Photo gallery: Hercules Glades

Welcome to our gallery of photographs taken at Hercules Glades Wilderness. Click on a picture to see a larger version.

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April 2013 – Finding the Bluffs at Hercules Glades

Topo Map showing the Devil’s Den (West) Trail and the western end of the Pilot’s Trail

Ephemeral creek by the Devil’s Den Trail

View from our tent - North of Lower Pilot Knob - Hercules Glades

Campsite North of Lower Pilot Knob - Hercules Glades - April 201

Seeding Reed Mace, Stock Pond, Hercules Glades - April 2013

Anyone know exactly what these are?

Spring is beginning to arrive in the Ozarks

Mayfly

Wilderness Edge

Old Man’s Beard

View of Beaver Creek from the top of the Bluffs – Hercules Glades Wilderness

Bluffs at Hercules Glades

View of Beaver Creek from the top of the Bluffs – Hercules Glades Wilderness

View from the top of the Bluffs – Hercules Glades Wilderness

Camped near the bluffs on Hercules Glades Wilderness

Leave no trace – even if it means we have an indoor plant

Camped near the bluffs on Hercules Glades Wilderness

Platypus by the campfire - Hercules Glades - April 2013

View from the tent

Trail and glade to the east of Lower Pilot Knob, Hercules Glades

View from the Glades to the East of Lower Pilot Knob – Hercules Glades

View from the Glades to the West of Lower Pilot Knob – Hercules Glades

Gary fixing the laces on his huaraches on the trail

There was water in the Devil’s Den Creek

Gary Crossing Long Creek

Lunch break at the Bluffs by Long Creek (looking up-stream)

Lunch break at the Bluffs by Long Creek (looking down-stream)

October 2012 – Hiking the Pees Hollow Trail & Fall Color

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Entrance to the Hercules Tower Trail

Looking north along Highway 125 the entrance to the Hercules Tower Trailhead is on the left

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Hercules Tower Trailhead

These modern pre-cast concrete vault toilets are very good. This one is at the Tower Trailhead.

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Campsite at the Tower Trailhead

Hercules Tower Trailhead campsite fire ring

Registration point at the start of the Pilots Trail

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Registration point at the start of the Pilots Trail

This sign for the pilots is right by the registration point at the Tower Trailhead.

Sign for the start of the eastern section of the Pees Hollow Trail

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Pees Hollow Trail

It doesn’t look like the west side of the Pees Hollow loop is hiked as much as the east side. The trail is quite difficult to follow in places

Ginger on the Pees Hollow Trail

Gary crossing a glade on the Pees Hollow Trail, Hercules Glades

Gary on the Pees Hollow Trail, Hercules Glades Wilderness

The east side of Pees Hollow has a lot of open glades. The main trail doesn’t go near these

Once down the ridge and onto the glades there are views of several near-by knobs.

The ridge on the east side of Pees Hollow merges into the the prominent knob seen here. There is an unofficial trail around the knob and along the glades

The west side of the loop meets with a creek. There’s a small trail going west, which we followed for a short while.

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Small almost dry falls

In the Ozarks anything metal’s fair game for target practice.

In the Ozarks anything metal’s fair game for target practice. This ex-truck looked like it may have had a military background. We saw no other parts of it in the area, just this cab. I wonder what happened to the rest of it.

Not a very tight pattern

It must be Brushy Creek because the sign says so – though the map tends to disagree, and this is just one of many feeder creeks into Brushy Creek.

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Garter Snake

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Dodge Truck front fenders

From the trail we thought this was a sink hole. When we looked more closely we found out it was a dugout cellar with stone walls.

View to the north west from the easter side of the Pees Hollow Trail Loop.

View to the north west from the easter side of the Pees Hollow Trail Loop

Hercules Tower in the distance – seen from the eastern side of the Pees Hollow trail.

Hercules Glades Wilderness – Fall color on the Pees Hollow Trail

Map and elevation chart of our route on the Pees Hollow Trail , Hercules Glades Wilderness

September 2012 – Backpacking Devil’s Den West & East, Coy Bald Trail

Second campsite at the Coy Bald Trailhead

Campsite at Coy Bald Trailhead, Hercules Glades Wilderness

Persimmon at the Coy Bald trailhead

Trying a persimmon

Tortoise on the trail down to Long Creek from the Coy Bald Trailhead. Hercules Glades Wilderness

Firering By Long Creek

Long Creek

Bluffs at Long Creek, Hercules Glades Wilderness

Crossing Long Creek

Firering at the end of the Devil’s Den West Trail

Stock Pond by the Devil’s Den West Trail

Glades on the Devil’s Den West trail

Tornado debris

Trail Marker at the end of the Devil’s Den West Trail

Setting up camp off the Trail near Lower Pilot Knob, Hercules Glades Wilderness

Enjoying a well-earned rest

Four legged walking stick

Camped in the woods to the north of Lower Pilot Knob

Morning Coffee

Pilot Knob Trail – Hercules Glades Wilderness

Junction of the Devil’s Den East Trail and Pilot Knob Trail

Glades on the Devil’s Den East Trail

Glades on the Devil’s Den East Trail

Abandoned stone building, Near Rock Spring, Hercules Glades Wilderness

Rock Spring – Spring Box

Firering near Rock Spring

Blue Aster

Rock Spring Trail near Long Creek Falls

Pool below Long Creek Falls

Firering - campsite above Long Creek Falls

Camped above Long Creek Falls – Hercules Glades Wilderness

Another shot of Gary unsing the Instaflator

Pool below Long Creek Falls

Walking Stick warming itself by the fire

Morning Coffee at Long Creek Falls, Hercules Glades Wilderness

Morning Coffee (and hot chocolate)

Morning coffee and hot chocolate by Long Creek

Gary enjoying the view and his morning coffee

Lanie in the dry Long Creek Falls

Sign to ‘The Falls’ at the start of the Coy Bald Trail

Start of the Coy Bald Trail

Black Eyed Susan, Ginger and Lanie

Glades on the Coy Bald Trail

Gary and Ginger at the Coy Bald Trail Head

Lanie – second backpacking trip all done

our Dynamic Earth Sticker. We must get an Ozarks Walkabout stick

Bearing tree (with bullet holes) – near Coy Bald Trailhead

Witness Tree – near Coy Bald Trailhead

Survey Marker – near Coy Bald Trailhead

January 2012 – Backpacking Tower Trailhead to Longcreek Falls

One of the seven creek crossings on this hike to the Long Creek Falls. Hercules Glades Wilderness

There was still snow on the ground in places and a lot of the puddles had ice. The ground where we pitched our tent was frozen too.

This is very near where we camped last year. Even though this shelf gets more sun I see the icicles are still in place.

Camped overlooking Long Creek Falls – Hercules Glades Wilderness

Long Creek looking towards the falls – Hercules Glades Wilderness

Looking west from Long Creek Falls – Hercules Glades Wilderness

Gary enjoys an end of trail beer. Ten and a half miles and 1,100 feet of elevation gained. Not too bad carrying winter packs. – Hercules Glades Wilderness, Tower Trailhead

May 2011 – Backpacking Tower Trailhead, Long Creek Falls

Trail notice board – Hercules Glades Wilderness

Off backpacking at Hercules Glades Wilderness for the weekend

Cairn at North end of Cedar Trail – Hercules Glades

13 year periodic cicada

Ginger Crossing Long Creek – Hercules Glades

Creek crossing, Long Creek, Hercules Glades

Rock shelf by creek crossing on Long Creek Hercules Glades

Typical Hercules Glades trail

Long Creek falls, Hercules Glades

Just before I stuck my head in the falls behind me

Ginger filtering water at Long Creek falls

Gary boiling water for lunch on the wood burner at Long Creek Falls

Midland Water Snake at Long Creek Falls, Hercules Glades

Glade and creek North of Upper Pilot Knob – Hercules Glades

Camped in the woods North of Pilot Trail Hercules Glades

Cairn at North end of West Devils Den trail – Hercules Glades

Glade on the West Devils Den Trail – Hercules Glades

Lunch by the bluffs on Long Creek

Having filtered some more water, I put my water bottle i the creek to keep it cool.

Long Creek, Hercules Glades

Relaxing by the creek, Long Creek, Hercules Glades Wilderness

Ginger enjoying her blow up pillow

Waking up in the tent without the fly sheet set

Missouri Primrose

At the end of the hike. Once more we forgot to take an end of trail beer. Distance hiked: 15 miles and a total of around 1,000 feet of elevation climbed.

Flat tire – Tower trail head, Hercules Glades

December 2010 – Backpacking Rock Spring Trail & Coy Bald Trail

Our first wild camping campsite – Hercules Glades Christmas Break 2010

Ginger makes the early morning coffee in the Hurcules Glades Wilderness

Morning coffee in style. Ginger takes advantage of her Therm-a-rest chair. I just sat on some rocks!

After breaking camp we dumped our packs and explored a creek bed that runs up into the rather ominously named Devils Den. The geology is quite striking with the highly layered rock on top of a thick un-layered base.

Ginger at Long Creek Falls

Ginger preparing lunch at Long Creek Falls

Our second wild campsite in the woods just under the ridge near Coy Bald

View to the North and Lower Pilot Knob

Christmas Break Backpacking – Storm Clouds

Passing time while the storm goes by

Gary waiting out the storm

Ginger on Coy Bald Trail, Hercules Glades Wilderness

Back on the trail again

Gary at the Coy Bald Trail trail head

Ginger at the end of our Christmas break backpacking trip

November 2010 – MDC Day Hike Coy Bald & Rock Spring Trails

A photgraph of the view from Coy Bald looking over toward Lower Pilot Knob in the distance

The view from Coy Bald looking over toward Lower Pilot Knob (the tallest of the hills in the distance)

Hikers stopped for lunch at the Long Creek Falls, Hercules Glades Wilderness

We stopped for lunch at the Long Creek Falls. The rock formations were impressive, I’m sure much more impressive when there’s water running.

Rock formations at Long Creek Falls, Hercules Glades Wilderness

The rock formations at Long Creek Falls

Hikers by Long Creek Hercules Glades Wilderness

A short pause to look at the ice and Long Creek with water in it. Near Devils Den, Hercules Glades Wilderness

MDC Hercules Glades Wilderness Hike - Bluff on Long Creek

This bluff was near the end of the hike, giving us an opportunity to catch our breath before climbing up 200ft high slope to get back to the trailhead.