Clifty Creek Trailhead — Attraction in Rolla

Very nice 2.5 mi hike. It took my daughter and it took just under 2 hours at a leisurely pace. There is a natural bridge across a riverbed about halfway, which is very nice. Based on other pictures, I can see there is often more water in the riverbed than there was today. Quite dry. There were lots of gnats today, but it was still very nice day. They seemed to really enjoy DEET. The trail itself isn't super well maintained in places. Nothing terrible, but at times the trail has been eroded a bit as it winds along hill faces. The trail is marked, from time to time, with yellow squares nailed to trees. Once or twice the trail was a little less than obvious, again I would say due to less than optimal maintenance. Plenty of parking at the trailhead. There was one car there, and two people were just leaving, but we saw no one on the trail and there was no one in the parking lot when we returned, so it wasn't at all busy. We didn't happen to see much...

The Cliffy Creek Trail is an absolutely lovely trail—one of my new favorites! It is moderately difficult, and the full loop is about three miles long. There are two stream crossings, so be prepared to get your feet wet (depending on the time of year). The trail winds through gorgeous woods, and at times it follows the banks of the creek. There is a natural bridge that you can walk under, and the trail provides some nice ups and downs on the surrounding hills. There is a decent amount of parking at the trailhead and highway access is good (there is only a short portion of gravel road before the parking lot). There are no bathrooms or trash cans at the trailhead, so plan accordingly. Note: Right now (May 2024) the portion of the loop south of the creek is obstructed by several fallen trees (casualties of a recent storm), so either hike the other portion of the loop or be ready to negotiate some obstacles. There is a creek crossing either way, so be...

Just one of the many beauty's here in central MO. It's a hike, but it's worth it. Decent amount of elevation gain to might not be best for the little ones, but it's a really pretty walk through the woods. The natural bridge that is on the trail is beautiful and is a nice backdrop for the stream that flows in front of it. Highly...