Trail Overview
Indian Narrows (FS 426) is a semi-maintained gravel Forest Service road within the Willow Springs Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. Indian Narrows begins at the Missouri Route AM along the ridge top, heading south, slowly losing elevation at first, then gradually getting steeper in grade to the point it meets the bottoms, hosting an access point to an old wildlife range to the east, shortly followed by the crossing of a small feeder branch of the Middle Indian Creek. This is the point where the road makes a redirection, turning north as it also begins to climb back uphill to peak at a wide switchback, marking the final redirection of the trail heading west. The trail then goes downhill to cross the second valley of the track, to climb the final grade to the final ridge top section of the road, overlooking a flat section of the track with widespread views of the forest. The track concludes on this ridge top section, crossing county lines from Howell into Douglas, before shortly ending at a three-point turnaround at the MVUM-sanctioned endpoint, where users must turn around and head back out the way they entered.
Difficulty
The Indian Narrows is given a 2/10 for having a small splash level water crossing at the feeder branch of the Middle Indian Creek, as well as the mild grade hills of the road having mild erosion, with small water collection spots throughout, and surface mud where the gravel surface has faded to dirt, it is also safe to expect all the normal gravel road complications, such as potholes, washboarding, and mounding of the gravel. Difficulty could increase in wet or inclement conditions, through heavy use, and a lack of maintenance.
History
On the weekend of March 21st, 2026, OnX Offroad partnered with local organizations, Rallye In The Ozarks, Heartland Trail Trash, and Critter's Clean Up and Cruise, to host an OnX Offroad Trail Revival Project, to remove 3 large illegal tire dumps, and conduct an additional litter pick-up. The results were impressive, yielding 348 tires and 3000lbs of trash (including an ice chest, 4 couches, and a variety of small litter) being removed from the Mark Twain National Forest in that singular day. Indian Narrows yielded a collection of litter as well as 2 large illegally dumped items, including an ice chest and a burn barrel along its track. Documented by Christopher Menz in 4/2026
