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.
Summer weather in the areas on our route is warm with day average temperatures 83 degree F (60 degree at night). See updates of weather forecasts at: https://bit.ly/3It5ahH
Trip's summary:
- 6days/5nights trip for a small group of 6 explorers.
- TThe 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,
- for personal protection: mask, carry-on sanitizer, gloves (by your choice.)
Cost: $630. What is included:
- 5-night 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: 6:00am. Sunset: 8:15pm. Every day we want to start off from the hotel at 7 am or 7:30am, or 8am as the latest. If you are a night owl, please try to adjust yourself for an earlier getup during the trip - the purpose of it is to use more of daylight for activities.
Please sign up and feel free to contact the organizer with any questions!
If you see that the event is full/no tickets available, do not hesitate to contact the organizer about your interest as spots can become available.
Also, please check on the photo-album from our past trips (in About section) and our future trips to U.S. National Parks and National Parks in Europe and Asia for 2024-2025. Thanks!
ATTN. 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.
ATTN. The $10 payment through Eventbrite is for reserving a spot in this small group event (it counts in toward the whole payment for the trip.) After you reserved your spot, you will be contacted by the organizer about a Zoom meeting with the group and joining a WhatsApp group chat. Meeting your future groupmates in a Zoom and being able to communicate by WhatsApp are mandatory steps to become a part of this trip and make the full payment. If any of these cannot be done/mind changed, the $10 reservation payment will be refunded in full though the initial means of payment, minus fees paid to Eventbrite/third parties. The outline of the trip will be communicated during a Zoom meeting and in WhatsApp group chat. The detailed, hour-by-hour, itinerary will be provided to the confirmed participants of the trip.
Title photo: Whitaker Point (in the plan to visit)
