Cuivre River State Park

Shady Eighty Ranch Lake–Big Sugar Creek Trail, 3 sights

5.7 mi · ▲ 490 ft · 2 hr 9 min

Shady Eighty Ranch Lake–Big Sugar Creek Trail, 3 sights is a 5.7-mile out-and-back in Cuivre River State Park near Brussells, MO. The route reaches Shady Eighty Ranch Lake at the turnaround, 2.8 miles in. It climbs 490 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 64/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi584 – 709 ft5.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Big Sugar Creek 39.04505, -90.92703
Nearest town Brussells, MO

Directions

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Shady Eighty Ranch Lake–Big Sugar Creek Trail, 3 sights

5.7 mi · ▲ 490 ft · 2 hr 9 min

Elevation 585–709 ft

Out & Back · Cuivre River State Park

Trailhead: Big Sugar Creek · 39.04505, -90.92703

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:50 AM · sunset 7:06 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Cuivre River Trail - North Loop, heading SW.
  2. 150 ftTurn right onto Big Sugar Creek Trail, heading NW.
  3. 0.6 miContinue straight onto White Connector 6, heading NE.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right onto Lone Spring Trail, heading NE.
  5. 1.5 miContinue straight onto Lake Trail, heading NW.
  6. 0.5 miReach Shady Eighty Ranch Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Lone Spring Trail, heading S.
  8. 1.5 miTurn left onto White Connector 6, heading SW.
  9. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Big Sugar Creek Trail, heading SW.
  10. 0.6 miTurn left onto Cuivre River Trail - North Loop, heading E.
  11. 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

100% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:50 AMSunset 7:06 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.9 mi in (~52 min). Leave by 5:54 PM for the 7:06 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:13 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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