5 Best Ozark Trail Backpacks Sept 2024

If you are using your phone for navigation, pack a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or are available for purchase at the online store. Water sources such as rivers and streams may only be available seasonally. Ozark Trail maps are a great resource to help identify places where you can access water.

For day hikes this is just as good as (and lighter than) my Osprey Daylite that retails for almost four times more. The one downside with integrated rain flies is the lack of ventilation and temperature control. We had great weather – not too hot and not too cold – but it did rain for about 5 minutes.

Camp out at the top overnight, catching a glimpse of a full sky of stars if it’s clear. If you’re searching east of the Rockies for stunning scenery, technical terrain, and a long hike option sans the AT crowds, this is your pick. If you’re on a multi-day hike, toilet paper and a cathole shovel are necessities. When you have to answer nature’s call, make sure to stay at least 200 yards away from a water source and bury any solid waste at least 6 inches deep. ozark trail canopy Exploring Missouri’s scenic backcountry is one of the best reasons to head out on the Ozark Trail.

With that question being floated, we decided to travel down the path of discovery and start to take a closer look at Ozark Trail and some of their products. We just completed a review of the Ozark Trail Tumbler line, which is not only budget friendly but also well performing. The Hilmont also includes trekking pole attachment points, plus there’s a rain fly that’s stashed away in the bottom zip compartment. The padded waist belt has zippered mesh pockets, and the entire back panel and the bulk of the shoulder straps are made of padded mesh to keep you cool and comfortable. Size is perfect for day trips, smaller individuals, and teens. Great for hiking in warm weather, thanks to the breathable construction, mesh straps, and hydration bladder hook up.

Packing-wise, I chose to line it with a garbage disposal liner. Kelli is a content writer with a degree in English Education from Penn State University. As a mom and a former middle school English teacher, she has spent the last 25 years looking for good deals for her home and the classroom. While the Ozark Trail doesn’t run directly through any towns, hikers may access options for resupply and services along the way, including the locales below. Please be aware that we make an effort to keep this information ozark trail backpack current. However, businesses and business conditions change, thus the information contained here is subject to change without the knowledge of the Ozark Trail Association.

You can also select free store pickup on many items, which might even be available the same day. At a price point of $79, it’s unlikely you’d be able to find anything else that’s brand new, competes with its features, and costs less than $100. You can likely find this pack at your local Walmart or online at Walmart.com. On the small side, so it won’t work for hikers who need a spacious pack.

Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting. Thru-hiking is defined as hiking the contiguous 230-mile backbone of the Ozark Trail in one trip. A thru-hike can begin at the Onondaga State Park and proceed southward to the Eleven Point Western trailhead, or move in the opposite direction from south to north.

I priced other internal frame daypacks before my trip and this was by far the cheapest. I took this pack on a 5-day mountain bike ride from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Washington, D.C., and it performed very well. The coolers remained in the same location for the duration of the 6 day test, only being opened to snap daily progress pictures. In a sheer stroke of luck for this test, we are having a very aggressive heatwave in Southeast Michigan with temperatures around the 90’s during the day and staying in the 70’s overnight. I’m using my North facing deck as the staging area which receives direct sunlight at almost all hours of the day.

Because it’s basically a single compartment stuff bag, I did have to make sure the items inside were distributed properly. I have used the hydration compartment for items like my iPad. Walmart had a small section of packs and for the most part I was satisfied. I decided to get this one for a light hike I was going to be doing while camping. All told, I’ve had the pack on my back for about 50 miles.