A wide-open Ozarks trail that feels almost Californian

Most Ozarks trails reward you for slowing down; watching your footing, noticing fallen branches and birdsong, and letting the woods close in around you. That kind of walk has its place. But every now and then, I crave the opposite: a trail where my eyes can travel farther than my feet, where the sky feels like part of the experience.

Two Rivers Bike Trail, just south of Nixa, offers that rare sense of openness. The kind I miss from our hikes in San Diego County, where sun is rarely obstructed by green canopies. The terrain at Two Rivers rolls gently, the paths stretch out ahead of you, and the purplish treeline in the far distance gives you a sense of real depth.

Despite the name, Two Rivers isn’t just for cyclists.

The trail system is managed by the same group behind the popular bike trails at Fellows Lake, and they estimate that roughly 40% of visitors experience it on foot. For families and walkers looking for something a little different from the Ozarks norm, it’s a great spot to spend an afternoon.

With little ones, don’t expect to trek far if they’re on their own two feet. But that’s OK, as there’s plenty to see and do right near the parking lot.

My son enjoyed walking up and down the wooden ramps in the practice area adjacent to the parking lot. Nextdoor, there’s a covered pavilion with picnic tables, as well as Adirondack chairs and firepits in the lawn. Just beyond the firepits is an epic hill for rolling down, or resting to ponder the sky.

In the main red building, there are private, well-maintained bathrooms.

Stop at the map in the parking lot and snap a photo — you’ll want it. We found the trail system a little confusing, as the posted signs didn’t always line up with the map’s trail names. Instead of relying on signage, we used the river and the barn as landmarks and followed the map lines themselves.

We packed our picnic into backpacks and headed toward the Scout Trail in search of the river. Reaching it required a brief off-trail detour, which eventually led us back to a sunny open patch, a perfect spot to stop and eat.