Waterfall and Stairs Trail

The history.

March 7, 2013

I really do like to get out into nature a bit! I love a good hike! I am new to the hiking thing though, because I have just been dabbling with it a bit over the last couple years, but there are a lot of nice easy/moderate hikes around Branson.

Today, the weather is beautiful! So I figured it would be a good time to get back out into nature. I did one of my usual hikes. I used to do this one almost everyday- but it is just too cold for me to do it during winter! This particular hike is not very long. However, it is challenging!

At the bottom of the stairs.

At the top of the stairs.

You follow a trail for a little while that has some ups and downs, but mostly downs (in that direction); and then you reach a beautiful spot that looks out over the Taneycomo and at the beautiful land on the other side; you also reach some stairs. A lot of stairs! They were built in 1938, and they are all made of stone. At first you go down them, which is a bit of a challenge anyway because they are a bit uneven, and you have to watch your footing. There are 338 steps. That is a long way down!

The beautiful stairs.

When you finally get down to the bottom, you are much closer to water level. You can follow the trail on a bit more too, and it will take you to this beautiful waterfall place. However, there are only waterfalls when it has rained recently. (It is beautiful when that happens!) You can go past the waterfalls a bit further, but I usually turn around right about there.

Then the hard part starts... Up the 338 stone stairs! It is a challenge. Today was a bit harder than some days because I haven't done that trail in so long. (But even when I do that trail almost everyday, it doesn't seem to get any easier!) However, I didn't stop much to rest on the way up- I only stopped long enough to get a breath or two, then keep going.

At the half way point!

Finally you reach the top of the stairs and there is some relief- which your calfs desperately need!! And you walk the trail back to your car. But that trail is now more uphill than downhill. So it isn't as easy as you'd like it to be either!

But when you are done- and you survive, it feels great! Aside from the fact that my legs were shaking the entire car ride home- and even continued for a while once I got home! It is a great workout!