Berryman Campground Trailhead: From Potosi, MO head 16 miles west on State Highway 8. Turn right on County Road 207 and go 1.5 miles. Trailhead parking will be on your left. Located in the Mark Twain National Forest, Potosi Ranger District.
Route description
The Berryman Trail is a 25.9 mile multi-use loop trail that begins at the Berryman Campground. The trailhead is located about 16 miles west of Potosi, MO or about 100 miles southwest of St. Louis, MO. Its proximity to St. Louis makes it a prime location for a day-trip adventure.
The loop trail is divided into eastern and western (14.5 miles) sections. Although the shorter of the two, the eastern sections is widely considered the hard of the two due to its rocky nature and many ascents/descents. The trail is commonly completed in the more enjoyable clockwise direction, starting at the west loop trailhead. There are "BT" mileage markers at about 0.5 mile increments along the trail with numeric values increasing proceeding clockwise around the loop. The trail is also blazed with white and green "OT" markers as portions of the Berryman trail are used on Missouri's famed long-distance Ozark Trail.
This narrow, single-track trail winds through typical Ozark terrain. With the exception of a few open valleys, the trail is mostly shaded by pine, oak, and bottomland hardwood trees. The trail’s rocky and root-exposed surface tends to dry well after light rain. There are, however, numerous creek crossings even in the dry season, so bring an extra pair of socks if you prefer dry feet. The trail features several climbs and descents, none of them really steep or exceptionally long. Elevation gain for one loop of this trail is estimated at about 2,300 ft.
There are many water sources on the trail, all which must be treated to drink. There is an artesian well at mile 5.5, a spring near stock pond at Harman Springs trail camp, and a flowing creek at the Brazil Creek campground (15.5ish miles). There are also plentiful opportunities to cache supplies or to be crewed if needed. The trail encounters many dirt roads that are accessible to crew as well as the Brazil Creek Trailhead, Harmon Springs campground, and the Edward Beecher recreation area.
This 70 year old trail located in the heart of the Mark Twain National forest was originally the site of a 300-man Civilian Conservation Corps Camp. The camp operated from 1937 to until the beginning of World War II. The Berryman Trail was then designated as a trail in 1980 and is now maintained by the The Ozark Trail Association (OTA). Through many phases, the OTA has rerouted about 10 miles of the loop trail since 2010.
--submitted by Katie Mullins
