Bear Creek Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Views · Wildlife

A bit of a challenging route that more than makes up for the steep constant grades with great up-close views of Giant Sequoias as you pass through the deep forest to reach a nice viewpoint.

The Bear Creek Trail is a popular route for mountain bikers. Be alert for descending riders as your hike.

The trail begins just before the Coy Flat Campground. The trail is well marked and there is a turnout for 2-3 vehicles.

Right from the start, the climb is steep (15+ degrees). The trail is well kept, but there are branches and obstacles along the way including fallen trees that you'll navigate over or around. You may lose sight of a clear trail along the way, but a clear path is never more than 20 feet away or out of view. As you reach mile two, you'll begin to see the Giant Sequoias scattered, and become more frequent after you see the Forest Service signs indicating that a Giant Sequoia grove is ahead.

There is a viewpoint and a place to rest at about 3.5 miles. Looking north, you can see across the canyon, Cedar Slope and in the distance, Jordan Lookout. The Bear Creek Trail continues on for another 3.5 miles to intersect with the Summit Trail. There are some more steeps, but the last few miles follow a fairly mellow grade. Either continue on, or soak in a final view and retrace your way back to the parking area.

Plenty of wildflowers scattered throughout the trail.