Places to Go: Little Lost Creek CA

Little Lost Creek Conservation Area

Trails, terrain, and drumming grouse

Combine multiuse trails, challenging terrain, and a chance to hear the drumming of history, and you have a visit to Little Lost Creek Conservation Area (CA).

Little Lost Creek CA’s 6.5 miles of multiuse trail is open to hiking year-round and to horseback riding and biking most of the year, said Little Lost Creek CA Manager Jeff Bakameyer.

“It’s just during the spring turkey seasons and all portions of the fall firearms deer season when you’re not supposed to ride horses on it or bicycle,” Bakameyer said.

The trail runs primarily along ridgelines, but when it drops off the ridges towards the area’s namesake creek, it can be a challenge, he said.

“Little Lost Creek goes through some very, very rugged terrain,” he said. “It’s really cool terrain, but I mean it is some of the steepest, most rugged terrain probably in the state.”

Little Lost Creek CA was one of the areas that received ruffed grouse during the recent ruffed grouse restoration project, and their mating call — known as “drumming” — can be heard in the spring.

“You have a legitimate chance, if you’re on Little Lost Creek during the turkey season time of year, of hearing drumming ruffed grouse on the area,” he said.