Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry
37°20′37″N 91°25′20″W / 37.34361°N 91.42222°W / 37.34361; -91.42222
The Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry is a 60,000-acre (243 km2) area of private land that is managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for hiking and backpacking by the public.[1] The land is part of the largest private forest in the state, the Pioneer Forest, owned by the L-A-D Foundation, an endowment of the late Missouri timber magnate, conservationist, and philanthropist Leo Drey (1917–2015).[2]
Two significant wilderness areas are included in the managed area: the Current River Natural Area which contains 400-year-old trees,[3] and the Pioneer Natural Area adjacent to the Current River, which is home to old-growth cedar and hardwood trees.[4]
The area is crossed by 27 miles (43 km) of trails: the 13-mile (21 km) Blair Creek Section of the Ozark Trail, the 12-mile (19 km) Brushy Creek Trail, and a 2-mile (3.2 km) Laxton Hollow Trail, which connects to the Ozark Trail. An additional trail under construction, the Current River Trail, will eventually connect Round Spring, a few miles west of the backcountry area, to the Brushy Creek Trail.[5]
References
- ^ "Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry". Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ Flader, Susan. "Missouri's Pioneer in Sustainable Forestry" (PDF). Forest History Today (Spring/Fall 2004). Forest History Society. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Current River Natural Area". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Pioneer Natural Area". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry". L-A-D Foundation. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
External links
- Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry Missouri Department of Natural Resources
- Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry L-A-D Foundation
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Protected areas of Missouri
| National Parks | |
|---|---|
| National Monuments | |
| National Historic Sites and Historical Parks | |
| National Battlefields | |
| National Wildlife Refuges | |
| National Forests | |
| Wilderness Areas | |
| Wild and Scenic Rivers | |
| Other Protected Areas |
Category- St. Louis
- Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Commons
