Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
lostlakerd
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Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by lostlakerd » August 18th, 2021, 10:02 am

I'm planning an overnighter with my daughter, her first, and we want to hit the Badger Creek wilderness. I've read trip reports about the Badger Creek Trail and they mention camping near the bottom of the trail, but not the top. If we drive up to access Badger Lake and start down the Badger Creek Trail from that end, will we find camping options within the 2-3 mile range?

[edit] Also, what's the best TH to access Badger Lake? Is the road to the Badger Lake TH and campground really as bad as it's made out to be, or is it passable in a typical midsize SUV?

Aimless
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by Aimless » August 18th, 2021, 10:14 am

Off the top of my head, there's a couple of campsites on Badger Creek at approx. the 7 mile mark, where another trail (whose name I can't recall offhand and would have to look up) junctions with the Badger Creek trail, coming up from where it crosses the creek. One of these two sites is very large and blindingly obvious from the trail. Another, smaller site can be reached by backtracking slightly on the 'other trail', but not actually crossing Badger Creek.

lostlakerd
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by lostlakerd » August 18th, 2021, 10:42 am

7 miles from the lake is likely out of our range. Nothing that you recall up near the lake? Topo maps show several creeks, including the one that drains Jean Lake, some unnamed, and Gumjuwac Creek draining into Badger Creek within the first 2-3 miles below Badger Lake.

Aimless
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by Aimless » August 18th, 2021, 10:49 am

I was speaking of camp sites 7 miles up the trail from the Bonney Crossing TH. I didn't see you were planning to start at the lake and hike down the creek.

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drm
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by drm » August 18th, 2021, 11:52 am

There are no established sites for two miles going down from the lake. The first site going down is two miles down, but it's not a creekside camp, it's one of the less aesthetic camps. As I remember, it is just surrounded by down logs.

Two miles further and you get to the decent Post Camp at the trail junction for the Post Camp trail. It's not the most level camp if that's important to you, but it is creekside and roomy. I think this is the one Aimless was referring to.

A mile beyond that, five miles from the lake, and you get many options.

I've never accessed the lake from above so can't help you there.

lostlakerd
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by lostlakerd » August 18th, 2021, 12:00 pm

Ok thanks y'all. Based on other reports about that road, I think I'll skip it in my pretty much dead-average SUV and try out the first few miles of the trail from the Bonney Crossing end.

PatrickL
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by PatrickL » August 18th, 2021, 12:08 pm

I drove to badger lake around 1995 in an 85 chevy celebrity station wagon. It was rough, and shortly after we were pulled over for having a too loud muffler. might have punched a hole in the exhaust system or maybe he just pulled us over because we were young and wanted to see if we were up to no good. I remember it taking a while to get down there and being surprised at the number of people who had driven in and were packed into the area. I havent been back down since though so I don't know if the road is better or worse now, but I cant imagine its better.

lostlakerd
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by lostlakerd » August 18th, 2021, 12:11 pm

Was it white? Because those Chevy wagons in white were the bomb. (we had one)

PatrickL
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by PatrickL » August 18th, 2021, 12:35 pm

lostlakerd wrote:
August 18th, 2021, 12:11 pm
Was it white? Because those Chevy wagons in white were the bomb. (we had one)
It was blue on blue. It didnt run that great but it ran for a long time, handed down from my parents, to me, to my sister (or vice versa I cant remember now). Its what I learned to drive in. It permanently smelled like a vanilla air freshener. Ah memories.

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bobcat
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Re: Campsites on upper Badger Creek?

Post by bobcat » August 18th, 2021, 4:32 pm

You could camp at the junction with the Gumjuwac Trail. It's right next to the trail (no privacy) but also at Gumjuwac Creek. The next campsites are just above the Post Camp Trail junction.

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