Panther Den Loop
- 0.4 mi
- round trip
- 112 ft
- climb
- 804 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Panther Den Loop is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Missouri, about 3.3 miles from the town of Hickory Creek. The route is roughly 0.78 miles long, with a total elevation gain of about 10 feet, so it's a gentle walk that works well as a quick stop. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the Trenton weather station, about 10 miles away, put May highs near 75°F and October highs near 67°F, while July highs average about 89°F. The trail is open to both horses and bikes. Panther Den Trail and Fusty's Ridge Trail both lie about 0.3 miles away, and Wind Pump Holler Trail is about 0.6 miles off. For paddling, Gees Creek is about 1.9 miles away.
- Fusty's Ridge TrailHiking0.3 mi
- Panther Den TrailHiking0.3 mi
- Wind Pump Holler TrailHiking0.6 mi
- Coy Creek TrailHiking0.8 mi
- Bunker Hill Spur TrailHiking0.9 mi
- Gees CreekCanoeing1.9 mi
- Hickory CreekCanoeing4 mi
- Honey CreekCanoeing6.7 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Fusty's Ridge TrailHiking · Next door
- Panther Den TrailHiking · Next door
- Green Hills TrailHiking · ~7 min drive
- Wind Pump Holler TrailHiking · Next door
- Coy Creek TrailHiking · ~1 min drive
- Bunker Hill Spur TrailHiking · ~2 min drive
- Bluebeard TrailHiking · ~2 min drive
- Bunker Hill TrailsHiking · ~2 min drive
- Lost Forty TrailHiking · ~2 min drive
- Coal Mine Holler TrailHiking · ~2 min drive
Best time to visit Panther Den Loop
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°
6 wet · 3 snow
Feb
40° / 20°
7 wet · 3 snow
Mar
52° / 30°
9 wet · 1 snow
Apr
64° / 41°
11 wet
May
75° / 53°
12 wet
Jun
85° / 63°
10 wet
Jul
89° / 67°
8 wet
Aug
87° / 64°
9 wet
Sep
79° / 55°
8 wet
Oct
67° / 43°
8 wet
Nov
52° / 31°
6 wet · 1 snow
Dec
40° / 21°
6 wet · 3 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Trenton, MO, 10 mi away at 837 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
