Cuivre River State Park, State park in Lincoln County, Missouri.
Cuivre River State Park is a Missouri state park in Lincoln County, in the northeastern part of the state, set across limestone bluffs, native grasslands, savannas, and forested hills. Lake Lincoln sits at the heart of the grounds and offers swimming, boating, and fishing, while a network of trails winds through the terrain for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding.
The park was built in the 1930s through a federal work program, with the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Project Administration constructing roads, bridges, group camps, and picnic areas. Their work turned what had been open land into a public recreation area that remains in use today.
Camp Sherwood Forest and the Administrative Area are two historic districts where original buildings from the 1930s are still standing and open to view. Walking through these areas gives a clear sense of how the park looked and functioned in its earliest years.
The park is open year-round, but spring through fall tends to offer the most comfortable conditions for walking the trails. No matter the season, sturdy footwear and enough water for the day are worth bringing along before heading out.
Within the park there are three separate natural areas, each set aside to protect a different type of habitat: Lincoln Hills Natural Area, Big Sugar Creek Wild Area, and Northwoods Wild Area. Moving between them, visitors can experience landscapes that rarely appear so close to one another anywhere else in the region.
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