Eagle Creek Trail #66

Dogs Leashed

Features Fishing · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers

There is not a lot of parking. Please maximize the number of spaces by parking perpendicular the road if possible.

This trail is a consistent, moderately steep climb from beginning to the end. The first half follows an old logging road. The rest is a narrow trail that is occasionally hard to follow. Most of the trail is under a canopy of pine, fir and quaking aspen. Often it is within sight of the fast flowing creek. On the return, I passed many people who went up 1-2 miles just to fish for the day.

The trail starts at the gate at the western end of the Buckeye Campground. The first 150 yards follow the Buckeye Pass Trail. There is a second gate shortly beyond the first. Both gates are easily opened. The area between is private property, with a sign saying that access is controllable by the owner. This is not an issue, as long as you follow the road straight across. At the signed junction, turn left to follow the an old road up the hill. The road swings around the end of the moraine between Buckeye and Eagle Creeks and reaches Eagle Creek at about 0.7 miles. For the next mile, it follows the creek fairly closely. Most of this section is a beautiful forest of quaking aspen, with plenty of flowers, especially mule ear and lupine.

At about 2.3 miles, the road comes to a washed-out bridge across Eagle Creek. Do not cross the creek. The road continues over Sawmill Ridge, and from there a trail goes back down to Robinson Creek. For the Eagle Creek Trail, turn right and climb a few yards up the hill to where you can see a gate for a broken-down stock pen. On the other side of the gate, the trail becomes more obvious. The next section is open with a narrow-trail cutting between sagebrush and manzanita bushes.Try to avoid the bushes as much as possible, because this section sometimes has ticks. If you lose the trail, you should be able to pick it up again by continuing 20-100 yards above the right side of the creek.

The trail continues climbing, alternating between brush and trees. It crosses 2-3 small streams that often have good water. At 6 miles and just below 10,000, there is an excellent tree-sheltered campsite with a large fire ring. About 100 yards above this, the trail crosses the creek. From there on, the area is beautiful open meadows and scattered trees with great views of Eagle Peak and the surrounding ridges. You could actually go any way you want, but I recommend climbing the small hill (10,566 feet) for an outstanding view of Twin Lakes, the Matterhorn and Sawtooth Ridge. From there, you can scramble up any of the surrounding peaks.

Jeffery and other pines, firs and quaking aspen. A variety of flowers, especially mule-ears and lupine on the lower 6 miles and corn lily in the high meadows.