip, sorry.

Some basic info on gear: https://www.meetup.com/superfab/photos/33232901/

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Title photo: Whitaker Point (in the plan to visit)