Trail Overview
Big Buck FS 2526 is a natural terrain dirt road within the Potosi Unit of Mark Twain National Forest. The road is placed on the upper ridge in between the valleys of the Courtios Creek to the east and Indian Creek to the west. The road slowly tracks downhill, riding the spines of the ridge, traversing natural coarse gravel, small mudholes, tight trees, mild erosion ruts, and potential for surface mud when the fine, powdery dirt mixes with rainwater. At the end of the road, where the Forest boundary meets private property, there are purple-painted marks on trees with a tight 3-point turn around. This is where users must turn around and head back out the way they entered.
Difficulty
Big Buck is given a base rating of 2/10, having a consistent coarse gravel and dirt base, with 6-12 inch erosion ruts and small mud holes, with cobble-sized (10" or less) natural rock in the pathway, with potential deeper water collection spots, and surface mud throughout when in wet conditions. It is also safe to expect the normal gravel road complications, such as washboards, potholes, and mounding of chat-size rock in the gravel-like sections. Difficulty could increase in seasons of extreme inclement weather, lack of maintenance, and heavy use, but could also drop in difficulty if it were to be mended. Due to tight trees and the narrow 3-point turnaround, the road is not recommended to be run by full-size vehicles, though it is not impossible.
