North Fork Trinity River to Papoose Lake
The trail goes along the North Fork six miles to Rattlesnake Creek. Some
parts of the trail are on the remains of a road built to mine Corbett's
Rattlesnake Digs (1950s), the former Brown's Mine. Up Rattlesnake Creek
the trail continues to rise relatively gently another 2 miles passing
through landscapes of rockpiles and placer mined streambanks dating back
to the 1850s, a tribute to one hundred years of destruction. Whole settlements,
waves of intriguing personalities attending successive stages of gold
extraction--panning, placer and hard rock mining--have come and gone along
your footsteps. Only during the first two weeks of deer season is there
anything remotely like it was. The final mile is a scramble following
rail ducks to a quintessential mountain lake.
Cautions:
- Someone has it in for trail signs--they may not be there because of
vandals or bears.
Points Along the Trail:
Distance: 0.0
Elevation: 3000'
Hobo Gulch Trailhead. Trail goes up and over a steep bank to Keystone
Flat
Distance: 0.6
Elevation: 3000'
Keystone Flat. Cross Backbone Creek. A 3 way junction: one leads 3 miles
up Backbone Creek (11W07) to the Russel Cabin ruins (4,000'); one to low
water crossing of N. Fork and New River Divide; your route continues uphill
but soon drops down to N. Fork Trinity.
Distance: 1.2
Flat with good campsites
Distance: 2.3
Elevation: 3040'
Good Campsites just north of China Creek.
Elevation: 3170'
Remains of Strunce Cabin. The Telephone line came to here once. Strunce
appears in Jorstad's book.
Distance: 4.5
Elevation: 3200'
Rattlesnake Creek. (Mile 20 of the N. Fork) Good campsites. Trail junction
to Papoose Lake (11 W05) go up left bank (looking downstream). Trail follows
(Corbett's Rattlesnake Digs) road to Brown's Mine.
Distance: 4.7
Good campsite shortly off trail by stream.
Distance: 6.0
Elevation: 3430'
Martin's Gulch.
Distance: 6.2
Elevation: 3440
Ford of Rattlesnake Creek.
Distance: 8.0
Elevation: 3920'
Browns Mine (attacked by gnats in August; party had to move up the trail).
Distance: 8.1
Elevation: 4000'
Bob's Farm Trail Junction. If you go up there is a good camp by spring.
A cabin-fevered swede trapped up at Bob's farm mines in the winter of
1910 made skis from subalpine fir and skied to Helena in one day and left
the country. Strunce got the very skis and is using them on a visit to
Jorstad 27 years later.
Distance: 8.6
Elevation: 4080'
Cross Mill Creek. The mill remains are just before. Good spot to rest
and wait for people. Mill Creek comes from Lois Lake, reached from Grizzly
Lake.
Distance: 9.1
Elevation: 4240'
Cross Mid Fork Rattlesnake Creek. Good camp here but the marbled walled
stream is dangerous. Caution groups with children.
Distance: 10.8
Elevation: 5480'
Enni Camp. I don't like this camp. Trail junction to Bear Valley Meadow.
Distance: 11.6
Elevation: 5800'
Cross stream to left bank. Follow trail ducks from here. The valley opens
up. Might be a good place to camp if you don't want to take pack up the
steep last mile. See guide book for this part.
Distance: 12.5.
Elevation: 6800
Papoose Lake. It can get hot at the lake and there is not much shade which
you may have to share with stinging black ants. While in the distinct
minority, a person I went with said it wasn't worth it.
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