Missouri Hiking Trail Review: Hawn State Park

Once again, it’s that time of year to #optoutside!  Instead of participating in Thanksgiving’s version of the “running of the bulls”, a.k.a Black Friday, that features herds of people stampeding through stores to get that half-priced television or the blender that Great Uncle Soandso just can’t live without, we at Lagom Adventures are going to spend the day on some of Missouri’s most treasured hiking trails at Hawn State Park.

We’ve talked about many of the hiking trails that Hawn has to offer through our blog and social media posts over the years, but we’ve realized we have never reviewed all their trails and put them on the same post.  With our Black Friday hike coming up, we decided it would be a good idea to get some trail information out there to everybody participating. There are just so many options: Whispering Pines North and South Loops, Pickle Creek, White Oaks, and then several different connector trails.  All of the trailheads, except White Oaks, can be accessed by following the park road to its ending by the pavilion and day use area. The White Oaks trailhead can be accessed on the right side of the road prior to the dead end. Look for the signs!!

As mentioned, the Whispering Pines trail contains two different loops that combine for a 12.4 mile hike.  For the purpose of this post, I am going to discuss the loops separately.

Whispering Pines (North Loop):  The North Loop of the Whispering Pines trail is roughly a 9 mile, lightly trafficked loop that is most known for its scenic overlooks and gorgeous pine tree forest.  I”m going to go ahead and say it now, this is my favorite trail in the park. I always take the trail counterclockwise. After crossing two wooden bridges, one will start with a short climb to your first overlook.  From there the trail follows along the Pickle Creek from above. There are a few somewhat strenuous climbs, but nothing too taxing. As you circle to the backside of the loop, you get in my beloved pine forests. One will cross several creeks and get a few more views as you finish out the loop.  Don’t be deceived by the sounds of the traffic and people in the campgrounds and parking lots the last leg of the loop. You aren’t as close to the end as you may think. This hike is a little lengthy for your average of day hiker, but it is worth every step.

Whispering Pines (South Loop):  The South Loop of the Whispering Pines trail takes off from the backside of the North Loop.  In order to access it, one must hike the North Loop trail or take one of the White Connector trails that cut across the North Loop.  There is no parking near this trailhead. This loop adds around another 3.5 more miles to the North Loop trail. I’ve only hiked it one time and found it to be pretty, but nothing more than a simple “walk in the woods.”  This trail is not frequented by hikers as much, thus it can be a little overgrown. There is a little spur trail that take you to the only overlook on this section of the hike. It will add an extra half mile. One of the prettiest sites on this trail, is a “water feature,” that is a nice waterfall along the creek.  There is also a very nice walk-in campsite on this section of the trail along the creek, that would be my choice if I were to camp.

Pickle Creek:  The Pickle Creek trail is the shortest trail in the park.  It’s an out and back trail which is roughly ¾ of a mile, one-way.  This is my second favorite trail in the park. It’s short but extremely pretty.  You will walk along Pickle Creek on a rocky trail that offers many picturesque locations.  This hike is beautiful any time of the year. The hot months, I like to take my boots off and soak my feet and wade in the creek.  Fall is obviously a nice time of year like many other trails. I love this trail in winter, especially after a snowfall or hard freeze.  Frozen water is always beautiful. But be careful, this trail can be a little treacherous if ice has formed on the rocks. When you get to the end of the trail you can turn around and come back the way you came or you can cross the creek and hop onto the Whispering Pines trail.

White Oaks:  The White Oak trail, which is accessed from a separate parking lot, is a 3.5 mile hike that is different than the other trails in the park because it features stands of tall oak trees versus the iconic pine trees.  This loop trail circles through the forest and crosses a couple creeks. There are just a few strenuous climbs along this trail, but overall is not too difficult of a trail. I prefer this trail in the fall to view all the fall colors.  My mother and I hiked it in the summer and we succeeded in only picking up a bunch of seed ticks! So I would not recommend this trail during the insect months.

White Connector Trails:  There are 3 connector trails that can be utilized to connect different trails to another or shorten trails.  Connector trails 1 and 2 connect the White Oaks trail to the Pickle Creek Trail. Connector 3 cuts across the Whispering Pines North Loop.  So it can be used to either shorten the North Loop or used to access the South Loop without going halfway around the North Loop.

My absolute favorite route is to start at the Pickle Creek trail, catch the Whispering Pines North Loop trail, then return to the trailhead via the White Connector 3 trail.

No matter which trail you take, you will not be disappointed by what Hawn State Park has to offer.