Big Piney River Float and Ford Trail

The Big Piney carves through some of the most remote country in the Ozarks, and this trail follows old logging roads that cross the river seven times between Ross Creek and the Highway T bridge. You’ll hit Devil’s Elbow Ford first — a rocky bottom crossing that can run knee-deep after spring rains. The trail hugs limestone bluffs for three miles before dropping into Bennett Bottom, where Civil War-era homestead ruins sit in a clearing that most folks never see.

This is moderate-difficulty terrain that demands high clearance and experience reading water levels. Stock 4WD handles it fine in dry conditions, but those river crossings turn serious when the Big Piney runs high. Best tackled April through October when water’s predictable. No permits needed on Mark Twain National Forest land. Pack extra water and expect zero cell coverage — this country will remind you why they call it the Missouri wilderness.