Bootleg Access Trail
Distance: 1.39 miles round trip
Overall elevation gain: 164 feet
Location: south of Potosi, Missouri
Date: July 4, 2013
After going to Hughes Mountain, I decided to stop at the nearby Bootleg Access. This, like most "access" areas operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation, provides boat and fishing access to a bordering river. But here there is a 1.5-mile trail that is in a sort of elongated figure eight double loop.
I didn't expect much out of this area, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well developed the trail was, particularly the overlook. The trail begins travelling through the lowlands near the river and passes two massive oak trees, one a burr oak and the other a red oak. At the center of the figure eight, the trail (if you follow it clockwise) crosses streams and begins to ascend a small ridge.
On the ridge you pass through a small grove of pine trees before reaching an overlook with a viewing platform. The views from here aren't spectacular, but it is still a view. The trail continues following the ridge before descending some stairs, returning to the lowlands, following the base of the ridge, and passing by several rock outcroppings back to the center of the figure eight.
The final leg of the trail follows a wider, grassy path back to the trailhead. This trail appears to be used very rarely, but has wooden pedestrian bridges over every semblance of a stream. In general, the trail is overgrown and in a few places requires you to carefully pay attention to where you are going. You do not see the river if you only stay on the trail, and part of the trail may be flooded if the river is very high.
For more information see my track on AllTrails.
Overall elevation gain: 164 feet
Location: south of Potosi, Missouri
Date: July 4, 2013
 |
| View from the overlook |
After going to Hughes Mountain, I decided to stop at the nearby Bootleg Access. This, like most "access" areas operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation, provides boat and fishing access to a bordering river. But here there is a 1.5-mile trail that is in a sort of elongated figure eight double loop.
I didn't expect much out of this area, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well developed the trail was, particularly the overlook. The trail begins travelling through the lowlands near the river and passes two massive oak trees, one a burr oak and the other a red oak. At the center of the figure eight, the trail (if you follow it clockwise) crosses streams and begins to ascend a small ridge.
 |
| A bridge near the center of the figure eight |
On the ridge you pass through a small grove of pine trees before reaching an overlook with a viewing platform. The views from here aren't spectacular, but it is still a view. The trail continues following the ridge before descending some stairs, returning to the lowlands, following the base of the ridge, and passing by several rock outcroppings back to the center of the figure eight.
 |
| The trail along the ridge |
The final leg of the trail follows a wider, grassy path back to the trailhead. This trail appears to be used very rarely, but has wooden pedestrian bridges over every semblance of a stream. In general, the trail is overgrown and in a few places requires you to carefully pay attention to where you are going. You do not see the river if you only stay on the trail, and part of the trail may be flooded if the river is very high.
For more information see my track on AllTrails.
 |
| One of the large oak trees |
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2017 Matthew Pintar. All rights reserved.
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