October 20, 2022: Taum Sauk Mountain State Park
Welcome to the top of Missouri!
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At an elevation of 1,772 above sea level, Taum Sauk Mountain is the highest point in the show-me state and part of the St. Francois Mountain range.
Granite Plaque
Taum Sauk Mountain State Park also features Mina Sauk falls, the highest waterfall in Missouri. If the weather is dry, the waterfall will be reduced to a trickle.
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I do not recommend getting there late in the day like I did. As a result, I only hiked part of the trail before turning around. Another hiker that I was traveling with was far more intrepid than me and finished the hike solo.
I made it!
Two events occurred while I was at Taum Sauk Mountain. The first was meeting a stranger who became a good friend and hiking buddy. If it hadn’t been for her, I never would have made it to Jay Nixon State Park which was the last park on my list.
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The second event was a hiker who gave me his hiking stick. He had just finished the Mina Sauk Falls Trail.
​That walking stick has been my guide and friend when I’m hiking alone. I've used it to make noise when I’m in bear country. At Knob Noster State Park, it helped me pull myself out of the mud after I fell.​ It’s been my anchor when fording streams, creeks, and even rivers. It’s alerted me to snakes hidden in the leaves.
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It even saved my life on the Ozark Trail. I climbed up to a cave on the side of a mountain. Everything was fine until my descent. I stumbled on some loose rock and came close to falling off the cliff. Using my walking stick, I stopped myself from sliding over the edge. I carefully tested the remaining rocks for stability and eventually made it back to the main trail.
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Had I not gone to Taum Sauk Mountain that day, I firmly believe I never would have completed my journey.
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Hiking Trails
Ozark Trail: Linear. The Taum Sauk Mountain portion is 35 miles long and broken up into sections. You can shorten the hike at any point by simply turning around and going back the way you came. (Rugged)
Mina Sauk Falls Trail: 2.9-mile loop trail. (Moderately rugged)
Geology: Taum Sauk Mountain was formed from a combination of volcanic activity and erosion.
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Location: Iron and Reynolds Counties. Hwy CC, Ironton, MO, 63656
