The FINAL DAY of my Ozark Trail Thru Hike! The day started with rain in the early morning hours, the first significant rainfall on my entire 18-day thru-hike, but it was gracious enough to stop by the time I started hiking. I hiked 23.1-miles on the Courtois Section passing by Bass’ River Resort, hiking through the Huzzah Creek Conservation Area, and ending at Onondaga Cave State Park, Ozark Trail Mile 0.

Can I backpack 25 miles in a single day!?? When I set out on my Ozark Trail thru hike the idea of hiking 25 miles in a single day was beyond me. Covering that many miles in a day was something only “true” thru hikers could achieve. My plan for the 48-mile Courtois Section of the Ozark Trail was to break it up over three 16-mile days. And then I started walking.