Paddy Creek Wilderness
Paddy Creek Wilderness was first logged in the early 1800s by Sylvester Paddy and later homesteaded and used as open range until the 1930s. This Wilderness is shaped by Big Paddy and Little Paddy Creeks, which flow through steep cliffs and rocky outcroppings before joining the Big Piney River near the eastern boundary. Unique karst features like caves and rock formations highlight the area's Ozark Highlands topography. The creeks run most of the year, lined by forests of black, white, and post oaks, hickories, and shortleaf pine Wildlife typical of the Missouri Ozarks, including deer, wild turkeys, foxes, and bobcats, is abundant. Eighteen miles of minimally marked trails cross the wilderness, so maps and a compass are recommended.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Missouri |
| Size | 7,040 acres |
| Designated | 1983, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.54° N, 92.08° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
4 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 21 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Paddy Creek-Big Piney Trail ↗ | 15.9 | |
| Paddy Creek-Big Piney Spur | 2 | |
| Paddy Creek-Bald Ridge Spur | 1.5 | |
| Paddy Creek-Paddy Creek Trail | 1.1 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.4 miBates-Geers House ↗Plato, MO
- 13.5 miHouston High School ↗Houston, MO
- 14 miHouston Ranger Station Historic District ↗Houston, MO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Missouri and hiking across the country
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Paddy Creek Wilderness?
7,040 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Paddy Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Paddy Creek Wilderness in?
Missouri.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Paddy Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1983.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Paddy Creek Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Paddy Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.535° N, 92.078° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Paddy Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Bates-Geers House and Houston High School.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.