Busiek State Park Comes Alive After Devastating New Year's Eve Storms Hit Southwest Missouri

New Year's Eve morning brought a series of heavy storms that hit Southwest Missouri and Northern Arkansas. In parts of Southwest Missouri, nearly three inches of rain fell in a very short period of time. Not realizing just how much rain fell in that short time, I ventured to Busiek to hike the white, red, and purple trails on the western side of the state forest.

I quickly realized after I hit the trail, my new waterproof Red Head hiking boots I bought at Bass Pro were quickly going to be put to the ultimate test. Of course they failed, but for good reason.

The intense storms were fueled by unusually high temperatures. When I began hiking yesterday, the temperature was 65 degrees on the final day of the year. I put on shorts and a Missouri State University sweatshirt and packed a couple bottles of water in a pack because of the humidity.

It didn't take long to encounter flooded trails. In fact, most of the trails became temporary water ways for the water collecting and rolling off the old mountains now called knobs. The boots did just find here, but all this water has to go somewhere, which meant four stream crossings in creek beds that were dry as the desert just two days before when I hiked the purple trail.

The boots obviously lost, but the water was warm since it was fresh rain water and it was 65 degrees so Kayleigh and I carried on across the first crossing to head up the first knob on the white trail. It really was a unique hike for the end of December.

Busiek had come to life with the sound of water rushing in its valleys and down its trails. For those who took a chance, the hike and for a couple mountain bikers on single speed mountain bikes pedaling up those steep, rocky hills (impressive!) the day was rewarding. As for Kayleigh, she never missed a chance to swim until I needed her to jump in to remove all the mud she gathered on your dark yellow coat.