Berryman Trail Loop to Harmon Spring

I hiked a north loop of the Berryman Trail through woods crossing small streams to go to Harmon Spring in Mark Twain National Forest. This was about nine-miles total with lots of up and down through the hills.

Studying the map at the information board before starting the trail.

Berryman Trail Overview

The Berryman Trail has two main trailheads, Berryman Campground and Brazil Creek Trailhead. Hiking the whole trail is 27 miles.

Along the trail, there are two hiking campgrounds, the Harmon Spring and Beecher Spring.

The trail winds through oak, pine, and bottomland hardwood and has switchbacks from low bottoms to high cherty ridges. You might see mountain bikers or horseback riders along the trail.

The western section of the trail serves as part of the Courtois Section of the Ozark Trail.

Starting the Hike

I began my hike by parking along a circle drive at the Brazil Creek Trailhead. Along this road, there are pull-offs for camping. A restroom is available here.

I checked out the relief map of the area on an information board. There are fields roads and other trails that connect with the Berryman.

Warning: This is a remote hike so make sure to have a compass and map or an App to help you find your way.

Crossing Brazil Creek

I walked from the circle drive and noticed a gravel road going into the woods from it.

I took this trail and then saw just off it to the right the designation for Trail, where the Berryman Trail begins.

Note: There is another connector trail to the Berryman Trail to the right of the parking but where you reach it once you cross the creek is harder to see.

Taking my shoes off and doing the crossing barefoot.

This led to the creek. You can use rocks to walk across, but the creek was too high the day I was there.

The last time I went hiking I tried to cross a creek this full using the stones and stumbled into the water and water-logged my shoes. This time I took my hiking shoes and socks off and pulled up my pants and walked barefoot across the creek. This kept my shoes dry this time.

Small brook crossing. — Small brook crossing

After crossing the creek, I came up to a small brook and crossed it.

Then where the map designated that the 27-mile loop begins I went to the right and headed into the forest.

You can see the creek below through the trees.

This part of the trail goes above Brazil Creek.

Into the Woods

The trail goes up and down for a bit then settles along the ridgetop. Occasionally, I walked through tall pine trees.

The trail signs here are BT for Berryman Trail and OT Spur—for Ozark Trail Spur.

This walk went along ridges although I had to watch myself since there are a lot of rocks along the way. I tripped once.

This is a field road and not part of the trail. I followed my AllTrails App to help locate where I was going.

Along the way, there are a few field roads so keep an eye on which direction you are going to stay on the trail.

The wooden sign lets me know I am still going the right way.

Near Harmon Spring

As I walked closer to the spring I came across a rockier terrain.

Wooden signs designated trail locations. One let me know I had walked four miles from the Brazil Creek Trailhead.

Another let me know that the Berryman Campground and Trailhead were 12 miles away.

I took the Ozark Trail here down towards the Harmon Spring Campground. I crossed a creek and then walked along the valley.

I crossed a clear brook. I think this is Harmon Spring, but I was not sure since I couldn’t locate the outlet.

Harmon Campground — Harmon Spring Campground

Walking to the right I came to the clearing for Harmon Spring Campground which let me know where I was on the trail. I walked around for a bit finding a rock circle for a fire.

Heading to the second part of the loop out of the campground.

Next, I walked out of the campground going to a trail to the right on the other side of Harmon Spring and creek here. This .2-mile walk led to a trail that went straight up the hill and back to the other section of the Berryman Trail north loop.

Warning: Different trails criss-cross this area so keep an eye on which trail you are on. If you get confused walk back the way you came down from the Berryman Trail.

Berryman On the Other Ridge

I headed back along the other side of the ridge this time. I went by a few escarpments where water must flow down like small waterfalls when there is a lot of rain.

I noticed BT 12, this let me know I was definitely on the Berryman Trail. Below the 12 is 9 designated for loop and 9 miles from the Berryman Trailhead and I think 12 if you are doing it in reverse.

A large boulder was along the way and I stopped to have a drink of water and a snack. Looking down below me I saw a turtle in the leaves.

Next, I came across an area where a forest fire had come through.

Transferring Over to 2436

After passing by the burned area following the map I came to where the trail goes close to field road 2436. I saw the gravel and then an opening in the woods where trees were spray-painted red.

Crossing to the gravel road. — Crossing to a gravel road.

This was where I crossed over to the gravel road to loop back to the Brazil Creek Trailhead This was an easy walk, but I still had to watch my step in the gravel.

Short Trail

I was on this road until the road curved to the right.

Here I took a faint field road down the hill back to the Berryman Trail going towards the Brazil Creek Trailhead. I was now retracing my steps.

Back at the Trailhead

I took some photos of the relief map so I had I good idea of what the terrain was like the next time I come back. A hike to Beecher Spring is what I hope to do next.

Using a side trail and field roads made this is a complicated hike. You need to keep an eye out on where you are going. You should have a compass or use an app to make sure you are going the right way. Also, make sure to let someone know you are on this hike.

Final Thoughts

I used Alltrails App to keep track of where I was going. I also followed along on a map I had printed off from the Mark Twain National Forest website. My loop used field roads here, which allowed me to explore the area in a 9-mile hike. The total Berryman Trail Loop is 27 miles which is really too long for a day hike for me. I kept on the task of doing this since this was an isolated area.

Rocky terrain along the first loop section.

SHORT HISTORY

Developed as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Great Depression. The CCC provided jobs when employment was scarce during the Great Depression.

Between 1935 and 1937, the Berryman (Lost Creek) CCC Camp had “built over 50 miles of forest road, erected five steel fire lookout towers, built more than 40 miles of a telephone line, planted approximately 320,000 pine trees, 280,000 black walnut trees and cleaned up several hundred acres of standing timber” (Direct Advertising Company 1937:147).

In June of 1938, an open house for the general public was held at the Berryman (Lost Creek) CCC Camp, at which over 5,000 people attended.

By 1942 and the participation of the United States in World War II, all activities of the CCC were discontinued. It is likely that most of the buildings, supplies, and materials from the Berryman (Lost Creek) CCC Camp were removed and put to other uses. A series of foundation remnants remain in the site area, which currently serves as a trailhead and campground.

Rocky terrain along the section of the loop after the campground.

Another view of the creek at the back of the loop near the campground area.

DETAILS:

Drive: Take Interstate 44 to Bourbon Missouri and take Exit 218. Make a left onto Pine Street and then a right onto Cedar Street then a right onto Hickory Street which becomes Missouri Highway N. Next make a right onto Highway W and on the right side of the road look for Brazil Creek Campground at Mark Twain National Forest.

Hours: Sunrise to Sunset

Address:

Bourbon, MO 65441 (No address on GoogleMaps)