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Taum Sauk to Johnson Shut Ins

November 10, 2018      mirandaehrich

About a couple of weeks ago, I went on one of Missouri’s toughest hikes. We started our hike at Taum Sauk and ended at the Johnson Shut Ins. Now I like to think I am in shape, but boy was this hike hard. It is 14.5 miles long with rocky terrain most of the way. The hike took us 8 hours total including breaks. It definitely is not a boring hike and there are many scenic views along the way. From the tallest waterfall in Missouri, to the Devil’s Tollgate, pine trees and bluffs that overlooked the other mountains in the area. I am going to take you all through my day and give some tips on how to survive this hike if you ever decide to do it!

We prepared the night before by packing our food and filling up our water packs since we knew we were going to have an early morning. Be sure to bring plenty of water for this hike especially if you plan on going during the hotter months. When we went, the high was only 65 degrees so it was perfect weather and I didn’t suck through too much water. We hit the road a little after 6:00am and got to the Johnson Shut Ins around 7:40am. Depending on if you go with a group or not, one person can drop a car off at the Shut Ins and then another person can drive to Taum Sauk to begin the hike or you can catch a ride to TS from JSI from one of the park employees. The ride does cost $50, but we thought that would be easier than bringing two cars.

We got to TS right around 8:30 and began our hike right away. Taum Sauk sits at an 1,772 ft elevation, the highest point in Missouri. It was nice starting here rather than ending here. I don’t think I would have made it up this mountain if we started at JSI. Heading down the mountain the trail is mainly made up of rock. If you have ankle or balance problems, I would recommend bringing walking sticks or breaking in some good hiking boots before going. At the bottom of the mountain is the waterfall. There is a place where you can look at it from the top and from the bottom. There wasn’t too much water flowing from it at the time, but I hear it fills up during the rainy months.

About 30-45 minutes after the waterfall, you will come across the Devil’s Tollgate. It is two volcanic rock formations that the path passes through. Pictures do not do its justice of how cool it was to see this in person. If you are feeling daring too, you can climb to the top. There is a pretty easy path on the other side, you just have to do a little climbing. You’ll notice a stream to the right side of the path. We decided to venture through the trees and check it out. The rocks reminded me of the Johnson Shut Ins and it was fun to just get off the beaten path and explore a bit.

Next started our uphill battle towards Proffit Mountain which had a 1,703 ft elevation. And when I say battle, I mean battle. The picture below was how most of the terrain was going up the mountain. The rocks weren’t this big the whole time, but you can see how rocky it is. I slipped two times during this hike. The first time was going down Taum Sauk and I bruised up my hand and knee pretty good. The other time was during this rocky part and I like to blame these rocks for my hip pain the next day. So take it easy during this part if you’re not a pro.

The minefield we had to walk through multiple times.
Top of Proffit Mountain

The trees were just now starting to change color when we went and to walk through these golden trees with the sunlight coming through made me feel like I was in a Lord of the Rings movie. Most of the time you have to stare at the ground to make sure you don’t twist your ankle, so be sure you take the time to look up every once in a while and snap some good pictures.  Towards the top of the mountain, there are plenty of areas to take pictures and just take the time to really appreciate how beautiful nature is. Since there were many large rocks, we decided to take a break and eat lunch in this area.

After lunch, we ended up on the side of the mountain out in the open. We were able to see the water reservoir, which was pretty neat. During this part, there is an electric fence that runs pretty close to the path so be on the lookout for that. The rest of the trail, once making your way down Proffit Mountain, eased up a bit. It was mostly gravel and dirt, with some occasional bigger rocks. This is where we really started feeling sore and tired. The last 5 miles were the absolute hardest even though the terrain wasn’t as bad.

You can see the water reservoir in the distance.

Once you get to the point in the path where you have to go right or left, GO LEFT. We made the mistake of going right and walked the wrong way and had to walk along the highway to get back to the park. (lol) With that we ended up walking almost an extra mile. And I when I say walk, I mean crawl. We were crawling at the end.

This is a hike I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys hiking. But I think this is a one and done hike for me. It was very challenging, but with good company was a great time. I would suggest going during the fall for a few different reasons: you can see the colors change in the trees, the temperature is cooler so you are not dying, and the bugs were almost non-existent. We did have a couple of ticks fall on us, but non that actually stuck.

Hiking is a great exercise for those who like to switch things up instead of going to the gym. You work multiple muscle groups, the inclines get your heart rate up, and you burn quite a few calories. Taum Sauk and Johnson Shut Ins offer many other trail options as well if you are not up to doing this long one. Many seasoned hikers and campers will actually split this trail up in two days and camp in one of the camping areas offered on the trail. This trail challenged me physically and mentally, but I am so glad we did this year. Mother nature is so beautiful and most of us do not spend enough time in it and appreciating it. I hope everyone is able to enjoy a good hike in their lifetime and if you ever need a hiking buddy, I will gladly accompany you.

If anyone has any questions about this trail and would like to know more, feel free to ask!

 

XOXO

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Miranda Ehrich

Miranda Ehrich

"For what it's worth: It's never too late to be whoever you want to be.

I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start over."

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

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2 years. It has officially been 2 years since my l 2 years. It has officially been 2 years since my last relapse. 2 years of fighting for myself, of advocating for myself, of struggling, of growing and learning. 2 whole years. 

I use to live every single day in fear. I feared the unknown, of what this disease could do to me. I feared for my future, a future that I was still grieving for, a future that could be ripped away from me in a blink of an eye. I feared the prognosis my doctors gave me. I feared the unpredictability of that prognosis. I feared so much and it crippled me. This disease crippled me. 

Many that are close to me know that this hasn’t been an easy journey for me. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. I became severely depressed after my diagnosis and my anxiety raged out of control. It has taken me 15 months to dig myself out of that hole. A hole that was so dark, that I honestly thought I would never see the light again. 

I have been finally starting to feel like myself again and it’s been a breath of fresh air to not be crippled by fear all the time. I have worked so so so so hard to get here. My body is in the best shape it’s been in since high school. I am working on healing from past traumas. I am more independent and self-sufficient than I have been in my entire life. I am me again. The new me. 

I look forward to continuing to grow, heal and become a better version of myself. I have hated my body for being so “weak” and I have finally accepted that my MS is just another part of what makes me, me. I can finally look in the mirror and genuinely say I love who I am. As always, thank you all for your continued support as I navigate these tough waters and thank you to those who never gave up on me, even when I gave up on myself. You know who you are. 💕
I want a love that’s crazy, yeah I want it bad. I want a love that’s crazy, yeah I want it bad. 🎶 🖤
He may be in different colors this year but still He may be in different colors this year but still gotta support my man. LFG 🏈
Women. We can be both soft and powerful at the sam Women. We can be both soft and powerful at the same time. 💕
The best people in life are free. 💕 The best people in life are free. 💕
✨Just having ourselves a magical day. ✨ ✨Just having ourselves a magical day. ✨
Just in case anyone needed a reminder. 😘 Just in case anyone needed a reminder. 😘
Would like to share in my excitement because I can Would like to share in my excitement because I can FINALLY do a headstand. I had started this journey a year ago and gave up after a month of feeling like I wasn’t going anywhere. Well after my workout the other day I thought to myself “I wonder if I can do a headstand now” and I did it on the first try. 😳

I have been working my butt off to get back into shape again and this is a HUGE win for me. Just shows me that what I am doing is actually working. Can’t wait to see what yoga pose I conquer next. 💪🏻
As I reflect on this past year, I am left with a s As I reflect on this past year, I am left with a sort of heaviness and lightness at the same time. This year has brought me to my knees in so many ways but I also haven’t felt this free in a long time. I shed a lot of tears and have laughed until I couldn’t breathe. It was a year of many highs and many lows. 

My chaos started when I had to step away from travel nursing due to covid. It was a hard decision but the right one. I then walked away from the man I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with. And even though we are still amicable with one another now, losing my best friend of 6 and a half years was a difficult adjustment. I intended on just visiting my sister before returning to travel nursing but they convinced to stay in Florida permanently. Best decision of 2020. Moving 1,000 miles across the country spontaneously brought up many challenges and hardships though.

In these many changes, I decided to take a step away from nursing all together. I do miss the NICU but bedside nursing was taking a toll on my mental and physical health. I might eventually return to nursing but for now I am enjoying a change of scenery. 

It was also a year of more bad news from my doctors. Just another reminder that my body is constantly working against me and everything I do, can impact a “normal” future. I also got sick with COVID. And even though I had a more mild form (I am EXTREMELY fortunate), it still took me a few weeks to get back to baseline. 

I look back on this past year with a full heart because I survived. I survived one of the hardest years I have ever lived. I went through many major life changes and still was able to find genuine happiness. 

Last year I started coming up with a word of the year to inspire and motivate me. For 2021, I have chosen GROWTH. I want this to be a year I continue to grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. I want to put myself first and really find what drives me and makes me happy. And most of all, I want to fall in love with myself again because I have spent many years hating who I am and have been searching for love in all the wrong places.

So peace out 2020, you will not be missed. ✌🏻
Merry Christmas from my 2 favorite humans and myse Merry Christmas from my 2 favorite humans and myself. Hope everyone had a wonderful and enjoyable day. 💕

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