Mark Twain National Forest Announces Paddy Creek Closure and Crane Lake Dam Work
Paddy Creek Recreation Area and nearby trails will close for more than a year while a creek bank is restabilized, and Crane Lake access is limited during dam repairs.
Mark Twain National Forest closuresPart of a story we are following · 1 article · See every update
The Mark Twain National Forest will close Paddy Creek Recreation Area and several nearby trails from Dec. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027, while a creek bank is restabilized, according to the U.S. Forest Service’s alerts page.
The closure covers:
- Paddy Creek Recreation Area
- National Forest System Road 211
- Big Piney Trailhead Spur Trail (Trail 03-016-D)
- Paddy Creek Trail Loop (Trail 03-016-C)
- A section of the Big Piney Trail (Trail 03-016-A)
The alert’s headline refers to a bridge replacement at Paddy Creek. The alert’s text describes restabilizing a creek bank and does not describe the bridge work in detail.
Crane Lake has a separate alert. Work to repair the Crane Lake Dam will greatly limit access to the lake for the next several weeks, the page says. Closures will happen as needed for public safety. Visitors are asked not to park where heavy equipment will pass. The page does not give start or end dates for the Crane Lake work.
The alerts page, as read on Nov. 5, 2026, shows no publication date. The Forest Service may update or remove these alerts, so check the page before a trip. Other current alerts on the page include a closure of Trail 119 in the Chadwick Motorized Trail System, delays on Forest Road 557 near the Cobb Ridge Campground, and a temporary closure of Beaver Lake for dam repair. This story does not cover them.
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Questions and answers
- When will Paddy Creek Recreation Area be closed?
- Paddy Creek Recreation Area and nearby trails are scheduled to close from Dec. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027, while a creek bank is restabilized, according to the U.S. Forest Service's alerts page for the Mark Twain National Forest.
- Is Crane Lake closed for dam repairs?
- Access is greatly limited, not fully closed. Work to repair the Crane Lake Dam limits access for the next several weeks, and closures happen as needed for public safety, according to the Forest Service's alerts page. The page does not give dates for the work.