Horse Spring–Lone Elk Reservoir, 8 sights is an 11.7-mile out-and-back in Castlewood State Park near Ranken, MO. The route passes Losing Stream Viewpoint, Horse Spring and Lone Elk Reservoir before reaching Sherman Beach Park at the turnaround, 5.8 miles in. It climbs 606 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 43/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi404 – 617 ft · steepest grade: 15%12.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Losing Stream Trail 38.52740, -90.51499
Nearest town Ranken, MO
Directions
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Horse Spring–Lone Elk Reservoir, 8 sights
11.7 mi · ▲ 606 ft · 4 hr 12 min
Elevation 405–616 ft
Out & Back · Castlewood State Park
Trailhead: Losing Stream Trail · 38.52740, -90.51499
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:49 AM · sunset 7:04 PM
Toilets at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto Losing Stream Trail, heading SW.
- 250 ftPass Losing Stream Viewpoint.
- 450 ftBear right onto Dogwood Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Gray Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Dogwood Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 200 ftBear left onto Yellow Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miPass Horse Spring.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 1.2 miContinue straight onto Chubb Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miPass Lone Elk Reservoir.
- 2.6 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miPass Sherman Beach Park.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Prairie Loop, heading W.
- 50 ftReach Horse Spring, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Chubb Trail, heading NE.
- 4.2 miTurn left onto Antire Road, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Dogwood Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Gray Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Dogwood Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Losing Stream Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
78% dirt4% grass2% paved16% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:49 AMSunset 7:04 PM
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
More from Losing Stream Trail Trailhead
- Horse Spring–Lone Elk Reservoir, 6 sights 15.6 mi · ▲ 1,255 ft
- Horse Spring–Dogwood Ridge Trail, 4 sights 2.1 mi · ▲ 206 ft
- Losing Stream Viewpoint–Blue Trail, 5 sights 2.8 mi · ▲ 284 ft
- Blue Trail–Dogwood Ridge Trail, 5 sights 3.4 mi · ▲ 325 ft
- Blue Trail–Dogwood Ridge Trail, 6 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 393 ft
- Main Spring–Losing Stream Viewpoint Loop, 6 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 176 ft
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Hikes near Ranken, Missouri