The trail is well groomed and slowly descends down into the Long Creek valley. There is little that is technical about the trail. Long Creek is 2.8 miles from the trail head and puts you as close to the falls as any direct trail without having to hike the more challenging direct trail from the Tower to Long Creek, which has a long steep climb/descent.
Blair Ridge offers spectacular vistas of many of the unique features and knobs in Hercules Glades. There are a few spots on the trail that open into small grassland areas with conifers that open up the ridge for some spectacular views.
Blair Ridge is accessed by driving south of the lookout tower access on Missouri 125 to the first road on your right after passing the main access to the glades. You will drive a couple miles past the Blair Cemetery until you notice the trail head, which is a large wooden board with details about the area. There are small parking areas across the road.
For a more challenging hike, Blair Ridge offers total access to all the other trails, but you want to make sure you stop at the lookout tower area if you are unfamiliar with the area. The trail head offers no maps of the area like the other areas do. There is also no sign in area like their is at the lookout tower and the Coy Bald access. You may want to stop at the lookout tower and sign in to in case of an emergency. It helps rangers know where to look for you.
I hiked from Blair Ridge to the most challenging mile in Hercules Glades, the Tower Trail, which features a long steep climb onto the ridge where the lookout tower sits. It will definitely test your fitness. From the lookout tower I took the main east to west trail and then took the first trail south into the Long Creek Valley. This trail also provides amazing views, including giving you some idea of what the hike up to the tower looks like. The following is a video of the view from that trail:
