Trail Overview
Harmon Ridge (FS 3712) is a natural gravel and dirt Forest Service road within the Poplar Bluff Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. Harmon Ridge starts going west off County Road 414, heading into the dense forest just south of private property lines, going downhill into a small valley with the road crossing two water runoffs, creating active erosion that leaves behind rutted terrain, made up of coarse gravel, loose cobbles, natural rock poking out at the surface, and potential surface mud. The road in the far west climbs uphill, passing a hiking path to a hidden pond on the south side of the road, after which the track continues climbing to its highest elevation and end point at a small opening, the sanctioned end of the MVUM road. Here, users must turn around and head back out the way they entered.
Difficulty
Harmon Ridge is given a base rating of 2/10, for having an eroded water runoff at the midway, as well as the generally short natural rock poking out at the surface, mild erosion ruts, coarse natural gravel, and loose 6-10" cobbles, on the hill portion of the track, and potential small surface mud sections on the flat section of the road. It is also safe to expect all the gravel road complications, such as potholes, washboarding, and mounding of the gravel. Difficulty can increase in times of wet conditions, rainy seasons, and through a lack of maintenance or heavy use.
