Paddy Creek Wilderness
Paddy Creek Wilderness is a 7,040-acre wilderness area in Texas County, Missouri. It rises from about 902 to 1,433 ft. The nearest town is Plato, 5.3 miles away in a straight line.
Paddy Creek Wilderness map
Paddy Creek Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
Common questions
- The maximum group size at Paddy Creek Wilderness is 10.
- Campfires are prohibited in some areas: Prohibited within 100 feet of listed features.
- Plato, MO is the nearest town, 5.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Paddy Creek Wilderness is about 1,433 ft, and its lowest about 902 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model).
Who manages Paddy Creek Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 7,040 | Not on record | 10 | Not on record | Houston Ranger District, 417-967-4194 |
Getting to Paddy Creek Wilderness
- Plato, MO is the nearest town, 5.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
Trailheads at Paddy Creek Wilderness
- Bald Ridge Trailhead (0.04 mi outside the boundary, 1,236 ft), at 37.5649, -92.0806
- Paddy Creek Trailhead (0.06 mi outside the boundary, 932 ft), at 37.5583, -92.0472
- Roby Lake (0.22 mi outside the boundary, 1,274 ft), at 37.5231, -92.1247
- Big Piney Trail Equestrian Camp Trailhead (0.62 mi outside the boundary, 1,196 ft), at 37.5660, -92.0445 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Slabtown Bluff Trail (0.81 mi outside the boundary, 878 ft), at 37.5610, -92.0322 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-30. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Trailheads mapped on OpenStreetMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License , accessed 2026-09-30. The extract used here, with distances from the boundary: osm-trailheads-mo.json. Where an agency layer lists the same trailhead, the agency's point is shown instead.
Public lands next to Paddy Creek Wilderness
- National forestPaddy Creek Wilderness lies inside Mark Twain National Forest.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Missouri
- wilderness.net (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- apps.fs.usda.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- openstreetmap.org (accessed 2026-09-30)