Mountain Biking in the Missouri Ozarks
Trail Guide for FRANKLIN, GASCONADE, Crawford, Phelps & Dent Counties
The Quiet Mountain Bike Mecca
Most of the country has not figured out yet that the Missouri Ozarks — and Crawford County in particular — is one of the better single-track destinations between the Rockies and the Smokies. The Berryman Trail in the Mark Twain National Forest is the headliner. Beyond that, there is a stack of less-famous trails within easy driving distance, less crowded than what you would find in Bentonville or Pisgah, and with that classic Ozark mix of hardwood ridges, rocky descents, and creek crossings.
This is a local guide written by people who actually own land out here. We are not professional MTB reviewers — we are a couple of land guys who know which trails our buyers and friends like.
The Berryman Trail — Crawford County
The headliner. A 24-mile loop in the Mark Twain National Forest near Steelville. Originally built as a horse trail in the 1930s, it has been a cornerstone Missouri MTB destination for decades. Mostly intermediate-friendly with some technical sections, big elevation rolls, and that Ozark feel of being deep in the timber for miles between road crossings.
Best for: Intermediate to advanced riders looking for a long day in the woods.
Length: 24-mile loop. Many riders do half-loops with a shuttle.
Surface: Single-track, packed dirt, some rocky and rooty sections, occasional creek crossings.
Season: Spring and fall are best. Summer is hot and buggy. Winter is rideable but watch for downed limbs and freeze-thaw mud.
Trailhead: Brazil Creek Trailhead is the most common put-in. Parking and primitive camping available.
Difficulty: Intermediate, with some technical and rocky sections — a true all-day backcountry loop.
Drive time: About 1.5 hours from St. Louis via I-44 (roughly 90 miles to Steelville); a longer haul, closer to 2.5 hours, from Springfield.
Events: Home of the BT Epic — a 50-mile singletrack race and festival held on the Berryman each October out of Steelville, the region’s marquee mountain bike event.
More info: Trail map & details on MTB Project
Land near the Berryman Trail →
Steelville Bike Park — Steelville, Crawford County
Purpose-built flow and jumps. Right in town in Steelville, this free, community-built park opened in 2021 and is the spot to session and build skills close to civilization. Eight directional trails run from beginner-friendly green flow up to advanced jump lines, with tabletop jumps, drops, berms, and rock and wood features. It makes a perfect warm-up or skills day to pair with a big backcountry loop on the Berryman.
Best for: All skill levels — first-timers learning to ride through advanced riders sessioning jumps.
Trails: 8 directional trails, beginner to advanced.
Features: Flow trails, tabletop jumps, drops, berms, and rock and wood features.
Camping: Six primitive van-camping sites ($15/night).
Getting there: The trailhead is off the gravel road at Hickory & Gridley Streets — past the water tower and animal shelter, with the parking area and kiosk on your left. About 1.5 hours south of St. Louis.
More info: steelvillebikepark.org
Land near Steelville & the Bike Park →
Council Bluff Trail — Just South of Dent County
The lake loop. A 12-mile loop around Council Bluff Lake in Iron County, just south of our service area but a short drive from any property in Dent County. Smoother and friendlier than the Berryman. Good intermediate trail with lake views, rolling terrain, and clean tread.
Best for: Intermediate riders, riders who want lake-side camping options, mixed-skill groups.
Length: 12-mile loop.
Surface: Mostly smooth single-track with some rocky sections.
Season: Spring through fall.
Difficulty: Blue / intermediate. Constant rolling ups and downs with a few steep, rocky pitches and creek crossings, but nothing too intimidating.
Drive time: About 1.5 hours from St. Louis.
More info: Trail map & details on MTB Project
Forest City Trail — St. James, Phelps County
The local favorite in Phelps County. Right on the edge of St. James, Forest City is a roughly 11-mile network of 100% singletrack with a beginner-friendly flow track. The main Glade Runner loop runs about 7 miles of fast, flowy, green-rated riding — starting in hardwood forest on the north end and rolling into pine forest to the south, with a desert-like slickrock section (the Glades) and a rock-bluff overlook along the way.
Best for: Beginner and intermediate riders, families, and anyone who wants a flowy day without a long backcountry commitment.
Difficulty: Green (easy) main loop, plus four short blue (more difficult) add-on loops — GORT, Randy’s Crack, Amateur Hour, and Upper Cut — for riders who want to up the technical ante. A couple of creek crossings can challenge true first-timers.
Length: About 11 miles of trail total; the main Glade Runner loop is roughly 7 to 7.5 miles.
Surface: 100% singletrack through hardwood and pine forest, with rocky slickrock sections.
Amenities: Restrooms and water at the trailhead (a frost-free hydrant by the Route 66 Trail Oasis pavilion across the street).
Getting there: Just 2.5 miles off I-44 Exit 195 in St. James — a half mile south on Hwy 8/68, then about 2 miles east on Route KK. Roughly 1.5 hours from St. Louis.
More info: Trail details & map (St. James Chamber)
Land near St. James & Forest City →
Tips for Riding the Ozarks
- Tubeless tires are not optional. Sharp Ozark rock punctures tubes constantly.
- Bring more water than you think. Trailheads in the National Forest do not have potable water.
- Cell service is unreliable. Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
- Watch for hunters in season. The Berryman is in National Forest land; hunting is permitted in season. Wear blaze orange in November.
- Steelville is the closest town for the Berryman — gas and food.
Buying Land Near the Trails?
We have buyers who specifically look for property within easy reach of the Berryman or Council Bluff. There is real, growing demand for recreational property near top-tier trail systems — and that demand has not been priced into all of the available inventory yet. If trail access is part of what you are looking for, tell us and we will hunt for it.
Justin Head · (573) 308-7376 · justin.head@whitetailproperties.com
Ryan Record · (573) 259-6360 · ryan.record@whitetailproperties.com