Hiking At Hawn State Park In Missouri Is Like Entering A Fairytale

Fairy tales are as much about the breathtaking settings as the epic love stories they tell. Hiking at Hawn State Park, especially if you set off on the Whispering Pines Trail, is something like stepping into a fairy tale. Sunlight peeks through canopies of trees. A waterfall cascades down. Footsteps echo on a wooden bridge. It's one of those hikes that's definitely worth adding to your outdoor bucket list.

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Tucked in the 5,000-acre Hawn State Park, Whispering Pines Trail leads hikers through a protected wild area, where the landscape offers "primitive beauty."

If you're up for a challenge, you'll find it with the 12.4-mile Whispering Pines Trail. The trail is rated difficult due to some rocky terrain and narrow trails.

However, that difficult rating certainly doesn't deter hikers, so you could run into a pretty crowded trail. The best time of the day to avoid the crowds is early in the morning.

The trail's also popular with backpackers. If you feel like making your hike an overnighter, you'll find three different backpacking/camping sites along the trail.

However, if you decide to backpack overnight, you'll have to check in with the state park's camping office to fill out the necessary paperwork. (Your overnight is free, however.)

While the trail is predominately flat, you will have to climb a few hills and face challenging terrain as you make your way through the hardwood and pine forests.

You'll also pass flowing streams and even a picturesque wooden bridge. Due to the challenging terrain, however, you'll probably want to wear sturdy hiking boots.

Keep an eye out for the local wildlife, too - from deer prancing through the trees to lizards scurrying on the forest floor.

Click here for the official website of Hawn State Park. Or, go here for Facebook.

Have you been hiking at Hawn State Park? What's your favorite trail? Join the conversation in the comments! If you need to get away from it all, follow the remote Lower Rock Creek Trail that boasts bluffs and waterfalls.