Exploring the Ozark National Scenic Riverways

A return to the Shawnee National Forest

The eighth trip of the year would take me back to my favorite area of the whole state of Missouri at the best time to visit! For me, that would be the Arcadia Valley during fall! The colors and landscape combine in a way not found in many other places around me.

The seventh trip of the year would, again, take me to Wallace State Park which is one I had visited before on the MO Centennial Passport Challenge. Like the Long Branch trip, I had never camped at Wallace before and it turned out to be quite a great place! Nearing the peak of fall colors season, Wallace turned out to be the perfect place I had never camped at before! Trees were thick in the campground bathing you in fall colors everywhere you looked. Beautiful!

The time had come once again for the annual Montauk State Park trout fishing trip! The hope this year, over last year, would be to avoid the crowds of the Rose Holland Derby and actually catch some fish! Although we were able to avoid Rose Holland weekend, we were unable to guarantee good weather. It was cold and it was wet. Unfortunately neither of those makes for great fishing nor a great campout.

The Louisiana trip, to start, was not so much for the adventure as it was for a family visit. Because of the family visit to a far off place, Louisiana, I was going to do my best to make it as much of an adventure as I could! After careful consideration and a bit of planning, I decided to drive rather than fly with the rest of my party. I had figured well enough to know that I was probably going to come out ahead in the overall cost. And as it turns out, I certainly did, by a

The fifth, but not final, trip of the year would close out my 18th MO State Camper Award! This trip was to a new location as far as camping goes. It was the perfect pick! Long Branch State Park was one I had visited before on the MO Centennial Passport Challenge within the last two years.

The fourth trip of the year would take me back to Trail of Tears State Park in southeast Missouri! This park is dedicated to the Native Americans that lost their lives during the relocation march they were forced on by the United States government in 1838-1839. The trail and march have since been called the Trail of Tears for their losses.

My hunt for my 18th Missouri Camper Award brought me, again, to Mark Twain Lake State Park just in time for the annual Perseid Meteor shower! Easily one of the best places I can think of to see the meteors (as long as the skies are clear)! Like last year, this year did not disappoint!

Alaska and the Last Frontier!

It was an impromptu trip, much like many of my trips, to say the least! After what seemed like the longest winter on record, the first sign of nice weather and my gear was packed before the destination was picked!

With the weather.... better than it was and a fever to get back to camping, it was time to start the quest for the 18th camper award!

Zion National Park; Mukuntuweap, place of the straight up lands!

The hunt for a second MO Camper Award ends!!

The hunt for a second MO Camper Award continues!

The hunt for a second MO Camper Award continues with the Perseid Meteor shower!

The hunt for a second MO Camper Award continues... in record summer heat!

Beginning a new mission!

After completing the MO National Park Passport Challenge, it was time to revisit the Ozark National Scenic Riverways one more time! This time would be a 3 day camping trip with a beautiful, scenic float trip down the Current River!

The time has come! Time to make the final push to knock out the last park of the MO National Park Passport Challenge!