Explore the best rated trails in Carthage, MO. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Ruby Jack Trail and Frisco Highline Trail. With more than 5 trails covering 61 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The southern terminus of the Frisco Greenway Trail is tucked into an unassuming neighborhood in Joplin. From there, the gravel trail winds northward along the former St. Louis–San Francisco Railway,...
The Watco Trail, named for the short-line railroad operator headquartered in Pittsburg, stretches diagonally through the Kansas city just west of downtown. The trail is open on a portion of the former...
The 37.6-mile, partially paved Frisco Highline Trail connects Bolivar and Springfield with plenty to see along the way. If you travel from north to south, you’ll find that the corridor rises at about...
Thom Station Trail sits on an old Frisco railbed in the town of Carl Junction, just 15 minutes north of Joplin, Missouri. It’s a relatively short trail, 2.8 miles roundtrip. The southern half of the...
The southern terminus of the Frisco Greenway Trail is tucked into an unassuming neighborhood in Joplin. From there, the gravel trail winds northward along the former St. Louis–San Francisco Railway,...
The Ruby Jack Trail runs for 16 miles between Carthage, MO, and the Kansas state line. The trail links the towns of Carthage, Oronogo, and Carl Junction, traversing farmland, wetland, and woodland....
The 37.6-mile, partially paved Frisco Highline Trail connects Bolivar and Springfield with plenty to see along the way. If you travel from north to south, you’ll find that the corridor rises at about...
The Watco Trail, named for the short-line railroad operator headquartered in Pittsburg, stretches diagonally through the Kansas city just west of downtown. The trail is open on a portion of the former...
Thom Station Trail sits on an old Frisco railbed in the town of Carl Junction, just 15 minutes north of Joplin, Missouri. It’s a relatively short trail, 2.8 miles roundtrip. The southern half of the...
The Ruby Jack Trail runs for 16 miles between Carthage, MO, and the Kansas state line. The trail links the towns of Carthage, Oronogo, and Carl Junction, traversing farmland, wetland, and woodland....
The southern terminus of the Frisco Greenway Trail is tucked into an unassuming neighborhood in Joplin. From there, the gravel trail winds northward along the former St. Louis–San Francisco Railway,...
The Watco Trail, named for the short-line railroad operator headquartered in Pittsburg, stretches diagonally through the Kansas city just west of downtown. The trail is open on a portion of the former...
Thom Station Trail sits on an old Frisco railbed in the town of Carl Junction, just 15 minutes north of Joplin, Missouri. It’s a relatively short trail, 2.8 miles roundtrip. The southern half of the...
The 37.6-mile, partially paved Frisco Highline Trail connects Bolivar and Springfield with plenty to see along the way. If you travel from north to south, you’ll find that the corridor rises at about...
Very impressive that this trail is kept up by volunteers. Very few loose gravel spots where a hybrid bike can get questionable. Not really much to see, but very few road crossings and you can safely ride from Carthage to Car Junction.
I biked this trail May 26, 2021. Except for about 100 feet of trail at mile point 4.2 (just carry your bike across the railroad tracks and bike to the north edge of the short unfinished section), this is a great trail from about mile point 2.5 all the way to the eastern end in Carthage.
The 2.5 mile section from the state line to near Carl Junction is (currently) only recommended for good bikers on mountain bikes (the gravel is thick in points and the trail is mostly un-cleared of brush).
I did the complete 16 mile trail on my hybrid bike, but I found the western-most 2.5 mile section a bit tricky.
I would recommend biking from the Carthage trailhead to Carl Junction and returning to Carthage. This gives you a nice 25 mile ride.
The Joplin Trails Coalition expects to have the entire 16-mile trail completed by sometime in 2022.
Started at Bolivar and turned around at mile marker 31 since it was not paved after this point, getting dark, and was muddy! Definitely take detour when it says so you don't have to backtrack. Not safe to cross the highway there!
A very nice ride. This probably has already been said somewhere but the first 8 miles are pavement and very very comfortable. I did 12 miles today and turned around, but I’m setting a goal to do all 37 miles sometime.
The wife and I have just started walking, as a means of much needed exercise. I am a former powerlifter and she was once an athlete, in golden years past. We have been walking by Shoal Creek, a great walk, and it is nearer to our house, but once we walked this trail we both fell in love. Great walk. Even when it is busy, there are quiet moments to see nature and wildlife. Most people you pass say hello, nod, or let you pet their dog. That may just be the people of Joplin, but still it is an incredibly beautiful, friendly, and surprisingly strenuous walk. We are gonna do the whole thing soon, and once we do she says we are going to mountain bike the whole thing. What a great natural spot to escape to. Joplin is blessed with such beautiful natural settings.
This trail is great for a stroll or a quick bike ride. Beautiful scenery and you can start either off of Allan St or from Briarbrook.
We rode the entire trail out and back. We live near the KATY trail and that is always our reference. Trail is not as well maintained as KATY. The southern end is much better maintained. We started north at bolivar. The first 4 miles are paved or good. The next several miles are bad for narrow tires, to the extent that I rode my Mountian bike day two. We quit at 215 highway for 12.5. Then return same poor trail. Day 2 on mountain bike of course the trail was much better. The closer to Springfield the bet it got. The last 8 miles blacktop. All in all great ride, the only exception was that rough ride on the northern end.
I rode to mile 20 and back. Paved until mile 8.2 then crushed gravel, which was still good riding. At mile 17 the conditions worsened. Tree canopy gives good shade 75% of the time, but also, as noted by others, has a maze of hanging spider webs if you go early (before other riders clear them out). Ride bikes would not fare well on the tougher gravel after mile 17.
Love this trail! There are also a few places to stop and eat or enjoy the Ozarks!
I rode Bolivar MP35 to MP21, I did not do due research and thought the trail would be comparable to The Katy Trail State Park, no comparison. The trail was not marked well especially around highway bypass leaving Bolivar, no signs. South of paved section MP35 to MP30 (approximate) the trail was more or less terrible, mud, soft sand, sink holes around bridges, big rock ballast, small washouts. etc. No place to get water. I asked several people about stores where I could get water same response, "They didn't know of any", so at MP 21 I turned around and returned to Bolivar, my water bottle empty. I will not be back.
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