Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry |
|
|---|---|
Map of Pioneer Backcountry and neighboring
protected areas |
|
 Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry
Location in Missouri
|
|
| Location | Missouri, United States |
| Area | 95 sq mi (250 km2) |
| Established | 2001 |
| Governing body | Missouri Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry |
The Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry is a huge natural area in Missouri, United States. It covers about 60,000 acres (243 km2) of land. Even though it's private land, it's managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. This means people can visit it for fun activities like hiking and backpacking.
This special area is part of the largest private forest in Missouri, called the Pioneer Forest. It is owned by the L-A-D Foundation. This foundation was created by Leo Drey (1917–2015), who was a very important person in Missouri. He was a successful timber businessman, but he also cared deeply about protecting nature and gave a lot of money to good causes.
Contents
What Makes This Area Special?
The Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry is home to two very important wilderness areas. These are places where nature is left mostly untouched by humans.
Current River Natural Area
One of these areas is the Current River Natural Area. Here, you can find incredibly old trees, some of which are up to 400 years old! Imagine how much history these trees have seen.
Pioneer Natural Area
Right next to the Current River is the Pioneer Natural Area. This part of the backcountry has what is called an old-growth forest. This means the trees have been growing for a very long time without being cut down. You can see ancient cedar trees and other hardwood trees here.
Exploring the Trails
If you love hiking, the Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry is a great place to visit! It has many miles of trails for you to explore.
Main Trails
There are about 27 miles (43 km) of trails in total. The main ones include:
- The Blair Creek Section of the Ozark Trail, which is about 13-mile (21 km) long.
- The Brushy Creek Trail, which stretches for about 12-mile (19 km).
- The Laxton Hollow Trail, a shorter 2-mile (3.2 km) trail that connects to the Ozark Trail.
Future Trails
There's also a new trail being built called the Current River Trail. Once it's finished, it will connect a place called Round Spring (which is a few miles west of the backcountry) to the Brushy Creek Trail. This will give even more options for hikers and backpackers to enjoy the beautiful nature.
