Revision as of 19:34, 2 December 2021

Trail sign on the Sunshine Trail, Trapper Creek Wilderness (bobcat)

Entering the wilderness, Trapper Creek Trail (bobcat)

Small falls on the Deer Cutoff Trail, Trapper Creek Wilderness (bobcat)

Hidden Creek Falls, Trapper Creek Wilderness (bobcat)

Mossy ridge on the Sunshine Trail, Trapper Creek Wilderness (bobcat)

Vine maple slope, Sunshine Trail, Trapper Creek Wilderness (bobcat)

The lollipop loop shown in red; other trails in yellow (not a GPS track) (bobcat) Courtesy: Caltopo

• Start point: Trapper Creek Trailhead
• End point: Observation-Sunshine Trail Junction
• Hike Type: Lollipop loop
• Distance: 8.4 miles
• High point: 3,635 feet
• Elevation gain: 3570 feet
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Seasons: Late spring through mid-fall
• Family Friendly: No
• Backpackable: No
• Crowded: No

Hike Description

WARNING: Almost the entire length of the Sunshine Trail was burned in the 2020 Big Hollow Fire. The trail becomes more of a "route" where the tread, such as it was, disappears in many places and must be considered an off trail excursion until it is refurbished. Only very experienced off-trail hikers should attempt Sunshine at the current time. The Big Slide and Deer Cutoff trails were only slightly affected by the fire.

Most visitors to the Trapper Creek Wilderness hike one of the three main trails that take you to the major features of this small, wild area: the Trapper Creek Trail #192, the Soda Peaks Trail #133, or the Observation Trail #132. However, in the early 1980s, Mazamas crews, with permission from the Forest Service, designed a system of short connector trails designated as “primitive”: no wide trail benches, logs mostly left lying where they fell, and narrow rooty treads without switchbacks. This loop takes you on three of these trails, one of which is relentlessly steep and difficult to follow in places, for a little adventure in the heart of this pocket wilderness with massive old-growth trees everywhere you look. Along the way, you’ll encounter the whimsical little trail markers and signs carved by Mazama Basil Clark, now deceased, in his trademark font. A short 3/4 mile round-trip extension to Hidden Creek Falls is also described.

Take the Trapper Creek Trail #192 past the information kiosk and permit box. Keep right at the Trapper Creek-Dry Creek Trail Junction. Hike along a forested flat of Douglas-fir and western hemlock in an understory of Oregon grape, sword fern, vanilla leaf, pathfinder, and inside-out flower. Hike up along a slope after crossing a dry creek bed, and pass the Trapper Creek Wilderness sign. Cross “Stump Step” Creek (the stumps here are aligned to not help you cross the creek, which runs dry in late summer). Come to the four-way Trapper Creek-Observation Trail Junction at a couple of big Douglas-firs, and keep straight to cross another creek.

The trail traverses up along a slope above a bottomland and, at another huge Douglas-fir, crosses always-running Howe Creek to arrive at the Trapper Creek-Soda Peaks Trail Junction in a grove of impressive old-growth cedars. Continue up the slope on the Trapper Creek Trail, and switchback twice to continue rising in an old-growth forest of Douglas-firs with younger hemlocks. Make a traverse in a carpet of salal, Oregon grape, and vanilla leaf to drop into a dry gully and pass another impressive fir. Reach the Trapper Creek-Big Slide Trail Junction and, 50 yards later, the Trapper Creek-Deer Cutoff Trail East Junction. Here keep right instead of descending to Trapper Creek.

The Deer Cutoff Trail #209 begins on the level and then drops to undulate along a steep slope before switchbacking steeply down to a pretty creek running over bedrock. This mossy defile holds a series of small waterfalls that splash into small shaded pools. Step across the creek to get a better view from the other bank. The trail then rises steeply before winding down to cross a gully full of toppled trees and reach the Trapper Creek-Deer Cutoff Trail West Junction. Go right here on a narrow rooty track to cross a mossy footbridge at a spring, and traverse a slope with the sound of Trapper Creek coursing below. Reach the Trapper Creek-Sunshine Trail Junction.

If you are going on to Hidden Creek Falls, about one mile extra, continue on the Trapper Creek Trail. Head up, and cross a trickling creek before traversing down to Hidden Creek, where the “new” bridge has been moved to the center of the stream by the forces of nature. Hike up the slope to find a campsite and two Basil Clark signs at the Trapper Creek-Hidden Creek Falls Trail Junction. This use trail plunges up the ridge through the huckleberries and can be followed fairly easily except where there is windfall that obscures the trail. Each time, you will have to wade through the underbrush or clamber over fairly large trees in order to find the tread. Eventually, you fetch up above a steep slope with Hidden Creek Falls partially visible below. Scramble down the slope – it is steep! – to come to the creek and get a view of the falls plunging into its mossy amphitheater with a rooty cedar ascending from its rim. The falls are small but pretty at the end of the summer, but become a roaring spate in the spring. Enjoy this quiet and secluded spot before returning to the Trapper Creek-Sunshine Trail Junction.

Take the Sunshine Trail up the slope past a ‘Primitive Trail – Not Maintained’ sign. Small aluminum diamonds and wood ‘suns’ mark the route although the tread is obvious the whole way except where fallen trees have obscured the route. Hike steeply up through salal and around the rootballs of fallen trees. Switchback and traverse to cross a gully and then scramble up and around the base of a toppled giant. You’ll see several massive Douglas-firs standing out in the vine maple understory. Make a level traverse to reach two fallen trees. Scramble up the slope to circumvent them, and then drop to rejoin the trail. Reach a ridge crest, and hike very steeply up to switchback to the right. Make a traverse before switchbacking to the left, where the trail disappears under fallen trees. The gradient becomes more gentle as you push through young vine maples and hemlocks on the narrow ridge crest, which for a short spell, becomes a mossy spine. Traverse up to another ridge, and swing right up the crest, hiking through bear-grass among small Douglas-firs. Rise steeply until the trail levels at the Sunshine-Rim Trail Junction.

Make a right here to follow the Sunshine Trail where it parallels the Rim Trail #202 for a short spell (For a hike using the difficult-to-follow Rim Trail, see the Observation Peak-Rim Trail Loop Hike). Rise up the slope, and switchback to the right to pass through a vine maple thicket on a level traverse. Traverse up, passing into and out of a small depression, and then hike up a ridge crest among several huge Douglas-firs. Veer off to the right and make a traverse, scrambling over several downed trees. The trail then generally descends to cross several vine maple shaded rocky gullies before coming to the Observation-Sunshine Trail Junction.

Make a right on the well-maintained Observation Trail #132. The tread soon drops to the south side of the Howe Ridge crest and descends gradually. You’ll pass old-growth Douglas-firs and western hemlocks and cross two vine maple framed scree slopes with some impressive big trees. At the second scree slope, you’ll get a view to Soda Peaks across the Trapper Creek valley. Descend through vine maple thickets to pass between two massive Douglas-firs. Continue descending, and reach the Observation-Big Slide Trail Junction.

To navigate the last of your primitive trails, go right here on a good tread (This trail is much more frequently used than the Sunshine Trail). Traverse to the right, and then undulate along before rising through mossy rockscapes that are part of an ancient landslide. Big-leaf maples and vine maples droop over these clearings. Drop and then rise between two big Douglas-firs before winding steeply down a boulder slope. Traverse down, switchback, and descend farther until you reach the Trapper Creek-Big Slide Trail Junction. Here make a left to hike back along the Trapper Creek Trail and reach the trailhead.

Maps

• Maps: Hike Finder
• Green Trails Maps: Lookout Mtn, WA #396
• Trapper Creek Wilderness (USFS)
• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Adams Wilderness, Indian Heaven Wilderness, Trapper Creek Wilderness
• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Adams Ranger District
• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
• National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount St. Helens - Mt. Adams

Regulations or Restrictions, etc.

• Northwest Forest Pass (or America the Beautiful Pass) required at trailhead
• Self-issued Wilderness Permit
• $2 toll at the Bridge of the Gods

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Trapper Creek Primitive Trails Loop Hike

• Trapper Creek Wilderness: the primitive trails 10-01-16

Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Trapper Creek Primitive Trails Loop Hike

Guidebooks that cover this hike

• none

More Links

• Trailhead: Trapper Creek (USFS)
• Trail #192.1 Trapper Creek (USFS)
• Trail #209: Deer Cutoff Primitive (USFS)
• Trail #192.2 Trapper Creek (USFS)
• Trail #198 Sunshine Primitive Trail (USFS)
• Trail #132 Observation (USFS)
• Trail #195: Big Slide Primitive (USFS)
• Sunshine Trail (Washington Trails Association)
• Hidden Creek Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)

Contributors

• bobcat (creator)