Next, and even further north was the Painted Rock Conservation Area with a 1.6 mile loop that features views from atop a 140 bluff above the Osage River.  There is apparently evidence of habitation going back 9000 years, including a more recent burial cairn and some very old animal paintings on the bluffs (not visible from the trail).

Looking north (downriver)

Looking south along Osage Bend

This place has some primitive camp sites and is only 7 miles from US-63 so I’ve had the idea of using it as an overnight stop on excursions to SE Missouri.  I could leave KC Thursday evening and sleep here instead of leaving Friday morning, for example.  I’m always looking for ways to squeeze a little more trail time into the trips.

By about 12:30 I was headed north to Jefferson City and then west on US-50 with a stop in Sedalia for lunch at Kehde’s Barbeque.