Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area: hunting and access
Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area is 282 acres of MDC land in Maries County, 7 miles from Dixon. MDC lists deer hunting here (muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 2,204 deer in Maries County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MDC's conservation area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: MDC deer harvest summaries, 2021 to 2025.
MDC conservation areasRinquelin Trail Lake Conservation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 282 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Maries County |
| Deer harvest unit | Maries County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit and Squirrel |
| MDC area number | 8233 |
| MDC region | Central |
| Camping (MDC) | designated camping sites |
| Nearest towns | Dixon (7 mi), Iberia (7 mi) and Crocker (11 mi) |
What is Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area like?
The 286 acres comprising Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area were acquired by the Conservation Department through five separate transactions between 1982 and 1990.
The area is named after an Indian trail that passed through Vienna and connected the Gasconade and Osage rivers. Some early maps named the trail The Rinquelin Trail to the mouth of the Osage River. The area features a 29-acre lake with a boat ramp, fishing jetties and a double-pit privy all accessible to people with disabilities. The lake has three parking lots, accommodating a total of 26 vehicles. Wildlife habitat management on the area includes disturbing old fields, planting native grasses and conducting forest management.
In MDC's words, from the Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area page.
What can you hunt on Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area?
MDC's page for Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area lists: Deer: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel.
What are the rules on Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area?
MDC's standard conservation area rules (Chapter 11 of the Wildlife Code) apply; the area's rules on MDC's site list any it adds.
How many deer are taken around Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area?
Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area lies in Maries County. Hunters checked 2,204 deer in Maries County in 2025, against 1,910 in 2024.
| County | Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maries County | 282 | 2,204 | 1,910 | 2,391 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area?
MDC's directions: From Vienna, take Highway 42 west, then Highway 133 south to Route DD, then west to County Road 631, then south to County Road 630, then east to area entrance.
Nearest towns: Dixon (7 miles), Iberia (7 miles), Crocker (11 miles) and Vienna (13 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 133 and MO 42.
What other public land is near Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Brays Access: 29 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Madden Ford Access: 158 acres, 7.9 miles away
- Clifty Creek Conservation Area: 250 acres, 9.1 miles away
- Clifty Creek Natural Area: 237 acres, 9.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area
Counting Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area itself, 282 of the 24,517 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 282 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area?
In Maries County, 7 miles from Dixon.
Can you deer hunt on Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: muzzleloader and archery, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area?
282 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Brays Access (5.1 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Rinquelin Trail Lake Conservation Area; MDC conservation area boundaries.
- Boundary and acres: MDC's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and MDC conservation area boundaries.
- Deer harvest: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
FilledTag is not part of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Check MDC's rules and posted signs before you go.