Loess Bluff Trail
- 0.8 mi
- round trip
- 428 ft
- climb
- 1,107 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Loess Bluff Trail is a short, easy hike on Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The trail is about 0.8 miles long and is an out-and-back route, with the high point at about 1,107 feet and the low at about 903 feet. The climb is gentle overall, with a total gain of about 428 feet for the round trip, and the steepest stretch comes at about half a mile in, with a grade of about 18%. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Oregon, Missouri, show May highs around 74°F and October highs around 66°F, while July averages about 87°F. The Munkres Homestead Trail and the Callow Trail both start about 0.1 mile away. Paddlers can reach the Old Channel Tarkio River, about 7 miles off.
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Picnic AreaHiking · ~1h 22m drivePhoto: Dave Williss, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Trail AHiking · ~26 min drive
Sunset RidgeHiking · ~1h 22m drivePhoto: christinejwarner, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Trail BHiking · ~26 min drive
ValleyHiking · ~1h 23m drivePhoto: Dave Williss, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
RidgeHiking · ~1h 23m drivePhoto: Dave Williss, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- BridgeHiking · ~1h 23m drivePhoto: Dave Williss, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Pine RidgeHiking · ~1h 23m drivePhoto: Dave Williss, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Horse Thief Hollow LoopHiking · ~1h 24m drivePhoto: Dave Williss, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- RedtailHiking · ~1h 24m drivePhoto: Dave Williss, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Best time to visit Loess Bluff Trail
Best months: April–June and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
35° / 16°
Feb
40° / 20°
Mar
53° / 31°
Apr
63° / 42°
May
74° / 53°
Jun
83° / 63°
Jul
87° / 67°
Aug
86° / 65°
Sep
78° / 56°
Oct
66° / 44°
Nov
51° / 31°
Dec
39° / 21°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Oregon, MO, 7.5 mi away at 1,058 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
