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Backpacking Trips in The Trinity Alps Buy the books: Trinity Alps, A Hiking and Backpacking Guide Wilderness Press Trinity Alps Companion AlpenBooks North Fork Trinity to Papoose Lake Detailed trail guide Description: The trail is relatively level up the wild North Fork Trinity River and in the lower reaches. There are many campsites for a family first trips and plenty of side trails to choose levels of difficulty. Up Rattlesnake Creek you pass stacks and stacks of mining rock piles. Finally the climb is cross country to an alpine lake of great beauty. Difficulty: The last mile is strenuous. Starting Elevation: 3,500 ft. High Elevation: 6,600 ft. When: May to October. Useage: Light to moderate. Maps: Topographic: Mt. Hilton, Thurston Peaks. Directions to Trailhead: Turnoff Highway 299 at Helena. Take paved road up E. Fork 27 miles to Hobo Gulch trailhead 14 miles. North Fork Trinity to Grizzly Lake Detailed trail guide Description: A premier destination in the wilderness. Using the China Creek trailhead from the Salmon River cuts the mileage down trading it for a hard steep climb over the Salmon Crest, down into Grizzly Creek and then radically up again to the lake. By contrast, the trail starting from Hobo Gulch goes gently along the North Fork valley bottom, with few long views until 14.4 miles along! Difficulty: Easy--along N. Fork to strenuous last mile to Grizzly Lake. Time Needed: 3-7 days (Jorstad 40 years) Distance: 17.5 miles one way Starting Elevation: 3,500 ft. High Elevation: 7,100 ft., Grizzly Lake When: Snowfields into July are not unusual. Useage: Moderate. Maps: Topographic: Grizzly Lake: Thurston Peak, Cecil Lake and Thompson Peak. Directions to Trailhead: Turnoff Highway 299 at Helena. Take paved road up E. Fork 2.7 miles to Hobo Gulch trailhead Road 14 miles. New River Divide Loop Detailed trail guide Description: One mile from the Hobo Gulch Trailhead the trail crosses North Fork Trinity, goes up the right bank (looking downstream) a mile, then follows up to the headwaters of White's Creek to New River Divide. [Side trip to White's Lake possible (you need to go to Pony Camp and climb Pony Mt. at dawn)]. Along the New River Divide, the trail has wonderful views views over to the Trinity Alps, Salmon Mtns. and into New River. The trail then drops down to the North Fork Trail near Morrison Cabin and you return on the North Fork to Hobo Gulch. Difficulty: Easy--along N. Fork moderate up White's Creek to New River Divide. Time Needed: 3-7 days Distance: 21 miles round trip Starting Elevation: 3,500 ft. High Elevation: 6,200 ft. When: Whenever it is possible to cross the N. Fork Trinity. Useage: Light (outside of deer season). Maps: Topographic: Thurston Peaks and Cecil Lake 7.5' Directions to Trailhead: Turnoff Highway 299 at Helena. Take paved road up E. Fork 2.7 miles to Hobo Gulch trailhead Road 14 miles. Canyon Creek to Upper Boulder Lake Detailed trail guide Description: The one Trinity Alps hike to take for many is the walk up Canyon Creek. This hike explores the usual option and also presents a less used route to the Boulder Creek tributary basin. Difficulty: Moderate along main canyon floor--strenuous climbing to lakes. Time Needed: 3-7 days Distance: 18 miles round trip Starting Elevation: 3,100 ft. High Elevation: 6,850 ft., Boulder Creek Lake When: Basin has a boreal climate, snows long lasting. Useage: Heavy usage to Canyon Creek Lakes, the Boulder Lakes climb selects out the faint hearted --Granite alpine scenery fit a concept of beauty common to many. Maps: Topographic: Mount Hilton 7.5 Directions to Trailhead: Highway 299 to Junction City take paved road up Canyon Creek 12.3 miles to Canyon Creek trailhead. Stuart Fork to Morris Meadows, Sapphire and Emerald Lakes Detailed trail guide Description: A forest walk to a spacious alpine meadows, jewel lakes, fishing, with many side trip possibilities, it's easy to see why this trip is the most popular one outside of Canyon Creek. Wood is plentiful if you camp at Portuguese Camp or below. Difficulty: Moderate. Time Needed: 3 days Distance: 14.5 miles one way to Sapphire Lake Starting Elevation: 3,000 ft. High Elevation: Sapphire Lake When: June to October. Useage: Heavy, don't camp at Sapphire or Emerald Lake. Maps: Topographic: Caribou Lake, Thompson Peak, Rush Creek Lakes, Siligo Peak, and Mount Hilton 7.5 Directions to Trailhead: Take Highway 3 from Weaverville North for 13 miles until you cross Stuart Fork Arm of Claire Engel Lake Bridge, turn left through Trinity Alps Resort to Bridge Creek Campground in 3.5 miles. Swift Creek to Big Flat Detailed trail guide Description: This is an early route to the Salmon River goldfields from the Sacramento River, Redding, Old Shasta, and Trinity Center. It goes up to the headwaters of Swift Creek over Sunrise Pass and down over Preacher's Peak to Big Flat. Abrams Trading Post, the first in the Salmon River Country, was on the trail at Big Flat. Abrams Post was abandoned after 10 years for a new route from Scott Valley; it became the Mt. Meadows Ranch. Difficulty: Moderate. Time Needed: 2-7 days Distance: ??? miles Starting Elevation: 4,000 ft. High Elevation: 7,400 ft., Sunrise Pass When: Mid-July to October. Useage: Lower Swift Creek is popular. Maps: Topographic: Covington Mill, Ycatapom Peak, Caribou Lake Directions to Trailhead: Take Highway 3 from Weaverville. 29.5 miles to 0.25 mile N of Swift Creek Bridge. Turn up road 7 miles. Caribou Lakes and Sawtooth Ridge Detailed trail guide Description: For advanced appreciation the Trinity Alps the perspective of this trip is mandatory. Breathtaking views and the largest lake in the Trinity Alps. Difficulty: Moderate. Time Needed: 3 days Distance: 10 miles one way Starting Elevation: 5,000 ft. High Elevation: 7,550 ft., Pass to Stuart Fork When: June to October. Useage: Heavy, especially around Snowslide and Middle Caribou Lake. Maps: Topographic: Caribou Lake Directions to Trailhead: From Highway 3 take Coffee Creek Road 20.5 miles to Big Flat Campground (0.7 mile past road fork to Mt. Meadows Ranch.). Green Mountain--Pony Mountain--Jim Jam Ridge Detailed trail guide Description: A forested ridge walk that breaks out into fine panoramic views: to the West, coastal ranges flowing to the sea, to the East the high alps, and to the North glimpses of the the Marble Mountains, Siskiyous and beyond. Close in you will see the Thurston Buttes, and the N. Fork Trinity watershed. The route is from Brushy Mt. to Green Mt. to Pony Mt., Pony Camp, White's Lake up to Jim Jam Pass and down Jim Jam Ridge past Jakes Upper and Lower camps to Jim Jam Trailhead. Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult Distance: 17.6 miles Starting Elevation: 5,000 ft. High Elevation: 7,000 ft. When: An exciting trip in any season, expect snow in winter and on into mid spring. Not the one to start the family backpacking. Useage: Light (Except deer season--October). Maps: Topographic: Jim Jam Ridge, Thurston Peaks Directions to Trailhead: Green Mt. 6 miles W of Big Bar Ranger Station take Forest Service Road 5N13. At 3-way intersection 9.2 miles from Hwy 299 take 6N04 at 12.4 miles turn right on 6N19 (you have to look hard--it doesn't look like a road at first). Jim Jam. Off 299 at Hawkins Bar take Road 402 to Denny (about 19 miles). About 6 miles past Denny (on road 7N01) after bridge over the New River take road 7N03 to end. CAUTIONS: Need water for first 3.5 miles from Brushy Mt. Trailhead. Salmon Summit to Red Cap Lake Detailed trail guide Description: A white fir forest stroll through the less peopled northwest corner of the wilderness. Red Cap Lake can be a place for contemplation. View from the highest point in Humboldt County, Salmon Mt. (elev. 6956'), gives perspective to your northcoast wilderness travels. From the lake trips can go along Backbone Ridge or continue along Salmon Summit to Mary Blaine Meadow to the New River Divide Trail. Other routes are possibile down into New River via several trails. Difficulty: Difficult Distance: 6 miles round trip Starting Elevation: 5,400 ft. High Elevation: 6,160 ft. When: June to October Useage: Light, especially beyond Red Cap Lake. Maps: Topographic: Salmon Mt. Directions to Trailhead: Take Red Cap Rd. off Hwy 96 just after Orleans Klamath River Bridge. Follow 10N01 18.4 miles to trailhead. CAUTIONS: Bring water for first part of trail. Tangle Blue Lake Detailed trail guide Description: Tangle Blue Lake is a scenic destination, surrounded by jagged ridgetops, and the approach is short. It is a fairly warm lake, due to its shallow depth, and swimming and fishing are just two of the benefits to be found here. There are good, though well-worn, campsites on the north shore, on both sides of the outlet stream; a more isolated campsite is found among the rocks on the south side. Water is found in a stream on the east side, along the swampy trail. The easy approach means that solitude is sporadic at best. You may climb to the saddle southeast of the lake for views of granite-spired Bear Ridge, Horse Creek Basin, and Eagle Creek. Difficulty: Easy Time Needed: Day-hike, or 2-3 days  Distance:  3 miles one way Starting Elevation: 4,500 ft. High Elevation: 5,700 ft. When: June through November Useage: High Maps: USGS Tangle Blue 7.5' quadrangle Directions to Trailhead: From Weaverville, take Highway 3 north past Trinity Lake. Approximately 52 miles from Weaverville, and 1.5 miles after the road begins to climb out of the flats toward Scott Mountain Summit, a road to the left is signed (usually) "Tangle Blue Lake" and Forest Service Road "39N20." Take the left. Two large side roads split right before you reach the trailhead about 3 1/2 miles from the turnoff. The road's condition varies from good to very rough dirt. It would be wise to check the road's status at the Coffee Creek Ranger Station before you start.