If I were coming from FL -  I would go to Illinois and check out Shawnee National Forest. This is the prettiest place I have ever been too. Trails are well marked now, Forest Service has done an excellent job marking and maintaining trails. All kinds of neat things to see watefalls, hidden canyons, bluffs, river etc. We've stayed at Hayes Canyon and Circle B. Prefer Hayes, just ask for the covered stalls near the entrance of the camp, the others need some repair. Also heard that High Knob is under new owners and new stalls are being built. High Knob trails go to Garden of the Gods which is spectacular. We hiked some of these trails.

My vote for Missouri is Big Creek Trail Rides. Nice camp, safe stalls, and large enough to accomodate any size trailer. Food during organized rides is very good. No maps though. We use our GPS and since this camp is near Current River, we just use the Current River National Park load as reference for trail points. Trails along the Current River are outstanding!

I like Huckleberry Stables as this is close to my home. It can be a challenge getting a big rig in, but we manage. Best to visit here during the week if you are bringing in a big rig so you can turn around. Trails are not too welll marked here either, but Rick does provide a map that correlates to the Forrest Service Roads. Once again GPS helps here as the forest service roads are marked. Scenary is not as varied as Big Creek, but a nice trip. I don't feel that there is weeks worth of riding if you go long distances (16-20 miles a day) on gaited horses.

As far as caming along the Buffalo River in AR we have been there once. We camped at Steele Creek which is part of the National Park. I WOULD NOT take a large LQ trailer down to Steele Creek. Road is very steep, jutty with sharp turns. WHile we stayed there two people had issues navigating down in large trailers. One burned up their brakes and the other actually slide off the road. We camped in small 5 foot shortwall, 3 horse trailer. I will not take my big LQ there. Scenary at the Buffalo is AWESOME! That is why we are going back this year.

I'm planning a trip back to Buffalo this year and have inquired about Buffalo River Ranch or Center Point Horse Camp. BRR has indoor stalls and hook-ups, but you have to ride about an hour to get to the trails. Center Point has 6 sites, but open stalls or picket line. Hook-ups here too and the trail head is across the road. Hoping someone can comment on my thread about Center Point.

Check out this webpage for other trails: www.horseandmuletrails.com

And this site for reviews: http://www.horsetraildirectory.com/

If I were coming from FL -  I would go to Illinois and check out Shawnee National Forest. This is the prettiest place I have ever been too. Trails are well marked now, Forest Service has done an excellent job marking and maintaining trails. All kinds of neat things to see watefalls, hidden canyons, bluffs, river etc. We've stayed at Hayes Canyon and Circle B. Prefer Hayes, just ask for the covered stalls near the entrance of the camp, the others need some repair. Also heard that High Knob is under new owners and new stalls are being built. High Knob trails go to Garden of the Gods which is spectacular. We hiked some of these trails.

My vote for Missouri is Big Creek Trail Rides. Nice camp, safe stalls, and large enough to accomodate any size trailer. Food during organized rides is very good. No maps though. We use our GPS and since this camp is near Current River, we just use the Current River National Park load as reference for trail points. Trails along the Current River are outstanding!

I like Huckleberry Stables as this is close to my home. It can be a challenge getting a big rig in, but we manage. Best to visit here during the week if you are bringing in a big rig so you can turn around. Trails are not too welll marked here either, but Rick does provide a map that correlates to the Forrest Service Roads. Once again GPS helps here as the forest service roads are marked. Scenary is not as varied and interesting as Big Creek and definately not as nice as Shawnee. I don't feel that there is weeks worth of riding if you go long distances (16-20 miles a day) on gaited horses. Lots of hills, so horses need to be somewhat in condition.

As far as caming along the Buffalo River in AR we have been there once. We camped at Steele Creek which is part of the National Park. I WOULD NOT take a large LQ trailer down to Steele Creek. Road is very steep, jutty with sharp turns. WHile we stayed there two people had issues navigating down in large trailers. One burned up their brakes and the other actually slide off the road. We camped in small 5 foot shortwall, 3 horse trailer. I will not take my big LQ there. Scenary at the Buffalo is AWESOME! No hook-ups at Steele Creek. There is a community water spigot to water horses, you'll need several (at least 4 100') long hoses if you want to fill your water holding tanks. Picket line only and you need to bring it with you.

I'm planning a trip back to Buffalo this year and have inquired about Buffalo River Ranch or Center Point Horse Camp. BRR has indoor stalls and hook-ups, but you have to ride about an hour to get to the trails. Center Point has 6 sites, but open stalls or picket line. Hook-ups here too and the trail head is across the road. Hoping someone can comment on my thread about Center Point.

Check out this webpage for other trails: http://www.horseandmuletrails.com/

And this site for reviews: http://www.horsetraildirectory.com/

I'm with you onemileatatime.  Huckleberry is fine and Rick the host is very nice, but the campground is small and there is no privacy, nowhere to really make a fire by your rig.  Alot of people crammed into a small area.  Plus it is right along a busy road and not what I would call peaceful.

His son's place is a big field with electric hookups, no trees, no shade, no privacy and trailers are VERY close to each other. I think you can camp around the perimeter of the field and there are some trees, but that is the rough camping. 

Having said that, the trails were alot of fun although we rode them in about 2 days.  Those trails do not join the Mark Twain National Forest.

I live in Missouri and have heard very good things about Slabtown and Brushy Creek.  I am going to Brushy Creek this weekend for the first time. 

Big to me is 30 foot trailer or more. I've pulled in to Ricks several times and was able to park when other trailers were not there. We have 16 foot shortwall, 2 horse 8 Wide trailer. And my gaited comment was most gaited horses usually cover a lot a ground in a shorter amount of time than non-gaited like Quarter Horses. We use to ride Arabs, but nothing like gliding down the trail on a MFT. Ha!

Now with that said, I would be hesitant going down into Steele Creek with our trailer. If they have widened the road since 2001, then maybe it's not so bad. That was the last time we were there. We have a F350 Dually with soon to be installed Exhaust Brake, so maybe I might try it again someday. Just know the last time we went, my knuckles were white from hanging on and the passenger side brake didn't work.... never does.:)

TwoBucksRanch,

Perhaps you can let us know how Brushy Creek was when you return. I hope you have a wonderful time. Shawnee is another place I would love to visit. We have a fairly large rig, 3H 12ft SW (27' on the floor) w/ a crew cab Chevy. I've had my trailers in some interesting predicaments and try to avoid them when possible :)  I'm really looking forward to this trip. I wish fuel prices would quit going up though :(

Some of the best scenery in Missouri is at Eminence. There are a couple of private camps instead of going to the CCTR ride. There is tons of trails but early in the year the rivers can get to high to cross and that would really limit the riding.

We've been to Brushy Creek a couple of times as it is pretty close for us. The campground is clean and the sites are fairly level with lots of shade, picnic tables and firerings. They gave us free firewood and free sawdust for the stalls which are very good stalls. They are close to the sites so you can see your horses from your camp. There is many trails there and all are well marked and maintained and there's several ways to make loops so you don't have to ride the same trails back to camp. Creek crossings and some pretty big hills to climb. Scenery is decent, maybe not as great as some places but not boring. Sadly they did have a tornado a couple of years ago that practically destroyed parts of the area and they have done a fantastic job of clearing the trails again. There's lots of things to go and see in the area if you want to take a day off. Elephant rocks park, Johnson's shut ins, and there's a mill all within probably 30 to 45 min. drive. The trails there won't get muddy if there's been alot of rain which is a plus this time of year. Hope this info helps.   

Heres a few pics from Brushy Creek