Stop 1: Go 3/10 of a mile from the north entrance
to a pullout with information and trail map interpretive sign. There are picnic tables
here but no restrooms or water.
Stop 2: Go another mile lookiing to your right.
This area is Haden Bald, which is a 40 acre tract being managed as a State Natural Area.
This means it will never be grazed and will be burned about every 4 to 6 years.
Stop 3: (Smoke trees)Go about
another 3/10ths of a mile and you'll come to the Smoke Tree Scene on your left. If you are
lucky you'll be there when the smoke trees are in peak fall color. That happens around the
last few days of September to no later than October 10. In that approximate two week
period you'll see several smoke trees in brilliant display - if conditions are right. This
stop is a good place to photograph a number of flowers and insects. Please step carefully
in here! The glade soil is less than six inches deep and capable of supporting only a
limited amount of vegetation. The view to the south gives you a look at the hills near
Gainsville, Missouri 20 miles away.
Go another 7/10 mile and you'll see a sharp hairpin turn to the
left. Pull over to the right just before the turn and there's a goreous view. (turn sharp
left at hairpin turn)
Go down around the hairpin turn to the left about 1/10 mile to
another scenic view with bench and interpretive sign. There is a hiking trailhead here off
to the left of the parking spot.
Stop 4: Go another 6/10 mile to the Arkansas
Overlook which has a big view of the Arkansas Ozarks 40 miles away to the south. Where
road forks stay right when leaving.
Go 4/10 mile to Corbit Potter Camp site, which is where horse people
sometimes park their trailers for a day.
Go 8/10 miles to Potter's Place, which has some very large fields.
This is a good place to walk around with a camera at daylight or at twilight.
Stop 5: Go 1.2 miles to Watershed Divide. This is
one of the better spots to expect spectacular fall color. It is also a good place to stop
with a camera, not only for the foliage, but for wild flowers and other macro subjects.
Please step carefully! This is called the Watershed Divide because at this point two
watersheds meet.
Stop 6: Go 8/10 miles to Caney Fire Tower. To get
to the tower you need to run up the road on the left. At the top is a very nice picnic
spot with a good table. You can't climb the tower but it's fun to look at.
Stop 7: Go 1/2 mile to Caney Mtn. Picnic Site. This
is where you'll want to spend a little time. The view is a combination of hilltop and
grass glade. This is another spot where you can expect beautiful fall color up close. The
Caney Mountain Picnic site has restrooms, a shade pavilion with tables, old-fasioned
gosspel seating on exposed benches, a beautiful wood rail fence, parking, and a little
cave behind the parking lot. This is where the annual Flaming Fall Review Festival is
held.
Go 1.8 miles from Caney Mtn. and where the road forks stay left. If
you go right it takes you to State Hwy 125.
Stop 8: Go another mile and you'll come to Wille
Lee Farm. This is another good picnic spot and camping site.
Stop 9: Go another 2/10 of a mile and you are at
Wolf Junction, another picnic spot. This is also where the Glade Top Trail splits. Bear to
the right and you will be on Glade Top Trail West, which will bring you out to the west
entrance at State Hwy 125. We recommend bearing to the left at Wolf Junction because there
are some very nice views further on down the road. The Glade Top West also has some nice
views. If you have time we recommend first running down Glade Top Trail West, then come
back to Wold Junction and continue down FS 147.
Stop 10: We'll assume at this point you are heading
down FS 147 from Wolf Junction, which is turning to the left at Wolf Junction. Go another
4 miles and you'll have driven through a wide open panoramic view. At about the 4 mile
point is the last interpretive sign on the Trail. This whole area is a very good place to
watch sunsets.
Heading Out
At this point you can either turn around and go back down the Glade Top Trail the way you
first came in, or you can continue on to State Hwy 160. To go back to the north entrance
is about 18 or 19 miles. You won't go more than 15 miles an hour most of the way, so allow
at least one hour to go back the way you came. If you elect to drive on to Hwy 160, keep
following FS 147 for another 2 miles or so. The dirt road changes to hard surface again
next to a little cemetary (Grahm Cementary) at the tiny little town of Longrun. Once you
go past the cemetary you'll go around some sharp curves going past the few buildings and
homes in Longrun. In about 2/10 of a mile you'll come to State Highway 95. You may also
see signs for Ozark County roads 908 and 881. Regardless, turn right and go 5.6 miles
where you run into State Hwy 160. If you turn left the town of Theodosia, Missouri is
about 1.5 miles down the road. You can find food, gas, and lodging here, or continue on
east.
