The nice thing about this trail is that it keeps you close to East Eagle Creek, so you can hear the rushing waters the entire way. There are several narrow channels and falls on the creek and the many tributaries that you cross on the trail. It is a visually stunning walk directly into the heart of the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
The trail is mostly mellow as it ascends in the glacial valley, but the footing is very rocky. The trail takes a rather direct route, with only a few diversions. You have to ford all of the creeks as there are no footbridges. Most are minor late in the summer. You will also cross several avalanche paths. The visuals of Jackson Peak, Glacier Peak, and Eagle Cap are amazing, as they rise up high above the trail.
The trailhead is kind of confusing and odd. On the drive up you go past the location where Paint Your Wagon was filmed, where if you listen closely you can still hear Clint Eastwood breaking into song. As you near the end of the road, there is a confusing trailhead sign for Kettle Creek, but you want to go past that and go through some rough spots on the road until it does a loop. This is the trailhead and camping area, even though you can drive a bit more down the road where it gets really rough and enters the creek bed. This is more of a road for the miners and private land owners farther up. Most people will want to park at the loop and then hike the road and look for the singletrack to start on the right at a mostly discrete and unmarked entrance.
Notes
- 0.0 mi. Start from the loop near the end of the road, and continue down the road toward the creek. This is a rocky high clearance road on the floodplains and mining ravaged bed of the creek.
- 0.3 Look for the real trail to head off to the right up an embankment in the trees.
- 6.7 Intersection with Hidden Lake Trail. There is a rock pile and post but no sign. It is a mostly obvious trail intersection.
- -.- More to come later
