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Description
The 205-acre Little Dixie Lake was created through the damming of Owl Creek. The Little Dixie Lake Conservation Area is about 733 acres. The area's oak-hickory forests have heavy undergrowth, and once-open pastures have reverted to various stages of old-field and young forest habitat. Stands of warm-season grasses and other prairie plants are managed by periodic prescribed burns and haying.
Late fall and winter can be good for waterfowl until the lake freezes. Cackling Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose and Snow Goose have all been recorded, as well as at least 22 species of ducks. Unusual sightings include Common Loon, Eared Grebe and Horned Grebe. A good variety of songbirds may be found in migration and during nesting season. Along the trails you can find woodpeckers, vireos, wrens, thrushes, and 33 species of warblers. There is a good variety of wintering sparrows.
Between April and August, Henslow's Sparrow, one of North America’s most elusive grassland specialists, has been recorded in the northeast part of the area. These sparrows favor overgrown fields with dense herbaceous cover - precisely the kind of habitat maintained around the lake’s prairie restoration zones. But it is hard to find them as the bird is notoriously secretive and often stays low in the grass.
Other birds that can be spotted more easily include Osprey, Bald Eagle, Summer Tanager, Dickcissel, Eastern Meadowlark, Orchard Oriole and Double-crested Cormorant.
Details
Access
Little Dixie Lake Conservation Area is located in Callaway County, ten miles west of Kingdom City. From Kingdom City, take I-70 west 10 miles, take the Route J exit south to Route RA. The main Little Dixie Lake CA parking area is off Route RA at the junction with Route J in Millersburg. Little Dixie Lake has 3 parking areas (southwest, west and southeast portions of the lake) that provide excellent views of the lake and easy access to trails. And there is a separate small parking in the north. Press P on the map for directions to a parking.
Little Dixie Lake Conservation Area is open to the public year‑round with no entry fee. Facilities and features include a boat ramp, boat dock, picnic area and toilets (3 privies at the lakeside parking lots).
There are several walking trails to explore the area. Boundary Trail (6 miles), is accessed from all parking areas, it follows the area’s boundary, encircling the area, with occasional loops toward the interior. Shoreline Trail (4.5 miles), is accessed from the 3 lakeside parking lots, extends for varying distances and connects in several places with the Boundary Trail. Dixie Woods Nature Trail winds gently through woods and a small glade (4 mile paved, is accessed from the southeast lakeside parking lot and has rest pull-offs for wheelchairs). Note that the trails can be very muddy in early spring.