Rogue Wolf Loop Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Middle Fork Trailhead
- End point: Middle Fork Trailhead
- Trail Log:
- Hike Type: Loop
- Distance: 27.9 miles
- Elevation gain: 4,400 feet
- High Point: 6,800 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: mid-June to early July and September are best; can be too hot in mid-summer
- Family Friendly: No
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Hike Description
This newly restored loop circles the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Rogue River through the Seven Lakes Basin on the Middle Fork Trail #978, the Halifax Trail #1088, the McKie Camp Trail #1089 south of Solace Meadow, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), the Cliff Lake Trail #983, the Seven Lakes Trail #981, and the Alta Lake Trail #979. In the summer of 2016, Siskiyou Mountain Club crews, with a lot of help from the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, the Fremont-Winema National Forest, the High Desert Trail Riders - Back Country Horseman, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, and REI, removed about 5,000 logs from portions of these existing trails that had become impassable after acute wildfire damage and from years of defered maintenance. They called this collection of existing and newly restored trails the Rogue Wolf Loop.
The loop starts with a stretch along the glacially-carved canyon of the Middle Fork of the Rogue River, then climbs to Solace Meadow near the Cascade Crest, before going south on the PCT into the Seven Lakes Basin. There are options here to visit or camp Cliff Lake or Grass and Middle Lakes before continuing on to the Alta Lake Trail. That trail is followed down Gopher Ridge, past beautiful Alta Lake (and some excellent campsites), to the upper end of the Middle Fork Trail, which is then followed back to the trialhead to complete the loop.
This loop through the northeast quadrant of the Wild Rogue Wilderness can be done either clockwise or counter-clockwise or as a lollipop from Foster Bar or Grave Creek, but the mileage log below assumes you're going counter-clockwise starting from Tucker Flat. Going this direction - particularly during periods of high water - allows you to see if the two crossings of Mule Creek are possible before you're too far into the loop. These creek crossings can be very dangerous or impassable during high water! Going this direction you also hike down, not up, the Clay Hill Trail, which seems to be the less arduous option. Trail miles from Tucker Flat are shown below in { }; mileages assume you visit Hanging Rock.
{0.0} Tucker Flat – Mule Creek Trail #1159 Trailhead
{0.3} Bridge over Mule Creek
{1.2} First crossing of West Fork Mule Creek
{1.7} Second crossing of West Fork Mule Creek
{4.2} Old mine road starts (extension of Forest Road 230)
{5.3} Campsites and reliable water in the upper West Fork Mule Creek.
NOTE: There are no reliable (perennial) water sources between here and the Thomas homestead. Be prepared to carry water if you plan to camp along Panther Ridge.
{5.9} Leave the old road for a trail to the left
{6.5} Trail joins with another old road (BLM Road 32-11-25.1)
{7.2} Arrive at gravel FR 230; go left on the road for several hundred feet to the Buck Point Trailhead and the unsigned start of the Panther Ridge Trail #1253
{8.0} Panther Creek Camp, stream that probably dries up sometime in the spring. If this stream is dry, go back to mile 7.3, then down the road which goes along Buck Creek which has water later in the season.
{8.9} Unsigned junction with the spur trail to Hanging Rock - mileage from here on assumes you visited the Rock
{9.2} Pass a poorly signed junction with a side trail (#1113 or #1253-A) coming in from the Hanging Rock Trailhead; continue straight-ahead (west)
{12.4} Sign and faint trail going north to Panther Camp Meadow
{14.5} Junction with the spur trail to Clay Hill Trailhead and then soon thereafter a well-signed junction with the Clay Hill Trail #1160A
{17.1} Thomas homestead is on a short use trail to the right. This is also your first source of reliable water since leaving the West Fork Mule Creek. There are two streams visible from trail.
{18.2} Junction with the Rogue River Trail #1160 near Clay Hill Creek - an excellent source of water
{19.0} Tate Creek - reliable water and one small backpacker campsite
{21.1} Brushy Bar campsites - large, level sites; bear boxes; pit toilets; creek water; river access possible
{21.3} Brushy Bar Guard Station; Devils Backbone Trail #1162 sign
{24.1} Paradise Bar & Lodge (cold sodas and beer available for sale)
{25.3} Blossom Bar - excellent campsites with easy river access; creek water
{27.1} Mule Creek Canyon
{29.2} Arrive back at Tucker Flat
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Rogue Wolf Loop Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Rogue Wolf Loop Hike
Guidebooks that cover this destination
- 100 Hikes / Travel Guide: Southern Oregon & Northern California by William L. Sullivan (Fourth Edition (2017), Hike #84)
More Links
- Siskiyou Mountain Club
- Directions to Tucker Flat from Galice
- Mule Creek South Trailhead
- Mule Creek Trail #1159 (BLM)
- Buck Point Trailhead
- Panther Ridge Trail #1253
- Hanging Rock Trailhead
- Clay Hill Trailhead
- Clay Hill Trail #1160A
- Rogue River Trail #1160
- Devils Backbone Trail #1162
Page Contributors
- VanMarmot (creator)