By Brian Thompson, Ozark Society President
Jodie Been, from Hackett, is a January winner of the Ozark Society Sassafras Hiking Award. The award requires hikers to complete the Ozark Highland’s Trail, the Ouachita Trail, the Ozark Trail in Missouri, and the Buffalo River Trail, for a grand total of roughly 700+ miles.
Interestingly, Jodie has also completed the Appalachian Trail. She started hiking it with her husband during Covid, learning that she loved the hiking part (more so than her husband) but didn’t care so much for the camping. As a result, she tackled the AT over the course of three years, supported by her husband, staying in lodging when possible. Her second year was cut short when she realized after some three days in the Smokies, that she’d somehow fractured her leg.
Regarding her worst day on the Arkansas trails, she can’t really pinpoint just one, but noted that hiking can be sort of a “bipolar” activity, in that you can start out enjoying a beautiful and glorious morning and end the day in miserable weather.
She notes that the Ozark Trail felt the easiest, followed by the Ouachita, with the Highlands trail trending the most difficult. She recounted one particular day on the Highlands Trail with her husband, not far from Richland Creek, where there were twenty or so wild pigs, all sizes, all running away from her (fortunately). That left an impression.
Jodie volunteers her time doing trail maintenance for the Ozark Highland’s Trail Association, and also for Friends of the Ouachita Trail. Thanks for your service and your stories Jodie. Good hiking!
