Pirate's Cove Boulders

The area is access sensitive!

🔴 This area is water level dependent. It is only climbable from late fall through early spring (except the Shuttle Service and Ropes Are Silly boulders). Most boulders are out by late October, all are climbable by December 1st and the lake begins to refill on April 1st. At 1620' half the boulders are climbable.
https://www.lrh-wc.usace.army.mil/wm/?basin/kan/sug

Driving Directions:
From Fayetteville: Turn right and drive on US-19 N for 20 miles, crossing over 2 bridges (the NRG bridge and the Meadow River Gorge bridge), then through 2 stoplights, and over one more bridge over the lake. Take your 1st right onto Farmhouse Lane after the 3rd bridge, and another immediate right into the new state park. Follow the gravel road to the right to the parking lot.

Hiking:
From the parking area, locate the sign toward Pirate's Cove. Follow the hilly road, ignoring turns with 'Keep Out' signs. The road comes around a hill and descends to a drainage (this creek creates the Pirates Cove waterfall). Just before the drainage there is a fork.
-For the Bunker Boulder, Over Under Boulder and Coxsackie through Treasure Island Boulders stay to the right/straight and follow this trail past the drainage as it narrows to single track, hopping over a couple logs across the trail. You will reach a lookout giving you a view of Pirate's Cove. Follow the trail around right and soon there will be a washout on the edge of the lake bed allowing you to drop into the lake. The back of the Bunker Boulder is visible down to your right. Follow the cliff line to the right (towards the giant bridge) for the Over Under Boulder or head to your left as the cliff rises and you descend for the remaining boulders. ❄️This is the safer approach to ALL the boulders during sub-freezing weather due to heavy ice formation on the left fork trail.
-For best access to the When In Rome through the Aquatic Wasp Boulders (farthest boulder of this area), cut left down the smaller trail just before the drainage and cross the creek. Walk up the rocky road and after the road veers slightly left, follow the right fork into the woods. The next important fork is marked on the overview map in this app as "Trail Marker" pin (see images), take a right on the narrow trail to head downhill to the creek. Cross the drainage then head down the staircase next to the waterfall. You will be at the DC Memorial Boulder (these are routes despite the name). Continue on the trail out towards the edge of the lake. This wraps around left, passing the Trailside Boulder, then hits a corner in the cliff line (Under the Milky Way). About 50' past the corner of the cliff line, take a social trail on the right down to the lake bed, you will be at the back of the Madagascar Penguins Boulder. The trail is new but has a steep section. There is a scramble down into the lakebed for the near half of the lines and tiny creek crossing, a rocky, uneven road, and staircase for the far half. The lakebed is rocky and scrambley and has no trail. Total hiking time: 20-30 minutes.