| Mudlick Trail Sam A. Baker State Park |
| Copyright 2006-Present by Missouri Trailblazing.com. All Rights Reserved |
Location:
Wayne County
Trail Manager:
Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone:
1-573-856-4411
Website:
www.mostateparks.com
Wayne County
Trail Manager:
Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone:
1-573-856-4411
Website:
www.mostateparks.com
Directions:
From Farmington , take Hwy 67 south 42.7 miles to Hwy 34. Turn west on Hwy 34 and go
3.7 miles to Hwy 143, then go 4.8 miles into the park. The day use area on the left, and the
Equestrian campground is another 1.5 miles further, past the park office, on the right. Turn
right onto the gravel road by the sign, and then take the first right into the campground. The
campground forks. Campsites 1-11 are on the right fork, and reservable campsites 12-21
on the left fork.
GPS Co-ordinates:
Equestrian Campground: N37.26605, W90.49915
Day Use Trailhead: N37.2496, W90.50864
Trailer Parking:
Ample
Trail Maps:
JPG Topo Map - jpg file that anyone can open.
GPX - Can be viewed in Google Earth and many other mapping programs.
National Geographic Topo Map - Will only open in National Geographic Topo Software.
Mapsource GDB File - Will open only if you have Garmin Mapsource Software.
Miles of Trails:
12 mile loop from Day Use Trailhead.
17 miles if starting from Campground.
Season:
Year-round.
No hunting allowed here, except special
managed hunts.
Fees:
No day use fees.
Basic sites are $8.00
Electric sites are $14.00
Equestrian Camping:
Yes, a designated equestrian campground with 11 basic sites and 10 electric sites.
The website has been moved about 2 1/2 miles north of where it used to be. They made a
trail that follows the road from the campground to the day use trailhead and the Ozark Trail
trail head ( Wappapello Lake section). This change of campground location is not a benefit
to us and we have sent a letter to park management about it. If you are interested in writing a
letter to them also, click here to see a copy of a letter written to them. Feel free to use the
letter as a reference for writing a letter of your own. Campground is closed December
through February.
Trail Notes:
Trails are generally well marked at intersections, with few markings along the trail. The trail
leading from the day use trail head to the loop is a one mile long rocky climb with no relief.
The only way back down to the day use trail head is that same trail. Sometimes it can get
confusing about whether you're on the trail or not for sure, because everything all around
you is rocks and it isn't always easy to distinguish where the trail is. There are some very
steep, very rocky sections and there can be a lot of downfall to negotiate. The trail on the
west side of the park is a bit less rocky and pretty flat, but is still dangerous because there
is a downed rusty woven wire fence right against the trail. It's so close that if your horse
spooked to that side is possible he could get caught in the wire. Just about the whole trail is
very rocky, only having one short section, a forest road near the end of the trail, that isn't
rocky. There are a few creek crossings, but a lot of them are wet weather creeks, so the
area might be very dry during the heat of the summer. Use the “ Hollow Pass ” trail in the
northern part of the park to bypass a portion of Mudlick Trail that is now open to hikers only
– there is a witness tree next to this trail as well. There are also some fire roads through the
interior of the park. Although not maintained, at the time of this writing (10/2009) equestrian
use is allowed. These fire roads are generally easier than Mudlick Trail and not nearly as
rocky, and provide a good way to shorten your ride. There is also a series of very steep
switchbacks on the trail in the southwestern corner. The trail is lined with rocks here to help
control erosion and to prevent short-cutting the switchbacks. Mudlick Trail is in a storm
prone area of the state. Please call the state park to check trail conditions before heading
out, especially if you are travelling very far. This is my new favorite trail. Your horse and
you definitely have to be physically and mentally ready for this one. It's the most physically
and technically challenging trail I've ridden, even counting my Montana experience.
Cart/Wagon Driving:
Not allowed. This is a wild area so mechanized equipment is not allowed on the trail.
Water Available:
Drinking Water: Yes, available at the campground and day use trail head May through October.
Water for horses: Yes, at the campground, day use area May through October, & creeks along
the trail.
Other Facilities:
Campground: Hitching rails, picnic tables, lantern posts, water, and an outhouse.
Day Use Area: Outhouse, picnic tables, water & trash cans.
Other Activities:
Hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking & canoeing.
Other Services:
Car Care, groceries, & a restaurant: Fredericktown, about 30 miles north.
Feed and Tack: B & M Farm Center
Fredericktown
573-783-3328
Emergency Information:
Cell Phone Signal: Limited to none.
Wayne County Sheriff: 573-224-3219
Hospital: Madison Memorial Hospital
Fredericktown
573-783-3341
Veterinarian: Fredericktown Animal Hospital
Fredericktown
573-783-2348
From Farmington , take Hwy 67 south 42.7 miles to Hwy 34. Turn west on Hwy 34 and go
3.7 miles to Hwy 143, then go 4.8 miles into the park. The day use area on the left, and the
Equestrian campground is another 1.5 miles further, past the park office, on the right. Turn
right onto the gravel road by the sign, and then take the first right into the campground. The
campground forks. Campsites 1-11 are on the right fork, and reservable campsites 12-21
on the left fork.
GPS Co-ordinates:
Equestrian Campground: N37.26605, W90.49915
Day Use Trailhead: N37.2496, W90.50864
Trailer Parking:
Ample
Trail Maps:
JPG Topo Map - jpg file that anyone can open.
GPX - Can be viewed in Google Earth and many other mapping programs.
National Geographic Topo Map - Will only open in National Geographic Topo Software.
Mapsource GDB File - Will open only if you have Garmin Mapsource Software.
Miles of Trails:
12 mile loop from Day Use Trailhead.
17 miles if starting from Campground.
Season:
Year-round.
No hunting allowed here, except special
managed hunts.
Fees:
No day use fees.
Basic sites are $8.00
Electric sites are $14.00
Equestrian Camping:
Yes, a designated equestrian campground with 11 basic sites and 10 electric sites.
The website has been moved about 2 1/2 miles north of where it used to be. They made a
trail that follows the road from the campground to the day use trailhead and the Ozark Trail
trail head ( Wappapello Lake section). This change of campground location is not a benefit
to us and we have sent a letter to park management about it. If you are interested in writing a
letter to them also, click here to see a copy of a letter written to them. Feel free to use the
letter as a reference for writing a letter of your own. Campground is closed December
through February.
Trail Notes:
Trails are generally well marked at intersections, with few markings along the trail. The trail
leading from the day use trail head to the loop is a one mile long rocky climb with no relief.
The only way back down to the day use trail head is that same trail. Sometimes it can get
confusing about whether you're on the trail or not for sure, because everything all around
you is rocks and it isn't always easy to distinguish where the trail is. There are some very
steep, very rocky sections and there can be a lot of downfall to negotiate. The trail on the
west side of the park is a bit less rocky and pretty flat, but is still dangerous because there
is a downed rusty woven wire fence right against the trail. It's so close that if your horse
spooked to that side is possible he could get caught in the wire. Just about the whole trail is
very rocky, only having one short section, a forest road near the end of the trail, that isn't
rocky. There are a few creek crossings, but a lot of them are wet weather creeks, so the
area might be very dry during the heat of the summer. Use the “ Hollow Pass ” trail in the
northern part of the park to bypass a portion of Mudlick Trail that is now open to hikers only
– there is a witness tree next to this trail as well. There are also some fire roads through the
interior of the park. Although not maintained, at the time of this writing (10/2009) equestrian
use is allowed. These fire roads are generally easier than Mudlick Trail and not nearly as
rocky, and provide a good way to shorten your ride. There is also a series of very steep
switchbacks on the trail in the southwestern corner. The trail is lined with rocks here to help
control erosion and to prevent short-cutting the switchbacks. Mudlick Trail is in a storm
prone area of the state. Please call the state park to check trail conditions before heading
out, especially if you are travelling very far. This is my new favorite trail. Your horse and
you definitely have to be physically and mentally ready for this one. It's the most physically
and technically challenging trail I've ridden, even counting my Montana experience.
Cart/Wagon Driving:
Not allowed. This is a wild area so mechanized equipment is not allowed on the trail.
Water Available:
Drinking Water: Yes, available at the campground and day use trail head May through October.
Water for horses: Yes, at the campground, day use area May through October, & creeks along
the trail.
Other Facilities:
Campground: Hitching rails, picnic tables, lantern posts, water, and an outhouse.
Day Use Area: Outhouse, picnic tables, water & trash cans.
Other Activities:
Hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking & canoeing.
Other Services:
Car Care, groceries, & a restaurant: Fredericktown, about 30 miles north.
Feed and Tack: B & M Farm Center
Fredericktown
573-783-3328
Emergency Information:
Cell Phone Signal: Limited to none.
Wayne County Sheriff: 573-224-3219
Hospital: Madison Memorial Hospital
Fredericktown
573-783-3341
Veterinarian: Fredericktown Animal Hospital
Fredericktown
573-783-2348
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| *Trail Alert: None that I know of at this time. |
| Click on pictures to enlarge them. |
| Sometimes your horse has to negotiate small passages between boulders. |
| This is the trailbed. The rocks often roll around underfoot. |
| This is one of the easy hills. There is also a very steep rocky switch- back along the trail that is so hard I wasn't comfortable trying to get a picture there. |
| There are many large boulder outcroppings all along the trail. This is one that when you get up there, you go between it and another one. |