The Ozark Trail Association

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The Ozark Trail Association

• The First 28 Months

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What Is the Ozark Trail?
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Dateline 1976

• MO SCORP identifies trail shortage
• Bureau of Interior suggests a long trail
• DNR, MDC, USFS, COE, NPS, Pioneer Forest, and
  others agree
• Preliminary routes sketched out
• Kick-off meeting scheduled for early 1977
• Coordinated through the Ozark Trail Council
  (OTC)

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Initial Trail Inventory

• Berryman (equestrian)
• Taum Sauk (foot)
• Trace Creek (equestrian)
• Victory (equestrian)
• Blue Ridge (equestrian)

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New Construction Begins

• Current River Trail, from Peck Ranch to Powder
  Mill
• Extended through Pioneer Forest
• Taum Sauk extension
• Initial sections foot-only, coordinated by DNR,
  built with volunteer labor

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Phase 2

• Huzzah Conservation Area (foot)
• US Forest Service (multi-use)
• Trace Creek extension
• Between the Rivers
• Eleven Point
• Karkaghne
• Blair Creek extension
• Marble Creek

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Phase 3

• Wappapello (multi-use)
• North Fork (multi-use)
• Courtois (multi-use)
• Northern Karkaghne (multi-use)

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25 Years Later

• Trail is in bits and pieces
• Little to no funding
• Ozark Trail Team concept lacking
• Little regional recognition
• Apathy sets in

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Volunteers Step Up

• Donjoian spurs conversation
• OTC members need assistance
• Volunteers can help
• OTC presentation lets look into a new
  volunteer-based organization
• Donjoian Roth do some research
• October 2002 Presentation to OTC
• Unanimous approval to proceed

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November, 2002

• Kick-off meeting
• Grass-roots volunteer organization
• Mission Statement The Mission of the Ozark
  Trail Association is to develop, maintain,
  preserve, promote and protect the rugged, natural
  beauty of the Ozark Trail.
• Assist, dont dictate
• All user groups work together

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December 2002

• Ozark Trail Association is incorporated
• Initially 9 board members
• No members of corporation
• First board meeting 2003 goals set
• Work on the Middle Fork section
• Get website running
• 100-200 members

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Basic Strategy of the OTA

• Take the OT from a patchwork of trails to a
  through-trail
• Promote the trail and increase usage
• Become an invaluable resource to the land
  stewards
• Become the focal point for the OT
• Expand the trail

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200 Miles Berryman to Thomasville Red-
multiuse Blue- foot only
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Year One - 2003

• Built four miles of trail
• 12 maintenance outings
• Website up and running
• Held informational meetings in 4 cities
• RTP tool grant USFS trailer, saws, supplies
• 120 members

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Year Two - 2004

• Built 7 miles of trail
• Cut 20 miles of deadfall
• 50 miles of maintenance (GORC, Boy Scouts, OTA
  outings)
• Digital maps of the entire trail
• Website getting 7,500 visitors per month
• Sent crews to inventory 300 miles of trail in
  preparation for Adopt-A-Trail program
• Developed a Crew Leader training program with 16
  graduates
• Cooperated with the US Forest Service to obtain
  125,000 in grants
• Received 4,000 award from REI for trail tools
  and volunteer meals
• 130 people attended September Mega Event
• Over 11,000 accumulated volunteer hours
• Noticeable increase in trail usage

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This Year, We Will

• Build 14 miles of trail (10 left to go)
• Implement an Adopt-A-Trail Program
• Clear 200 miles of trail (25 miles so far)
• Open the Middle Fork section host a ribbon
  cutting ceremony

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Trail Construction
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Side-hill cut, full bench 24-30 tread on
multi-use 18-24 tread on foot-only 10 grade
on multi-use 15 grade on foot-only Rolling-crown
switchbacks no waterbars
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Other Topics

• Trail Maps
• Running Large Events
• Working with Groups SCA, Americorps, Scouts,
  colleges
• Recognition Programs

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Recognition Program
National Awards
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